04 December 2007
03 December 2007
Blaming the Victim
In 2006, Congress ordered the Secretary of Defense to assess the mental health needs of the Armed Forces and the ability of the DoD to meet those needs. As a result, the DoD created a "Mental Health Task Force" which concluded:
The unmet mental healthcare needs of the men and women we send to wage war in other countries are causing them to wage their own wars, within themselves and with others, in this one.
For example, 1st Lt. Whiteside faces criminal prosecution for trying to kill herself while serving in Iraq. Granted, when she had her psychological breakdown, she waved a gun around at her fellow soldiers to keep them away so she could successfully shoot HERSELF (TWICE) in the stomach. She did not, however, actually harm anyone else.
Research by CBS news revealed that an average of 120 veterans committed suicide every week in 2005. SEVENTEEN VETERANS COMMITTED SUICIDE EVERY DAY THAT YEAR.
I wonder how many service members and veterans attempted to kill themselves the day that Lt. Whiteside tried to kill herself? I wonder how many succeeded?
Iliona Meagher has been compiling data on PTSD-related incidents around the United States since 2005 for ePluribusMedia. PTSD that is undiagnosed, mismanaged, or untreated can, in its most extreme form, manifest itself as violence towards one's self and/or towards others. We don't keep official records of these casualties.
Americans like to keep the ugliness of war contained so as to maintain an illusion of civility. This illusion is hard to maintain when the people we send away to fight these wars actually come back; living testaments to what our country has instructed them to do in its name.
In short, we have evolved enough as a species to feel shame about engaging in acts of war but we haven't evolved enough to avoid these acts in the first place. When we SEE the men and women who have been broken, physically or psychologically, by combat, the degree to which we have failed to be civilized is hard to accept.
In the book, "Just and Unjust Wars," the author wrote, "what we often think of as inhumanity is really just humanity under pressure." Our wounded warriors reflect the side of human nature in general, and America in particular, that Americans do not want to think about.
So rather than take responsibility for sending these men and women to another country to do something that is really quite brutal and inhumane (if necessary), we ignore, minimize, or villify the men and women who, in a very normal fashion, were traumatized by what we told them to do or made them witness. The more our institutions make their problems about THEM, the less uncivilized and inhumane and unreasonable WE are.
Hence the appeal of the refrain, "he volunteered to join the Army." Which is kind of like saying that a woman asked to be ganged raped because she went to a guy's apartment after a movie. Maybe she did go to his apartment thinking about maybe having sex with her date, that doesn't mean that she wanted five of his friends to have sex with her too. She TRUSTED her date to keep the evening between the two of them only.
Well, a service member likewise joins with the very honorable intention of protecting our country and defending our constitution. There is TRUST that you will not be EXPLOITED or ABUSED when you join.
Perhaps you should be thinking that for these men and women, their trust has been violated, and if you feel betrayed, imagine how they (and their families) feel after five years and multiple deployments?
My point is this: our discomfort with our wounded warriors makes us even less civilized, not more. The very people whose wounds make us feel the least amount of pride individually are giving us an opportunity to do something to feel the most pride collectively. By tending to the wounds of those who remind us of our inhumanity, we become more humane. That means we have to do more than just bring our troops home, we have to take care of them when they are here.
Pretending we don't see them, or trying not to think about them, does not make them go away; it just makes it easier not to care.
the system of care for the psychological health that has evolved over recent decades is insufficient to meet the needs of today's armed forces and their beneficiaries, and will not be sufficient to meet their needs in the future.
The unmet mental healthcare needs of the men and women we send to wage war in other countries are causing them to wage their own wars, within themselves and with others, in this one.
For example, 1st Lt. Whiteside faces criminal prosecution for trying to kill herself while serving in Iraq. Granted, when she had her psychological breakdown, she waved a gun around at her fellow soldiers to keep them away so she could successfully shoot HERSELF (TWICE) in the stomach. She did not, however, actually harm anyone else.
Research by CBS news revealed that an average of 120 veterans committed suicide every week in 2005. SEVENTEEN VETERANS COMMITTED SUICIDE EVERY DAY THAT YEAR.
I wonder how many service members and veterans attempted to kill themselves the day that Lt. Whiteside tried to kill herself? I wonder how many succeeded?
Iliona Meagher has been compiling data on PTSD-related incidents around the United States since 2005 for ePluribusMedia. PTSD that is undiagnosed, mismanaged, or untreated can, in its most extreme form, manifest itself as violence towards one's self and/or towards others. We don't keep official records of these casualties.
Americans like to keep the ugliness of war contained so as to maintain an illusion of civility. This illusion is hard to maintain when the people we send away to fight these wars actually come back; living testaments to what our country has instructed them to do in its name.
