taking care of this situation at Walter Reed, is what 'supporting the troops' looks like.

Not slapping a magnetic ribbon on your car.

Not demanding unquestioning approval of George W. Bush's latest Iraq policies, as I heard a Bush administration water-carrier assert earlier this week on NPR ("if you don't support the mission, then you don't support the troops!").

Meanwhile over at New Republic Online, Jonah Goldberg thinks it's far more important to make hay out of who the reporter is - Dana Priest - than to trouble his beautiful mind over the story about the atrocious conditions at Walter Reed. (of course the story would be far more credible to him if reported by Fox News and there were a Democrat who could be called a terrorist-loving traitor over the scandal. Sadly for Jonah, he has only Dear Leader and six years of a Republican Congress to blame. Can't have that!)

This is of course the same Jonah Goldberg who demands others make sacrifices for Dear Leader's Glorious War, sacrifices which he is unable to make because he has a family and can't afford the salary hit.

Which of course is a situation which none of the reservists called up for Iraq have ever faced.

FOREIGNID: 211791
FOREIGNPARENTID: 0
FOREIGNCOMMENTERID: 11823
AUTHOR: Citizen92
DATE: 02/23/2007 10:26:49 AM

I think that D.C. is going to get representation, at least in the House. Perhaps this will get Congress to revist the BRAC.

Great point. It seems to me that the troops had it a lot better under Clinton than under Bush. Remember Campaign 2000 when the Bush/Cheney camp tried to tell us that two Army divisions would have to say, "Not ready for duty, sir!" if called into combat? How Clinton was allegedly short-changing and breaking the military? How terrible it was to send the Army on nation-building missions?

Well Bush/Cheney certainly has kept that last promise... problem is, someone needed to do some nation-building in the wake of the defeat of Saddam's regime.

What will it take for our troops to understand that Republicans largely treat them simultaneously as campaign props and the hired help, which can be disposed of and replaced as easily as some businesses treat the illegals they hire?

Maybe Hillary or Obama needs to bite the head off a chicken or beat up some ANSWER protester in order to convince our military that Democrats really are not soft and weak.

rustyaustin,

I hope you are wrong. Call me an optomist, but I think things can change. Last week I met with Sen Tester and others who seem to have a sincere passion for vets issues. Guys like him can lead the way. Sens Murray and Mikulski are also excellent vets advocates and know the issues inside and out.

Citizen92,

Good points about BRAC. WR is scheduled to close in a few years. Most of the tasks will shift to Bethesda. Some insiders have told me that this may have been part of the issue---the Army thought they would already be toning down things at WR. I think the DC representation issue you bring up is a good one. But leadership failures at WR and DOD are the biggest cause.

danbrod11,

great question. Key for Dems is to figure out how to look stronger on security and military issues. I think that starts w putting dem vets out in front. People like Webb, Clark, Pat Murphy (the freshman congressman/iraq vet from PA) and Tammy Duckworth are critical. Many in the military think the Dems are just the party of Hillary and Pelosi. That has to change. The new congress gives them some potential stars.

Also, get out in front on Vets issues. Talk about Vets issues. Fully fund the VA and take care of vets. All the things the President has failed to do so far.

Thanks for all the comments. Keep em coming!

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the author of critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts

For those of you looking for an action, please go here: http://www.iava.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2375&Itemid=105

And help us pass the word.

centavo,

I like the ribbon idea.

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the author of critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts

I have not seen that HBO doc yet, but looking forward to checking it out. I want to recommend a few Iraq-related docs for everyone:

The War Tapes (www.thewartapes.com)
Gunner Palace
When I Came Home (www.whenicamehome.com)
Operation Homecoming
Baghdad ER (HBO)
The "Off To War" doc series from Discovery/Military Channell

All these are excelent. And The War Tapes was on the short list for Oscar finalists.

Also, look out for the incredible Bob Woodruff special on ABC next Tues at 10pm. IAVA has been helping Bob and ABC pull together this amazing piece and will be featured. Details:

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/WoodruffReports/

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the author of critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts

Everyone should be upset by the reports concerning Walter Reed, but I don't think this is exactly a new story -- or one that can simply be blamed on the Bush administration. I can't remember a time when the VA wasn't underfunded and when military medical care was where it needs to be (I served in the Navy in the '70s and have many friends and famly members who are veterans). Providind proper medical care, housing, even pay has never seemed as important to the people who put together and administer the massive military budget as spending on exotic, expensive and sometimes unneeded weapons systems. I can remember people getting upset about the conditions Vietnam vets were brought back to, as well.
Unfortunately, the outrage never lasts. It's easier to foget about the men and women who fought the fight and bear the scars.

