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Category: Walter Reed

  • Walter Reed AMC: 100 years of warrior care

    Walter Reed Army Medical Center is kicking off their centennial celebration this April. Despite the bad press that has been magnified to further the careers of some disingenuous reporters recently, it really is a great medical facility. I’ve had emergency surgery there myself and they have the best staff of doctors and nurses of any place I’ve ever been. They’re scheduled to move to a new facility in two years at the Bethesda Naval Hospital where they’ll have room to grow and expand and have a better pool of local labor from which to choose.

    If you click at the link above, they’ve put some of their photos on line of times gone by. And their museum is filled with medical devices disguised as torture devices, or vice versa, if you get the chance to visit this year.

    If I’m not mistaken Dan Sickles’ leg is there, too.

  • AP can’t tell the truth

    I’ve been boycotting Associated Press along with the rest of blogs since they got uppity (uh-oh, is using the word “uppity” showing my bigotry?) a few weeks back, but I’m breaking the boycott for this piece of crap reporting from Deb Reichman;

    President Bush helped break ground Thursday for a new military medical center to replace Walter Reed hospital, whose reputation was soiled by allegations of shoddy care for war veterans.

    Bush didn’t talk about the institution’s problems, instead lauding the work of the military medical staff.

    How much is wrong with that few lines? Walter Reed was scheduled to be closed more than a year before Washington Post’s equally shoddy story about conditions there. That’s one of the reasons it was being closed – Walter Reed is located in one of the worst neighborhoods in DC and the entire area is filthy. There is no room for Walter Reed to grow and improve to meet current needs and the population is not suitable to employment in a hospital environment.

    Walter Reed was busted in the Washington Post for their transient barracks – their out-patient facilities, not because of “shoddy care for war veterans” as Ms. Reichman writes. The care for soldiers at Walter Reed has never been criticized successfully.

    When the Bush Administration tried to speed building the new facilities at Bethesda after Walter Reed’s problems, it was Congressional Democrats, my Congressman Chris Van Hollen specifically, who blocked those efforts. Read the post I wrote at the time. Van Hollen opposed speeding the process because he wanted federal money dedicated to improving roads along which he and the other snotty elitists in country club Bethesda drove their Mercedes SUVs .

    Why would President Bush talk about the problems that have been rectified over a year ago and will be cured when the new facility is built? Reidman is a tool and a hack – but then so is the ASSociated Press.

    I know some of you have more to add about the Walter Reed thing. Have at it.

  • Memorial Day Weekend at Walter Reed

    I started my Memorial Day Weekend at my favorite place with my favorite people – the weekly Friday FReep at Walter Reed to welcome the wounded soldiers back from the war. The last time I was there was back on their 3rd Anniversary in March.

    The FReepers and Protest Warriors still own all four corners at front gate where the troops arrive since Concrete Bob discovered the Code Pink crowd lost their permit.

    The Code Pink contingent has been forced to hold their protests about 100 yards from the gate, in the middle of the block;

    At least their flags are right-side up for a change.

    The usual more signs than moonbats dilemma;

    A good friend to this blog from the very beginning – Tom the Redhunter just back from Israel;

    I’m always surprised at the amount of support these guys get in the heart of Northwest DC – not a bastion of Conservatism but, apparently filled with Americans. Here’s a video so you can see what it feels like;

    [youtube TCWUOsgin4w nolink]

    I love the girl in the video – she’s always so full of energy. While I was filming the corner, a pedestrian stopped and told her how he missed her on Friday nights when she’s not there. She told me that some troops returning from Iraq had mentioned to her that they recognized her from the video I shot in March and put on YouTube and Google.

    A few soldiers who work at Walter Reed stopped by and thanked the FReepers for being out there. Just as I walked up, one of the FReepers was autographing a sign for the father of a wounded soldier who had driven down to see his son from Illinois. He was so grateful for the support in front of the hospital, he asked for an autograph and a sign.

    It only takes a few stories like that to keep those folks coming back – every week.

