Army leaders defend supervision of soldier care unit
LAWTON, Okla. — Mold infests the barracks that were set up here a year ago for wounded soldiers after poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center triggered a systemwide overhaul, soldiers say.
Twenty soldiers, who spoke to USA TODAY early last week, said their complaints about mold and other problems went unheeded for months. They also said they had been ordered not speak about the conditions at Fort Sill.
Officers at the Army base last week ordered that ventilation ducts in two barracks be replaced and soldiers be surveyed, anonymously if they wished, about any concerns. Maj. Gen. Peter Vangjel, the commanding officer, said it was “inappropriate” for soldiers to be ordered not to talk about the mold.
“We’re going in and we’re going to take care of this for these guys,” he said over the weekend.
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Soldiers: Mold infests Okla. barracks for wounded
LAWTON, Okla. — Staff Sgt. Michael Riley plans to leave the Army later this month on a medical discharge. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder along with back and brain injuries from blasts in Iraq. And he’s angry about the care he received at Fort Sill’s program for wounded soldiers here.
Riley is among 20 soldiers who complained to USA TODAY last week about mold in the barracks, delays in processing medical cases and morale in the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) for wounded and injured outpatients at Fort Sill, an artillery training installation. While leaders of the unit are addressing the mold issues, they defended the unit’s supervision and morale.
After problems surfaced last year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the Army established a WTU at each of 35 installations. Soldiers assigned to these units receive specialized care. They are assigned a squad leader, nurse case manager and doctor to care for them, and usher them to return to duty or medical retirement. “Those three people are with this soldier from start to finish … (to ensure) that the soldier can get through the system without having to fight,” Gen. Michael Tucker said in announcing the program last year. “The soldier’s mission is to heal.”
But as the number of soldiers in the program doubled from 6,000 to 12,000 by June, individual care slipped, congressional investigators found. In July, Army leaders told Congress they were struggling to improve the program. “It takes time to kill bureaucracies,” Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle said.
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Army leaders defend supervision of soldier care unit
We spend BILLIONS of U.S. taxpayer dollars to finance the Iraqi government in their CIVIL WAR, but we won’t spend the necessary money to properly care for the troops that we send into harms way to carry out the actions and wishes of our President.
I wrote a piece a while back called A matter of Inconvenient Hypocrisy, and in it I pointed out the hypocrisy that I feel is shown by so many sites that support Bush, and ANY decision he makes, sites that declare their undying love of George W. Bush and the troops, sites that declare they are 100% in support of the troops and the wars we fight. Unequivocal support.
Yet in that support they never, or at most, rarely, address issues such as this. Why does it take having the MSM get involved to get anything done for the troops?
A matter of Inconvenient Hypocrisy? Or blind Bush Bot devotion? Either way, I am NOT drinking that Kool Aid. You either support the troops, AND their after-action care, 100%, or you’re a hypocrite that’s waving the flag in an effort to impress a few weak minded readers.
I payed a visit to Walter Reed, I donate to Vets, and I support the troops in harms way no matter WHO sent them there.
I also think playing politics with wounded soldiers is a low road, and I wonder if the MSM mentioned the Clinton Admin didn’t put too much effort in vet care either.
Yeah Iraq was Bush at the helm with ALL politicians (Save one) giving him the ability to carry it out. but every President since Carter has dropped the ball here on Veteran Care.
When Military Personal know they can expect the best care in the world in the event they are in need, it makes for a great motivator. We as a nation have not provided that motivation and it’s not just the politicians to blame It’s us too, we keep voting for the idiots.
Great post TF, this is totally disgusting. Our brave troops deserve the best, but never get it. Suffer for your country has always been a military saying!! I believe if we can get rid of Halliburton and go back to letting the military do it job, things would get better.
There are too many supply officers in the military that are protecting their jobs and not providing for the soldiers!!!
OMG unbelievable. But it would not be here if it were not true. What an atrocity to say the least. I am so freaking fed up! What’s next Fred? This is crap through and through!
Again, a disgusting situation, and on TWO levels:
1. This level, in terms of after-action care and
2. As Roland pointed out in a recent post, soldiers are now being prosecuted in CIVILIAN venues for actions taken during war.
This is the BEST way to ensure your ready supply of warriors RUNS OUT.
BZ
I served all during the Clinton years in office and seen first hand how his cuts have hurt the military and we’re paying the price today. But, that’s not the point. To me, the point is, how can we spend billions upon billions of dollars in Iraq, Africa, Mexico, and any other third world hell-hole and not spend the money necessary to ensure our fighting men and women get proper medical care?
Whiteman AFB is spending about 4.5 million for a new dog kennel…4,500,000 on a dog house. Where are our priorities?
I know, all too well, what The Clintons did to the military and Intel services, I was there too…
And as for placing blame, we haven’t really *been to war* until Bush took office and we went to Afghanistan. And I fully agree with that move too, the Iraq thing is something that I will NEVER be convinced of.
In any case, Bush is the guy, has been for almost 8 years, as of right now, it ALL falls on HIS shoulders, the care of our troops, or perhaps more correctly, the lack of in many cases.
A hell of a lot more could be done to help the troops all around as well, the armor for vehicles and personal body armor debacle that was a fact and actuality when we went into that ill-advised clusterfuck called Iraq, that would have been a great place to start.
The list is long and there is blame aplenty, but as I said, Bush IS the guy in charge, and as Truman said, “the buck stops here…”
Any President, or commander worth his salt will accept FULL responsibility for his failures and the failures of HIS policies…
That lets Bush out, the buck never stopped anywhere, all it does is get passed around as another General here and there falls on his sword to keep Bush from looking like a bigger moron than he is…
First I’ll cry. Then I’m going to get REAL DAMN MAD! AGAIN!
The Bush Bots are the type of people who think that all you have to do to support the troops is put a yellow ribbon on your car. I doubt if very many of them have ever served their country unless it was making them a large profit.
Don’t cry too long Katie because I’ve been there. Getting mad is a lot better. If this heart thing that I have ever gets better I’m going to start volunteering at our local VA hospital.
The people who work out there are great and I will never forget how they treated my Dad with dignity. I was always amazed how they could do so much with so little so it really saddens me that other VA hospitals are really dropping the ball.
I think the first question that should be asked in any Presential debate is, “What do you plan to do for our soldiers?”
TF, I can agree on that, the dollars never seem to go where they are supposed to. It sucks bad that it took so long for them to take ANY action at all.
I hope you don’t mind if I rip this post Fred, credits go to you of course.
Another shameful page in the history of this nations treatment of its troops and veterans. It goes like this. “They have given their all for us. Now how do we want to treat them? Who cares, let’s just get the next sucker to fill their slot.”
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Well done treatment.. the big suck for sure