Asked Sunday on CBS’ "Face the Nation" about the substandard care of wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he’s not waiting for the various inquiries to make changes. He learned about the situation from the Washington Post series, he said, and "I think I did something unheard of in this town. I actually thanked the reporters for bringing it to our attention." Try to imagine Gates’ predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld, having done that.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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OK, I went to East High too, and I also think Gates is the right guy for the job, at this time.(Rumsfeld was the right man when he took the job, too, but that is another matter!)Now, lets be frank: The Defense Department doesnt really run all of our domestic VA Hospitals, and has limited control over our domestic military hospitals. The Defense Department doesnt have much control over civil service workers.Remember when the Dems wanted to force union rules on the Department of Homeland Security?The public didnt want that, for good reason!We HAVE Union rules at many of our domestic military hospitals and at the VA.I am not saying that is the sole cause of the trouble, but it does play a part.The building upkeep sounds like the KS Board of Regents.Anyway, dont expect any civil service workers to be fired.That, in itself, takes an act of Congress!
Let’s be real honest ……….VA Hospitals have never been the model of health care and/or effectivness.Which could be said of most (all?) Fed Gov’t programs.
Invest the money, fix the problem .. but, don’t pretend that this is a crisis of management that only started with Bush.The probs have been there for years (I have volunteered at VA’s)
Walter Reid should have been the shining example of a military hospital, a V.A. hospital in some middle western state it is perceivable that it could fall into disrepair. But Walter Reid is under many in powers nose.“A country can be judged by how it treats its veterans” or so the saying goes.
Leave it to the Army to screw something up. No offense, but every facility that the Army has tends to turn to crap.
I remember AF physicians always complaining about Army hospitals saying they weren’t clean, building needed maintenance and the non-professional staff was lacking.
Perhaps it is an exaggeration and maybe it isn’t.
Are we actually surprised this has happened? The VA scandals from a few years ago brought out the inefficiencies and poor conditions at that time. Now the politicians are acting shocked that Walter Reed is in disrepair. No wonder the government in this country is so jacked up.
Remember when the Dems wanted to force union rules on the Department of Homeland Security?
Eron I see you read Ann’s opinion too.
My dad had a stay in the VA hospital several years ago, it was bad there I was sure glad that it was finally turned around. The Name change to Bob Dole signal a real change, now if only the other thing that Dole’s name is associated with worked as well Heh Heh!
Actually the DOD does run the Reed hospital while most are run by the VA
Get use to it..
This is what Socialized medical care is going to look like……..
“Try to imagine Gates’ predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld, having done that.”
I can imagine and Rumsfield may have done the same thing, but to slam Rummy with this kind of a backhanded, let’s imagine, hit piece is typical LibTalk.