In short, we have evolved enough as a species to feel shame about engaging in acts of war but we haven't evolved enough to avoid these acts in the first place. When we SEE the men and women who have been broken, physically or psychologically, by combat, the degree to which we have failed to be civilized is hard to accept.
In the book, "Just and Unjust Wars," the author wrote, "what we often think of as inhumanity is really just humanity under pressure." Our wounded warriors reflect the side of human nature in general, and America in particular, that Americans do not want to think about.
So rather than take responsibility for sending these men and women to another country to do something that is really quite brutal and inhumane (if necessary), we ignore, minimize, or villify the men and women who, in a very normal fashion, were traumatized by what we told them to do or made them witness. The more our institutions make their problems about THEM, the less uncivilized and inhumane and unreasonable WE are.
Hence the appeal of the refrain, "he volunteered to join the Army." Which is kind of like saying that a woman asked to be ganged raped because she went to a guy's apartment after a movie. Maybe she did go to his apartment thinking about maybe having sex with her date, that doesn't mean that she wanted five of his friends to have sex with her too. She TRUSTED her date to keep the evening between the two of them only.
Well, a service member likewise joins with the very honorable intention of protecting our country and defending our constitution. There is TRUST that you will not be EXPLOITED or ABUSED when you join.
Perhaps you should be thinking that for these men and women, their trust has been violated, and if you feel betrayed, imagine how they (and their families) feel after five years and multiple deployments?
My point is this: our discomfort with our wounded warriors makes us even less civilized, not more. The very people whose wounds make us feel the least amount of pride individually are giving us an opportunity to do something to feel the most pride collectively. By tending to the wounds of those who remind us of our inhumanity, we become more humane. That means we have to do more than just bring our troops home, we have to take care of them when they are here.
Pretending we don't see them, or trying not to think about them, does not make them go away; it just makes it easier not to care.
29 November 2007
Old Problem ~ Freakishly God-awful new twist
Just go to the site.
I can't bear to type it again (not for fingers/time, just makes me too freakin angry) -- a military family is currently being forced:
I can't bear to type it again (not for fingers/time, just makes me too freakin angry) -- a military family is currently being forced:
- out of their home on post -- weeks before Christmas with no warning & no place to go
- out of their sole income, out of the military to which they've committed their lives, with three deployments of sacrifice
- into a fight for their immediate future -- for no reason.
Well, one reason: One bad leader. And one colonel us diagnosis. Proven, confirmed by doctors to be false.
But all it takes is one bad leader. And, in this case, another to stand by and do nothing.
We could use ANY ideas; please check it out.
My extremely amateur page, w/a rundown of the details, is at -
http://military.medicine.issues.googlepages.com/examples
28 November 2007
New blogger here!
Yes, there's a new face on this blog.
Which is a very good thing, because RaginRanger and I are too paranoid after our experiences with the military medical system (and too beat down by current medical messes, story to follow), to write nearly as much as we'd like.
Carissa, on the other hand, is a freakin powerhouse of expression-- a proud military wife whose husband will deploy again in a few short months. She also is a lawyer, mother & gifted organizer-- in the leadership of VMFP (Veterans & Military Families for Progress) and the Founder/President of MSC, Military Spouses for Change, at the link above.
As anyone who's been in the military knows, it's a full-time job just being a supportive spouse alone. The fact that Carissa has been the driving force behind a new, nonprofit organization to empower military wives, along with her family obligations, speaks volumes about her level of passion and devotion to do all she can to do right by troops & the wives who go through everything alongside those troops.
We are thrilled and honored to have her as a contributor.
I also hope her postings will shame my depressed, sorry ass into pushing the "post to blog" button more often instead of stewing in silence :-)
Her postings about her organization, he life as the wife of an Army Blackhawk pilot, and news of interest to military spouses are on her blog:
Which is a very good thing, because RaginRanger and I are too paranoid after our experiences with the military medical system (and too beat down by current medical messes, story to follow), to write nearly as much as we'd like.
Carissa, on the other hand, is a freakin powerhouse of expression-- a proud military wife whose husband will deploy again in a few short months. She also is a lawyer, mother & gifted organizer-- in the leadership of VMFP (Veterans & Military Families for Progress) and the Founder/President of MSC, Military Spouses for Change, at the link above.
As anyone who's been in the military knows, it's a full-time job just being a supportive spouse alone. The fact that Carissa has been the driving force behind a new, nonprofit organization to empower military wives, along with her family obligations, speaks volumes about her level of passion and devotion to do all she can to do right by troops & the wives who go through everything alongside those troops.
We are thrilled and honored to have her as a contributor.
I also hope her postings will shame my depressed, sorry ass into pushing the "post to blog" button more often instead of stewing in silence :-)
Her postings about her organization, he life as the wife of an Army Blackhawk pilot, and news of interest to military spouses are on her blog:
Why I have a bee in my bonnet...
Yes, I wrote that. I say things like "aren't you the cat's pajama's?" too. It's part of my charm.