    Stay tuned here this weekend as I plan to cover a lot of the Memorial Day events in the Nation’s Capitol.

  • 3d Anniversary Freep at Walter Reed

    A little over three years ago, the Code Pink freaks began a death vigil outside of Walter Reed Army Medical Center every Friday night to greet the weekly bus bringing in casualties from the war against terror. After their first Friday night a group of local people who frequent the Free Republic forums decided that Code Pink shouldn’t go unchallenged. They organized a weekly counter-demonstration.

    Code Pink had their group on the southwest corner of the main entrance into WRAMC, the Freepers got permits for the other three corners and it became a weekly stand-off. Code Pink coerced the unions into swelling their ranks for awhile and Freepers enjoyed sporadic reinforcement when Gathering of Eagles and Eagles Up folks came to town. Memorial Day weekend saw participation from Rolling Thunder folks. I don’t know how many times I’ve read other blog and read about bloggers who happened to be in town would just show up and join in. I remember last March, Michele Malkin wrote about the great time she had out there with the folks before the first Gathering of Eagles.

    Well, tonight marked the 3rd anniversary of the Walter Reed Freep – every Friday night, in rain, snow, sleet, blistering heat for three years, Code Pink has had to face counter-protesters. I was told tonight that Code Pink lost their permit for the front gate recently when Concrete Bob, a frequent visitor here and blogger at DC Protest Warrior kept a close eye on Code Pink’s permit and the day that it expired, he went down and secured their corner. Now Code Pink is exiled down at the end of the block and the Freepers own all four corners.

    Here’s a picture I took of the Code Pink protesters three years ago;

    Photobucket

    This is what Code Pink’s corner looks like tonight;

    Concrete Bob and Tom the Redhunter (also a frequent visitor here) invited me down tonight, so I stopped for awhile and took these pictures.

    The Freepers’ cars have signs that warn of the Code Pink folks ahead.

    The Freepers love telling the story of the night after the bus of wounded troops passed through the gate, it stopped and the door opened and one lone soldier, barely able to walk, limped back to the counter protesters and thanked them all for welcoming him home.

    The reaction from people passing the intersection surprised me, so I video’d it so you can experience, too (Editor’s note: OK, the videos are fixed now – thanks for being patient. There’s two of each video – I’m trying out Google video in case I run into problems with YouTube like I did last night);


    Those stalwart folks from Free Republic and Protest Warrior deserve our thanks for braving the elements for us.

    Welcome Free Republic readers – feel free to stay and look around. Especially the Protests/Counterprotests category – you’ll see some friends there.

    UPDATED 4-2-08; Tom the Redhunter put up an excellent post about the history of the FReep at Free Republic and at his blog The Redhunter.

  • Walter Reed Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course grads

    bncoc.jpg

    Click for full-sized picture

    I’m just unashamedly copying the post from Thus Spake Ortner at The Sniper;

    OK, in order to go from SGT (E5) to Staff Sergeant (E6), a soldier must attend and pass the Basic Non-commissioned officers course. For the first time ever, this is being offered to wounded troops currently at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. See pic above.

    Anyway, they graduate on Friday, and the Senior Group Leader (Teacher) wants to get these soldiers the credit and media they deserve by getting some people at the graduation, and getting some positive stories out in the media about it. Hopefully we can do both.

    I know some will be there, like me, and Anon (Hey James, quit goosing Nicki). BNG is hoping to make it. We’ve also had good support from the Usual suspects, Gathering of Eagles, the Freepers etc. Blogs have chimed in and will do posts on these guys and gals. So, things are on track right now.

    Alas, I still do not have specifics, but hope to have them early next week. But, whoever can make it, awesome. My PLDC graduation was around noon, assuming this BNCOC graduation will be around same time frame. Stay tuned for more info as soon as I get it.

    This is a great idea – whoever thought it up should be commended. Why should an NCO fall behind their peers while they’re in a lengthy out-patient situation. I’ve always been a strong proponent of the NCODP – and this proves the Army’s commitment to  the professional development of their careerists. And a big “Hoo-ah” to the graduates.

