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PRESIDENT BUSH WILL FORM COMMISSION TO REVIEW
MILITARY AND VA HOSPITALS -- Ordered a
comprehensive
review of conditions at military and VA
hospitals in the wake
of Walter Reed scandal. Why this won't solve
the problems.
Great! Another commission!
There are three reasons why this won't
solve the problems in the military and VA healthcare systems.
1. The commission, by nature, will
be political as it will be appointed by the President. Look for
lots of butt-covering.
2. Commissions take time...and our
troops and veterans don't have time! Every day of inaction means
more deaths.
3. And, the solutions to the
problems will take money...lots of money. The President, Congress
and the American people have not shown a willingness to spend the extra
billions of dollars on our military and VA healthcare systems.
Background on Walter Reed with backlinks
here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfMAR07/nf030307-1.htm
Story here...
http://www.centredaily.com/131/story/29658.html
Story below:
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Bush orders review of veterans' hospitals
By TERENCE HUNT - AP White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON -- President Bush ordered a comprehensive review Friday of
conditions at the nation's military and veteran hospitals in the wake of
a scandal surrounding care for wounded troops at Walter Reed Army
Medical Center in Washington.
The White House said the president would name a bipartisan commission to
assess whether the problems at Walter Reed existed at other facilities.
The action came after The Washington Post documented squalid living
conditions for some outpatient soldiers at Walter Reed and bureaucratic
problems that prevented many troops from getting adequate care.
Bush devoted his weekly radio address - to be broadcast on Saturday - to
the problems of veterans' care, and the White House took the unusual
step of releasing excerpts in advance. A full text also was to be
released later Friday. The administration's response came amid growing
outrage about the poor treatment of some veterans - and the prospect
that it could backfire on the White House.
"One of my most solemn experiences as president is visiting men and
women recovering from wounds they suffered in defense of country," Bush
said his prepared address. "Spending time with these wounded warriors is
also inspiring because so many of them bring the same courage they
showed on the battlefield to their battle for recovery."
A day earlier, the Pentagon announced the firing of Army Maj. Gen.
George W. Weightman, the commander of Walter Reed. In a brief
announcement, the Army said service leaders had "lost trust and
confidence" in Weightman's leadership abilities "to address needed
solutions for soldier outpatient care." It said the decision to fire him
was made by Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey.
Bush, in his radio address, said he had asked Defense Secretary Robert
Gates to make a firsthand assessment of conditions at Walter Reed. "He
confirmed to me there are real problems at Walter Reed and he has taken
action to hold people accountable, including relieving the general in
charge of the facility.
"As we work to improve conditions at Walter Reed, we are also taking
steps to find out whether similar problems have occurred at other
military and veteran hospitals," the president said.
"We will use the commission's recommendations as part of our ongoing
effort to improve our service to our nation's veterans," Bush said.
The commission to be named by Bush is separate from a review panel
appointed by Gates to investigate outpatient care at Walter Reed and the
National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. The presidential panel will
look at all of the nation's military and veteran facilities, according
to White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino.
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Larry Scott --