Paul: I've admired your work for a long while, we need to hear much more from our vets, and not just about Iraq. I'd actually like to see us move on from the Reed story to the treatment of Iraq vets in general. It's my understanding that building 18 isn't unique and that similar situations exist at other vet facilities around the country. The much larger issue is: Like the war which had no plan for the postwar phase, this administration also has no plan for how to help the people they sent into battle. The whole vet program is understaffed and underfunded, and he wants to cut the vet benefits even more. How we treat our vets should be a top priority in the next 5 years and beyond. You could even make the case that we could design policies for heatlh care, housing, and education, etc., that benefit not only vets, but the rest of the population as well. But let's at least start with the vets. Keep up the good work. I love reading what you have to say.

Diana Witt

I am beyond outrage at this. In summary, Failure of Leadership, led to failed policies, which caused a broken system. Ironically most of the "fixes" are more common sense than aything else.

1. The Major needs to be really grilled by the Armed Services Committees. If he has not been putting a MINIMUM of 50 hours a week in doing his job, then he should be put on UNPAID Administrative Leave. He needs to produce his calendar and proof of work for as long as he has been on the job. They sould give him 2-3 weeks to get EVERYTHING pertaining to running the facility and all auxillary functions together and report back.

If you read the guys resume, he spent 6 months as a NEW surgeon in Iraq, and then another few months running one small division at an Army Hospital. This is the equivalent of a local Fast Food Manager of ONE restaurant, suddenly being promoted to run all the Franchises in the Mid Atlantic States. Ridiculous on the face of it.

2. The Major also has a typical "Republican Problem". Seems like he decided to take advantage of all the well meaning citizens willing to donate, and put it through his own Funding Source. AMERICABlog has the details. If he was spending his efforts obtaining "donations" for his own little "K Street" type funding-he owes the American People whatever percentage of his salary that was not on task as Hospital Administrator.

3. The Top Drawer American Managment School is right in DC. Have Democrats ASK them to do a complete operation audit to include all areas of the Facility. Resumes of the Major, all hospital managment, and all civilian personnel shoud be included as part of the audit. Attached to the resumes, there should be one or two paragraphs for the former people, stating HOW they got their jobs. I.E., if someone writes, "My uncle is Operations Manager for GE in Podunk Idaho (I have no idea if there is a GE plant there), and he called a friend. The friend sent a pack of papers I filled out and sent back. I then got a call telling me I have a job". Obviously these type of people are political hacks and should be fired and NO, I am not willing to give them "retirement" benefits. Its criminal that unqualifed and incompetent people are in anyway given jobs in something as critical as medical care. They should consider themselves fortunate if they are not prosecuted for Criminal Negligence at a minimum.

4. How difficult is it to:

a) Have Congressional staff call local building supply companies to see how much sheet rock, paint, windows that wind out etc, needed for repairs? Mold causes severe respiratory problems. Before repairs are done, Bldg #18, and those like it, need to be tented and fumigated. AS to where the soldiers would go, why can't Congress people take them for the 2-3 nights it would take for this to happen? It would be great PR for Congress, and they may learn the "ground truth" about Iraq. Then have Seebees, or Union Shops come in and do the damn repairs. I couldn't believe there could be such a brew ha over TV Screens and Pools tables. Whoever is setting priorities ought to be working as supervised janitors, not decision makers.

b) How difficult is it to call local bus companies, and van providers to come and get the troops so they can eat on base? Again Congressional staff could do this and make lists. Donated materials, labor, time etc, are all tax deductible for businesses. For example say Home Depot gave last years sheet rock, they get a double win - Tax deduction for charity and a tax deduction for "loss of inventory".

As to the idiocy of "roll call" minus weather gear- I have a problem with this. Are you saying that Major and his staff cannot find a COGNIZENT, dependable single non-com to live in each building and do Roll Call before they board transportation to the base for breakfast? How difficult would it be for these non-coms to deliver roll-call when they arrive for breakfast, or to call it in?