    If you’re in the area, and you can get some time – please show up. I’ll warn everyone ahead of time that parking at WRAMC sucks. Car pool to Walter Reed (at least most of you can get to the ceremony while one drives around looking for parking) or take the Metro to Takoma station on the Red Line if you can.

  • Live blogging Winter Soldier II (Part II)

    The second part of the program this morning (you can get the names and personal info from TSO) is on veterans’ healthcare. The complaints are systemic of a large government bureaucracies running healthcare. Long waits between visits, difficulty in getting adequate diagnosis in a timely manner. Of course, what the panelists missed is that it’s always the same – their solutions are always more money.

    Cost to veterans and military members went on the rise in 1992 when Congress mandated higher co-pays for veterans and active duty soldiers who didn’t use the military system and instead used CHAMPUS (usually because of geographic location). Then in 1993 military retirees were forced off of the military and into Social Security at the age of 65. President Bush reinstated care for retirees, but the co-pays have remained.

    The most applause from the audience were calls for free government healthcare for all Americans avoiding the fact that the entire problem with the military system is the fact that it’s a bureaucracy run by politicians and administrators instead of a private system managed by real doctors.

    One of the panelists, Eli Wright, claimed that he couldn’t get treatment because Walter Reed only treats combat casualties. That’s complete horseshit – I had my gall bladder removed there just a few years ago – I had a private recovery room. They treated me for pneumonia just a few weeks with the usual long wait – but the guy claimed he was on active duty and they wouldn’t treat his injury (shoulder injury playing football in his stateside unit) because it wasn’t combat related. Please.

    OK, for some reason I’m listening to some guy who committed suicide playing guitar so I’m going to drift off here.

    The second guy from the end in the picture above just said Congress needs to get control of the Veterans health sytem – just spit all over poor TSO. Yeah, the answer is Congressional involvement – they do so well at everything else. Ask the troops if they want Congress involved.

  • Shoot out at Walter Reed

    Remember a few months ago when I wrote that the problems at Walter Reed were more about the civilian contract labor than about the Army leadership, and that was due to Walter Reed’s location in a bad neigborhood in DC? Well, the Washington Post reports just how right I was;

    A security officer at Walter Reed Army Medical Center pulled a handgun and fired 10 rounds at a fellow guard during the morning rush hour yesterday at the hospital’s main gate, striking no one but sending stray bullets into two cars and a utility pole, D.C. police said.

    Police said the incident started on hospital grounds just inside the front gate along Georgia Avenue NW after one officer jokingly referred to an armed colleague as “retarded.”

    Of course, The Washington Post doesn’t see it as employee problem;

    The shooting is the latest high-profile embarrassment for Walter Reed, which has faced scrutiny and criticism over its aging facilities and the treatment provided to wounded veterans. The gated hospital complex is set back from one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares.

    The guards involved were contract employees under the supervision of civilians, not military guards. So how can the Washington Post figure this is an embarrassment for the facility? Well, because it sounds better, I guess.

    The only problem I see is that Army decided to use civilians to guard Walter Reed instead of using MPs like they did just after 9-11. But security guards with guns is a problem across DC with the expansion of the need for security personnel at Federal facilities and a decreasingly eligible labor pool.

    My sources at Walter Reed say the argument was over a lady, but my sources are notoriously gossipy, so I’ll stick with the Washington Post’s account – but like I said on Monday, these problems can be fixed by moving the medical facility to Bethesda as determined by the BRAC – if we can get past the Democrat crybabies in Congress who are more worried about traffic jams on Wisconsin Avenue (between trendy Bethesda and trendier Georgetown). 

