Soldiers face neglect, frustration, at army's top medical facility.

[cassiesmom]

I did my graduate nursing student rotations at the VA. I learned a TON and got way more out of it than I ever put in. The people were great - the doctors, nurses, therapists, especially patients. I met WW I and WW II veterans, Korea and Vietnam veterans. I was there two semesters and the summer quarter in between. It was just a wonderful experience all around.

My dad (who's a Korean war veteran) just enrolled with the VA about a year ago for health care. My mom's stepfather (a WW II veteran) received care through the VA for a number of years. There are some things about the VA system that work really well and deserve to be publicized so they can be duplicated. There are other things that work really badly that I wish could be overhauled. One thing that bugs me about the VA is that it's so huge and has so many responsibilities - health care, housing, insurance, even death and burial. Maybe it is too big to be effective. But Walter Reed is supposed to be top-notch and from what I am reading and seeing on TV, it is a long way from top-notch.

[Lady's Human]

WRAMC itself, the Hospital, is in excellent shape, and IS a top notch facility. What is sub-par are the outbuildings on the base that house outpatients and base personnel.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Generals are not immune to prosecution. No charges=someone was fired to give the press the requisite head on a platter.

I am certainly not an expert in this area...but in today's paper was an article that the only military who have been charge in the Abu Ghraib have been enlisted personnel. Was no one in charge or are they simply sacrifical lambs?

At least this time it was someone other than grunts falling on the proverbial sword.

And perhaps more than just the press need a head on a platter...maybe the public and the soldiers would like to see....I don't like heads on a platter...I would prefer to say....SOMEONE take responsibility.

BTW...the VA has an outstanding program for ensuring that doctors and nurses have the right information for the right patient. It uses realtime computer technology to allow access to medical charts and is a model that is being copied elsewhere.

[Lady's Human]

The article was wrong. BG Janis Karpinski, the commander of the MP Brigade that was in charge of Abu Ghirab, was reduced in rank to Colonel and retired.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Is this article wrong too?

The Pentagon's Defense Health Program—which includes the Tricare health-insurance plan, used by 9.1 million veterans and involving 65 inpatient clinics, 414 medical and dental clinics, and 257 veterans centers—has actually had its budget cut the past two years. In fiscal year 2006, the program's budget for medical care went up from $15.9 billion to $21.2 billion. But since then, it's gone down slightly—to $20.8 billion in FY 2007 and a proposed $20.7 billion in FY 2008.

These numbers understate the magnitude of the cuts. To keep up with inflation in the cost of goods and payroll, the Defense Department actually had to cut medical-care programs by $1.6 and $1.4 billion in FY07 and FY08, respectively.

Money is similarly tight at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA's budget for medical care has risen in the past few years—from $28.8 billion in FY 2006 to $29.3 billion in FY 2007 to a request for $34.2 billion in FY 2008—but this hasn't been enough. In each of the past four years, according to a March 1 report by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the VA has systematically underestimated the number of veterans applying for benefits in the coming fiscal year. The result is a shortfall of $2.8 billion in the FY08 budget, just to cover the current level of medical services.

The administration is trying to make up for some of this by raising deductibles on prescription drugs (from $8 to $15) and by imposing an annual enrollment fee (ranging from $250 to $750)—in short, by shifting costs to the veterans themselves. (Even so, these charges would make up only $450 million, or about one-sixth of the shortfall.)

[Edwina's Secretary]

The article was wrong. BG Janis Karpinski, the commander of the MP Brigade that was in charge of Abu Ghirab, was reduced in rank to Colonel and retired.

But was she charged with a crime? Prosecuted?

[Lady's Human]

In part, Yes. Tricare is a system designed primarily for active duty servicemembers and families. All others are served on an as available basis. When the number of servicemembers in uniform drops, as it has over the past few years (The USAF alone cut 40K airmen), the budget for tricare drops, as the number of servicemembers they are expected to care for is reduced. Tricare's priorities are active servicemembers, dependents, reserve servicemembers, and it trickles down from there.

Col Karpinski was subject to a 15-6 investigation, the military equivalent of a grand jury investigation. She was given a reduction in rank, a letter of reprimand, and was forced to retire. 6 other officers form the brigade were also investigated, and a military intelligence (MJA? I think, don't remember, his name wasn't in the news for more than a second or two) officer was also found guilty.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Well....I would like to see our veterans get the care they deserve...whether there are less people in the airforce or not.

So did either of these officers do any TIME? Jail, brig...whatever?

[Lady's Human]

No, they were not given jail time, as there are limitations within the UCMJ and the Manual for Courts Martial as far as what punishments you can give for what crime. An officer relieved with cause and reduced in grade has no military career left, and many civilian jobs are no longer open to them.


As far as the article goes, DHP is aimed at active and reserve servicemembers, not veterans. The VA is the PRIMARY route for former servicemembers to get care. The others fill in when available. Fewer active duty personnel for DHP to cover=less money.

