Much has been in the news lately about Walter Reed Army Medical Center and building 18. Today I got an email referring to the fallout from what has been reported as to the conditions at the hospital. It was written by Chaplain John L. Kallerson (link to Michelle Malkin site) and it addresses what he believes to be the real truth of what has happened at the hosptial.
As usual, the voracious appetite for scandal by the news media has taken the truth about the conditions at this entire hospital complex and made the story about one building. I have never personally been to Walter Reed AMC, but I have been to Madigan Army Hospital here in Washington state, and in 1971, I was a maternity patient at Landstuhl Army Hospital in Germany. I have also been behind the scenes at Naval Hospital in Bremerton. For comparison, naturally, I have also visited and been in city hospitals in Iowa, Florida and also in Washington. Those stays and visits have given me a pretty good overview of what conditions were like then and now.
Keeping in mind that much of the United States military's budget probably goes towards armament as opposed to medical care, it is not surprising that deteriorating conditions exist in military hospitals worldwide. I am certainly not saying there was no problem at Walter Reed. What I do think is that the people who work in our military hospitals do an exemplary job with the budgets they have to live within each year. Even to someone who is out of the loop as much as I am, it was glaringly apparent that the firing of Weightman put him in the category of scapegoat, and he was forced to take the fall for those who are really responsible.
As with the rest of the infrastructure of the rest of the United States, the conditions at Walter Reed AMC are just a small example of the neglect our government continually overlooks. Our country owes many debts of gratitude to our military who have sacrificed so much. Giving them adequet and timely medical care should not be in question. What should be in question is the how to hold responsible the real culprits that have neglected them.
It seems that this administration has yet again "passed the buck" instead of taking responsibility. Harry Truman must be rolling over in his grave with shame.