  • WaPo back on the Walter Reed kick

    I guess the Washington Post has run out of things to bash the Administration with, so they’re back on their Walter Reed/Army bashing this week;

    At Walter Reed, Care for Soldiers Struggling With War’s Mental Trauma Is Undermined by Doctor Shortages and Unfocused Methods

    By Anne Hull and Dana Priest

    Washington Post Staff Writers
    Monday, June 18, 2007; Page A01 

    Yeah, I’m going to admit that the Army does alot of things badly – mostly administrative stuff and the way the Army treats soldiers is pretty bad, too. But, ya know, it’s all a part of being in the Army – it’s a big bureaucracy run by kids right out of high school. I hate it when civilians try to apply their standards to military life – just like I’m sure Hull and Priest would hate it if I came over to their respective houses with a white glove and applied my standards to their lives.

    I know their whole point is that the President went to war before he had enough psychiatrists on staff at Walter Reed – just like he rushed to war before they’d cleaned up some of the transient quarters on WRAMC, too. But buried way down in the middle of the article is this;

    One of the country’s best PTSD programs is located at Walter Reed, but because of a bureaucratic divide it is not accessible to most patients. The Deployment Health Clinical Center, run by the Department of Defense and separate from the Army’s services, offers a three-week program of customized treatment. Individual exposure therapy and fewer medications are favored. Deployment Health can see only about 65 patients a year but is the envy of many in the Army. “They need to clone that program,” said Col. Charles W. Hoge, chief of psychiatry and behavior services at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

    Instead, Deployment Health was forced to give up its newly renovated quarters in March and was placed in temporary space one-third the size to make room for a soldier and family assistance center. The move came after a series of articles in The Post detailed the neglect of wounded outpatients at Walter Reed. Therapy sessions are now being held in Building T-2, a rundown former computer center, until new space becomes available.

    In the Army we all know what Buildings with “T” in front of their number means – a corregated steel barn the Army throws up while it’s building another one. There is construction going on WRAMC – it’s been going on since before the war. I didn’t see that mentioned in the Walter Reed story.

    Neither did I find a reference to the Washington Post’s Walter Reed story I wrote on back in April;

    A review panel’s recommendation that the Pentagon accelerate the expansion of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda drew a wary reaction yesterday from local officials and neighbors concerned about traffic problems.

    The Pentagon’s Independent Review Group, which is examining flaws in outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, released a draft report Wednesday recommending that the Army hospital be closed as soon as possible and replaced by a facility to be built on the Bethesda campus.

    The Pentagon recommended speeding up the process of building the new Walter Reed facilities at Bethesda to overcome some of the problems at the cramped old facilities on Georgia Avenue in the District – but my dork-ass, elitist, pot-smoking, punk Congressman Chrissy VonHollen is blocking it because residents in the flashy, trendy Bethesda are worried about traffic (there’s a subway that runs right through the area, but why buy a Mercedes if you can’t park it in traffic on Wisconsin Avenue five days every week).

    VonHollen wasn’t alone, by the way. Jimmy Moran sobered up long enough to become somewhat coherent and gurgled out;

    But some members of Congress, including Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.), insist that Walter Reed be kept open. “What you’re doing is changing horses in the middle of the stream at a time when soldiers need the best medical care,” Moran said yesterday.

    So which is it, Moran? Are they going to get the best medical care in the cramped Georgia Avenue Walter Reed or at the brand-spanking new facility in Bethesda – 12 miles away. Are you trying to say we can’t build the new hospital until the war ends? Do you even know what you’re saying?

    You’ll notice the Bethesda story is on page three and two months old. That’s how worried the Post is about our troops when alleviating some of their problems involves inconveniencing some Democrats in Bethesda with more traffic and its blocked by a Democrat punk-ass, dork Congressman Chrissy VonHollen.

    Maybe Hull and Priest will have a little more credibility on the subject when they tell me what they’ve done to help the Pentagon build the new Bethesda facilities.

    Oh, and all ya’all bloggers ain’t no damn better – there’s 34 links already to today’s WaPo hit piece and only six links to the story about punkass, sissy Chrissy VanHollen blocking the new facilities. Before ya’all go off on how the Army treats people, have all of the facts. Â