5. To have 15 different types of computers is inexcusable. According to Pew research, their are 8-10 Million Dems, or Leaning Dem activists. I am sure they could put together a computer design that would be efficient and effective in a matter of a few months. Given the fubars, I would support having the American Managment School do an complete Operations Audit of the Pentagon itself, once Walter Reed is straightened out.

6. For troops to get the BEST care, these facilities need an Experienced, Competent, Civilain (if neccessary) Hospital Administrator. It should be an individual with a proven track record of 8-10 years, with experience in large facilities that have a programs that encompass large inner city areas. To pay them what they are worth, we could FIRE Steven Cambone, Rumsfled's personal neo-con, whose has a theoretical PHd in Political Science. (Remember Rumsfeld has Cambone and 6 other people still working for him in a special suite in the Pentagon). Firing John Poindexter would also free up funds. Even though Congress nixed the TIA program, Poindexter is still in charge of Pentagon Computer Systems. Obviously his skills are Data Mining, not IT managment, as proved by the existence of 15 different computer systems unable to communicate with one another.

I may take time to write this up unemotionally. However, it should be a crime to have these conditions, and I cannot believe they have the gall to hand the taxpayers a bill for this type of scene. These people need to learn the MONEY belongs to "We the People", and Congress has a Fiduciary Trust, same as any CEO's, to make sure the investors money is spent wisely and well.

Tom,
Tell your nephew to join IAVA! www.iava.org.

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the author of critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts

I'm extremely pissed off. My father is a disabled Vietnam vet, and although I don't stay in daily contact with him, I do question him on his health care when I call. From his stories, it's pretty attrocious... Six months between psych visits, 3 months between medical visits, doctors in constant rotation, no one talking to the others about his medication.

I wasn't aware before that it was a country-wide problem (I figured it was just California budget problems... my dad's in Sacramento). I don't know what any good solution would be, other than pressing Senators and Reps to do something about it. Obviously, trying to get the Administration to do anything is just pointless.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.

Come visit PROJECT: Lucidity.

I can tell ya my WW11 vet dad gets pretty decent care at a VA hospital in suburban Chicago. But sometimes they go overboard. An eye doctor there is
hot to give him catarac surgery. This is outpatient surgery to replace the lens. He shows no symptoms of needing this surgery, he has pretty decent eyesight and there's no pressure build up on the eyeballs or glaucoma that necessitate it. I suspect the young doctor just wants to get more experience doing the procedure.

Having said that the WaPo story really makes you wonder where our tax dollars are going. We spend hundreds of billions on the Pentagon and we can't even care for the wounded or after all these years equip troops going to Iraq properly? That's obscene. The clowns in this administration really do treat these soldiers as pawns.

Thanks for the support, Ilona--and for the suggestions. IAVA doesnt really have chapters now because most of what we do is online. However, we are planning a huge membership push, and will be exploring lots of ways to expand. Our members are our best resource, and they are increasing in numbers quickly.

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the author of critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts

You got it.

maybe Paul can speak to this more authoritatively than I can, but it's my impression that troops always get shortchanged by Congress, whether it's pay or health care. A congressman gets a lot more bang for the buck - your buck, or rather the buck borrowed from China - by funding military hardware that provides jobs in his district, than by working for more funding for the VA or better pay for troops.

That's why the Pentagon spends all that money on gee-whiz hardware and constantly shortchanges the troops. It's not a Republican or Democrat problem, both parties are guilty... though to this partisan observer, the Republicans bear the larger part of the blame since they are the ones who constantly beat their chests about how much they love our military.

lally,

You are right! Imus rocks! Here is a link to Imus givin' em hell today:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/02/23/imus-wants-to-go-to-walter-reed/

We have been trying to get on his show for some time. No luck so far. Maybe if some folks contact then and suggest it we'll be able to get on there. Give them a ring and tell them to have some IAVA folks on the air! We love Imus. He is a guy who REALLY supports the troops.

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the author of critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts

Just want to thank everyone here for your comments today--and for all the support for our work at IAVA. And thanks to Andrew, Josh, everyone at TPM and TPM Cafe for letting me post here today. Please take a few seconds and check out www.iava.org and www.chasingghosts.com. And help us spread the word!