[Edwina's Secretary]

. An officer relieved with cause and reduced in grade has no military career left, and many civilian jobs are no longer open to them.

If they are interested in a career with the government or a sub-contractor that requires employees to have clearance they may have a problem.

However, no other civilian employer can even ASK the reason for discharge from the military. That leaves a whole lot of employers for the former officers.

Private employers can ask about felony convictions however....which affects the grunts...

[Lady's Human]

Where do most former military officers get jobs?

Defense contractors. Especially for those who earned senior ranks.

A reduction in grade carries with it an instantaneous revocation of a clearance, no clearance, no job in defense industries. (One of the more obnoxious things about the way Pentagon procurement works........ Retire from the Pentagon, get a job with the contractor you just assisted in getting the multi-million XYZ contract, and get your replacement to shift contracts your way)

[Edwina's Secretary]

Where do most former military officers get jobs?

Defense contractors. Especially for those who earned senior ranks.

A reduction in grade carries with it an instantaneous revocation of a clearance, no clearance, no job in defense industries. (One of the more obnoxious things about the way Pentagon procurement works........ Retire from the Pentagon, get a job with the contractor you just assisted in getting the multi-million XYZ contract, and get your replacement to shift contracts your way)

While I have known of the interest of defense contractors in retiring officers for their contact....in my career I have done alot of recruiting at military fairs, junior officer fairrs, and even on-base events. Many, many non-defense contractors recruit military personnel...

Don't sell the veterans so short! There are lots of ways their skills can be applied in the civilan world.

In fact my husband just attended and military fair and hired a captain to run one of his operations.

[Lady's Human]

Most of the REALLY senior officials retiring don't go to job fairs, they have their post-military career lined up for them for the most part before they leave. (If they want it)

There's a reason the military can't keep mid-career officers around, however, you guys out on the civilian side keep hiring 'em. That's what I hate about Captains.........you get one trained, and they leave for a civilian job then you have to start all over again.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Most of the REALLY senior officials retiring don't go to job fairs, they have their post-military career lined up for them for the most part before they leave. (If they want it)

There's a reason the military can't keep mid-career officers around, however, you guys out on the civilian side keep hiring 'em. That's what I hate about Captains.........you get one trained, and they leave for a civilian job then you have to start all over again.

Truth is...you can have this one back....

[Puckstop31]

In attempt to cheer up this thread a little...

An amazing story about an amazing young man.

http://www.esquire.com/features/what...7bryananderson

What I've Learned: Bryan Anderson
Soldier, 25, Rolling Meadows, Illinois

By Brian Mockenhaupt

When I don't have help, it'll take me ten minutes to put my legs on. The first time I ever did it, it took me an hour.

I think I have the record for falling in physical therapy, because I try to push myself to the max on these things, and if you're not falling, you're not trying. That's my motto. I don't fall as much anymore, but for a while I pretty much fell a couple times a day.

I've been wakeboarding, water-skiing, jet-skiing, tubing, rock climbing, snow skiing, playing catch with my brother. I try to do the same things. I'm not going to let it stop me. We did a 110-mile bike ride from Gettysburg to Washington, D. C. Sixty miles the first day, fifty miles the second day. Hand cycle, three wheels. I ended up ripping the glove, breaking the hand, breaking the whole socket. I might do it a little differently, but I'm still going to do it. I didn't actually get up water-skiing. I was up for a second, then my arm ripped off and I fell.

I used to be a gymnast. I started my freshman year and went to state all three years. Parallel bars, floor, rings, vault, then pommel horse. I hated the pommel horse. I may not be able to do gymnastics like I used to, but I still do little stuff. When I fall out of my chair, I do a handstand to get back in. I lift up my body, push off, and snap up.

Hello? I won a trial gym membership? How did you get my name? You pulled it out of a fishbowl? Do you have any idea who I am? I don't have any legs. And I have only one hand. I lost them over in Iraq. No, don't worry about it. I'm fine now. But I probably won't use it, so you might want to give it to someone else.

You have two options once this happens: Roll over and die or move on. I chose to move on. I'm still me. I'm just 75 percent off. Get a great deal on Bryan Andersons this week. You know who actually told me that the first time? My mom. We were in Vegas, talking about T-shirts we should make, and she said 75 percent off. She said, You should get a shirt showing off your personality.

I believe in God, but I wasn't brought up on going to church. I'm not going to say your whole life is planned out for you, but I think there are certain things that are supposed to happen to you, and however you handle that defines you. So this happened to me. I'm not like, "God saved my life" or "Why did God do this to me?" God did this to me for a reason, and I'm still alive, so God knew I was going to be alive.

From every decision you make, you learn something, whether it was the right decision or the wrong decision. I believe everything happens to you for a reason, and it's going to happen to you regardless. So whether I was in Iraq fighting or I was walking across the street and got hit by a bus, it was going to happen to me regardless.

I don't regret anything.