Walter Reed closure questioned

[babylonsister]

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/37695.html

Walter Reed closure questioned
Posted on : Wed, 07 Mar 2007

WASHINGTON, March 7 Federal lawmakers say they plan to introduce legislation that would prevent the scheduled closure of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

Recent reports of substandard facilities and a difficult to penetrate bureaucracy at the hospital have shined a new light on the facility and led to questions of why it is being closed during war time, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

Army officials testified that problems at the hospital are being worsened by anticipation of the facility's closing in 2011. Commanders said the planned closing is causing instability among the work force. The BRAC pressure is clear, said Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, a District of Columbia non-voting delegate to the House of Representatives. What it does is send the signal to everybody: Go look for another job because we think it's going to close down.Norton said she plans to submit legislation to the House that would prevent Walter Reed's closing.

I think we should take a second look at that decision about Walter Reed, said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn.

[bdamomma]

1. what a disgusting decision, yea, tell your closing a medical

treatment hospital when more wounded will be coming home from this immoral war, that will really sit well with those troops, to the point of "I served my country and got no treatment for my service" what a way to thumb your nose at the military, yea, support the troops they cry, what BS they (this disgusting regime) are nothing but hypocrites.

[Bitwit1234]

2. Goodness gracious......Liberman agrees is shouldn't be closed.

[cyberpj]

3. Is Halliburton involved in this too? New multi-mil facility was delayed by Rummy's base closings:

This multi-million dollar project should have already been completed?
AND was delayed by Rummy's games with the base closings?
AND is just temporary until they can spend even more, later?
Meanwhile....... Hey! Support the Troops!


New Amputee Center to Open
Associated Press |
January 17, 2006

WASHINGTON - Construction is expected to begin this spring on a state-of-the-art rehabilitation facility for amputee Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center even though the venerable military hospital is scheduled to close in five years.

The $10 million Military Amputee Training Center - originally expected to open last month - was caught in limbo during the Pentagon's base closing process. Ground was broken in 2004, but construction had not yet begun last May when the Army ordered a hold on all projects that could be affected by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

snip...

Walter Reed officials still expect the 30,000-square-foot addition to the military hospital to include a running track, a climbing and rappelling wall and a virtual-reality center, as well as a military vehicle simulator to help some Soldiers return to the battlefield. It will combine both new and existing counseling, occupational and physical therapy services for amputees.

But the amputee center is now considered temporary, to serve Soldiers for only five to seven years due to the BRAC decision, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

snip...

Walter Reed is supposed to move to an expanded suburban military hospital in 2011, under the BRAC recommendations President Bush signed last year.

"The transitional center is necessary to provide the best possible care for our amputee patients in the five years between now and 2011, when Walter Reed is scheduled to move to Bethesda (Md.) and merge some functions with the National Naval Medical Center," Walter Reed officials said in a statement.

more:
http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,85527,00.html

[cyberpj]

4. evening kick. nt