Have a great weekend.

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the author of critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts

The articles in the Post were graphic and sadly true. The military’s hospital system provided insensitive, substandard care to our returning injured soldiers. Denial of the seriousness of the problem by the Surgeon General of the army yesterdY indicates his own insensitivity and perhaps incompetence to administer a military health care system.

He said yesterday: “that the problems at Walter Reed were neither widespread nor symptomatic of a system that has “abandoned soldiers and their families.”

The Surgeon General also accused the Post of being one sided. His notion apparently is that health-care ends at the inpatient hospital door, not recognizing as fact that his system keeps recently returned gravely injured soldiers (two interviewed last night on Jim Lehrer’s program) as outpatients and suffocates them with miserable depressing surroundings, stifling bureaucracy and martinets who force the injured to play soldier (having to report each day to morning assembly). Quite bizarre and deserving of a firing in my view. Though this outfit will probably award the Surgeon General a “heck of job” and the medal of freedom.

www.medicynic.com

The right wingers have another sticker on their SUVs right next to the "God Bless America" and "Support out Troops" stickers.

It says "Freedom Isn't Free".

Now, we know what the hell they're talking about.

They don't give a crap about our troops recovering in dicrepit conditions as long as the media gives them their pictures of bald Britney Spears going after the paparazzi with an umbrella.

I had to shut the damned TV off tonight because on ABC World "News", Charlie Gibson is telling me it's important for me to worry about Britney, Lindsay or Anna Nicole being a role model for my daughter rather than report on some poor soldier sitting in a rat infested room at Walter Reed.

Our media sucks.

if the bean counters included troop health care into their budgets, it would show that medicare and social security issues aren't that big... maybe? the wall street journal had articles a while back that claimed that the pentagon was headed towards bankruptcy...

Call your senators, congressional reps, governors, etc. WE MUST help our returning vets. It's our responsibility. Let's get a move on and listen to our conscience and our heart. Our men and women deserve so much more. Thanks for all you've done and all that you're doing, Paul. I can fully understand why you are pissed. I am, too, and I haven't walked in your boots.

Leave no trace upon the Earth but the footprints of your compassion and the echoes of your laughter.

This is not directed to Paul Rieckhoff, rather those on the TPM Cafe blog who have been around at least since 2004, who had no problem ignoring issues like this and rationalizing helping to shut down discussion of tragedies like this during that crucial election.

Well, I remember John Kerry back in 2003 speaking out on the subject, especially when it was learned (the MSM didn't report on it, it filtered up after being reported in a small Georgia newspaper) that Guards troops were being deprived of much needed medical care back home at their base. Left to wait months, despite crushing physical and psychological illnesses. What there was of the leftist "blogosphere" at the time, like Kos didn't care.. they were wrapped up in attacking Kerry, using right wing smears and playing their own swift boat games.

I tried googling for the original article or any of the articles from the Kerry campaign back then, but they don't seem to still be listed in the search engine. Here's something from Senator Patrick Leahy on the subject http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200310/102403a.html

I mention all this as because back then, I was stating that if we truly cared about the issues, our best way to fight this sort of thing was to unite and work together for real change, by raising awareness. But the politics of the negative agenda driven far left only cared about tactics that were regressive, and not achieving anything other than a waste of time and energy.

Of course if your intent is to help facilitate the suffering and exploitation, help Bush and those like him to kill innocent human beings, whether here or in the Middle East, then you shouldn't really pretend to wring your hands over subjects like these. Don't get worked up by that comment.. I base my opinion on the inconsistency that is plainly evident here. Talk is cheap, it's the walking the walk that is what counts.

Undoubtedly it is the Left that must be at fault here. The anti-war Left which predicted disaster in Iraq.

They have recklessly disregarded our military. Perhaps it could be blamed on Bill Clinton , or at least Hillary.

As Dick Cheney said in his acceptance speech before the Republican National Convention of 2000, six years ago, addressing the military which generally voted for and supported the Bush/Cheney Republican ticket:

....I am proud of them. I have had the responsibility for their well-being. And I can promise them now, help is on the way....

Yes, "Talk is cheap, it's the walking the walk that is what counts"