WP/AP: High-Tech Army Rehab Center Opening: Funded by private donations

[DeepModem Mom]

High-Tech Army Rehab Center Opening
By MICHELLE ROBERTS
The Associated Press
Monday, January 29, 2007

SAN ANTONIO -- Of the roughly 20,000 soldiers injured since the start of the Iraq war, more than 500 have lost a limb _ many of them in roadside bombings.

On Monday, a $50 million high-tech rehabilitation center opens that is designed to serve the growing number of soldiers who return from war as amputees or with severe burns.

The 60,000-square-foot Center for the Intrepid will allow the Army to move its rehabilitation program out of the Brooke Army Medical Center and into a separate facility....

***

At Brooke, amputees were being treated in offices and facilities carved out of the larger hospital. The new facility includes a rock-climbing wall, wave pool and a 360-degree virtual reality sphere to help soldiers recover their balance and other basic skills....

***

The center was funded by private donations to the Intrepid Foundation, a charity that has built dozens of houses to shelter families of wounded soldiers while they undergo treatment....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/29/AR2007012900188.html

[Auntie Bush]

1. Thanks for posting...that's fantastic.

It's just too bad we even need such a facility. I wonder how many millions bush, Cheney and Rummy et al have donated?

When we impeach/fire everyone in this administratiion...all those bastards who have anything to do with lying to get us into war should receive a HUGE fine as part of their sentence and all the money used to help Veterans.

Frankly, I also think they should receive hefty fines that are used for reconstruction in Iraq. They broke it so they can fix it. Then everyone will think twice or thrice before they start another war. Too bad we can't start doing that now...before we start bombing Iran and starting WWlll.

Then, whatever administration is in office will know ahead of time there are serious consequences for starting unnecessary wars for personal greed or fame (legacy) or stealing someone else's oil.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. And with all we've spent on Iraq, that this has to be funded privately.... nt

[Bonobo]

2. Only 500 have lost a limb?! Why does that sound low to me...

[DeepModem Mom]

4. The number seemed low to me, too. nt

[fed-up]

5. The facility cost the same as a lowball salary figure for 500 Blackwater mercs nt

[alfredo]

6. MSNBC was running a good spot on the center this morning.

The soldier interviewed was good. He made it clear that even though the country is divided over the war, they all support the soldier.

[underpants]

7. I'm sorry but this is embarassing

I think it is great all the money that has been raised for this and that people do this for those who have served but why isn't the V.A. doing what needs to be done? We know why. This is embarassing.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. I totally agree. nt

[Synnical]

10. self delete

[pecwae]

12. This is what bothers me about it.

I can just see this admin rubbing its collective hands together going, "See, private civvies are going to ante up and take care of the vets. Let's dissolve the V.A." Whos to say some of them haven't made a donation for just that purpose. I'm glad those fellow vets are getting help, but can't help seeing another motivation behind it all.

[Synnical]

9. F'ing Outrageous that it's privately funded

I listen to local Air America Radio in South Florida and this has been CNN's top story radio all day.

Why isn't this on the Greatest Page?

And it's a disgrace that it must be privately funded.

[mopinko]

11. so, will we privatize the care of our vets, now?

send them all to places like this? let some good 'capitalists' get rich, while there is no accountability for the quality of care? or am i just too damn cynical?