Walter Reed Hos. Why place the blame on a long-standing problem on a General only there less than a year?

Question

ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer
By Robert Burns, AP Military

WASHINGTON - The Army said Thursday that the two-star general in charge of Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been relieved of command following disclosures about inadequate treatment of wounded soldiers.
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." He had headed Walter Reed since Aug. 25, 2006Army and the Defense Department launched a series of investigations after The Washington Post published a series of stories last week that documented problems in soldiers' housing and in the medical bureaucracy at Walter Reed, which has been called the Army's premier caregiver for soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So they fire him. Not even there a full year. But we all know that the problems were long-standing (see more before answering)

(The article continues)

The Army and the Defense Department launched a series of investigations after The Washington Post published a series of stories last week that documented problems in soldiers' housing and in the medical bureaucracy at Walter Reed, which has been called the Army's premier caregiver for soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan
"The care and welfare of our wounded men and women in uniform demand the highest standard of of excellence and commitment that we can muster as a government," Gates said. "When this standard is not met, I will insist on swift and direct corrective action and, where appropriate, accountability up the chain of command."excellence and commitment that we can muster as a government," Gates said. "When this standard is not met, I will insist on swift and direct corrective action and, where appropriate, accountability up the chain of command."

Our potential troops need a wake-up call re the red tape they go through if they are
injured

(Please excuse the info which was inadvertently repeated in last paragraph.)

Answer 1

In the military, crap rolls UPhill.

It may not be his fault.... and of that I have no doubt.

It makes those who don't know how the military works think that something is being done.

Answer 2

The General should have informed the Army Chief of the conditions he found at Reed when he first arrived. If he had, he would no doubt still be there. But, as most Generals, he probably wasn;t in the hospital more than once a week. You don't think that Generals spend their time associating with the troops do you.??? I mean heck, there is golf to play and places to go. This situation starts and stops at the feet of the main man in charge. James Nicholson who is the VA comm. He is the guy who should bite the bullett. He is the guy who would not buck Bush for more funds to run these places, he is the guy who is a yes man, he is the guy who stopped the VA and Legion from taking the floor in front of congress. He is the guy who is cutting out VA clinics. So we got what we got. A Bush yes man. Yes Sir, they are good enough to go to war, but not good enough to get the proper care. This is the way of this administration and thats a fact.

Answer 3

It is called being a scapegoat. Walter Reed was scheduled to be closed and all activities transfered to Bethesda Naval Hospital. Then as the political wheels churned the US decided to keep open the ancient facility.

Contrary to Democratic myth the Bush administration spent more money on Veterans health care than any previous administration.
All of this shows how well socialized medical care works.

Answer 4

For a general officer, 6 months is more than enough time to clean out the dead weight and get things right. I am glad that he got relieved. I had a buddy that had to go there (IED blew off his left foot) and he said the conditions were worse than that in Iraq. How sad is that?

Answer 5

Politics. It's just the way that the government works. Someone has to take the blame in order to make the public believe that something is being corrected.

Answer 6

Politics (now days),is not so much; " ask what you can do for your country!" But, " ask who you can blame," once you did it!

Answer 7

just like big business.... that's the way the cookie crumbles!