Anyway.
I go on and on and on about this Presidential Forum on Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and Military Families. I work tirelessly. I blog. I email people and call people and network and research and write and constantly look for another reason why America should care, the candidates should care, the networks should care...
I believe our service members do the work that needs to be done, that others don't want to do, that others don't want to think needs to be done... the dirty work of war that continues among men today (I use the word man in the general sense). Yet for this work, they are not adequately compensated, nor are they justly rewarded. In fact, we have evolved just enough as a species to feel shame for these acts of war but not enough to avoid engaging in these acts. So now our "warriors" are relegated to the status of "necessary evil" and all that is associated with that is easily demonized or quickly dismissed.
An example, I think, of how the military is marginalized and unappreciated by both parties:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/11/9/204920/645
First, that broke my heart.
Then it just pissed me off.
So I keep writing. And blogging. And work on helping others find their voices to share their stories. Because the military and veteran community should NOT be marginalized. It should not exist in the shadows of a great nation. It should not be a tool for abuse by a great nation nor should it be abused BY a great nation. It should be a reflection OF a great nation and that is what I plan to make it.
(Cross posted http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=153)
Anyway.
I go on and on and on about this Presidential Forum on Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and Military Families. I work tirelessly. I blog. I email people and call people and network and research and write and constantly look for another reason why America should care, the candidates should care, the networks should care...
I believe our service members do the work that needs to be done, that others don't want to do, that others don't want to think needs to be done... the dirty work of war that continues among men today (I use the word man in the general sense). Yet for this work, they are not adequately compensated, nor are they justly rewarded. In fact, we have evolved just enough as a species to feel shame for these acts of war but not enough to avoid engaging in these acts. So now our "warriors" are relegated to the status of "necessary evil" and all that is associated with that is easily demonized or quickly dismissed.
An example, I think, of how the military is marginalized and unappreciated by both parties:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/11/9/204920/645
First, that broke my heart.
Then it just pissed me off.
So I keep writing. And blogging. And work on helping others find their voices to share their stories. Because the military and veteran community should NOT be marginalized. It should not exist in the shadows of a great nation. It should not be a tool for abuse by a great nation nor should it be abused BY a great nation. It should be a reflection OF a great nation and that is what I plan to make it.
(Cross posted http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=153)
19 October 2007
Failing Our Veterans - washingtonpost.com
Failing Our Veterans - washingtonpost.com
Special thanks, from the bottom of my heart, to Lynne Morgan for a powerfully worded letter to the Editor, as posted on WaPo 17 October. I don't often hear anyone fed up with the systematic lack of priorities in DC in general, especially concerning the disconnect between all the pride, outreach & passion when political-types *talk* about service, vets, sacrifice (rah rah, shish boom bah, here's a flag) and the realities we face (sorry dude, the HMO/contractor/big-airplane-maker/Pentagon-gardener's-nephew's-union has a lobby & a ton of cash--unlike YOUR sorry ass who was merely patriotic-- why don't you just go ahead and suck it up some more?)
Enormous priority on Bosses' well being, at the workers' expense, is the way of the world, I know. It sucks, but it's not something that keeps me up at night in the course of normal industry.
The reason it's so heinous in our, um... industry, is that we who are entrusted with ANY sort of leadership & responsibility over troops are instilled from Day 1 with the sense that we have a moral obligation--almost a sacred duty--to take care of the troops under us.
There is NO upper limit when it becomes acceptable, in our world, to live it up and let the little people fight it out amongst themselves. The E-4 in charge of 2 lives, E-7 in charge of 30, O-3 legally responsible for 120 troops + their families... up to the O-8 commanding an entire division (~20,000) & beyond: we have one basic responsibility to push ourselves to make sure we're providing the best training, equipment, environment & care available. If we don't get our staff to get its head out of its ass to take care of something, this sort of honor-code says it's us, the boss (& staff if necessary) who go without heaters, food, ammo, *whatever* until we make shit happen.
Obviously the political world works differently, which is exactly why most troops prefer to avoid anything to do with politics, politicians, policy, or anything that takes such a mental re-set button to understand, much less navigate.
No troops, except perhaps the senior leaders who interface daily with, say, the senior civilian Chain of Command, should *have* to be concerned with a single matter of politics. Now we are.
Sometimes it's easier not to know. Not because we're dumb little simpletons, but because it's too damn hard to be "in the moment" enough to function & stay sharp in military stuff, while also doubting and second-guessing. The House-Divided-Falls and all that. Focus, compartmentalize, train, mission, bring people home alive, and screw the rest-- at least for now. Yes, some officers have flirted with political issues--often to their own detriment--out of either ambition or necessity as they find the Pentagon ever more politicized... BUT, that's been widely criticized both inside the military *and* among the soldier-scholars whose work revolves around this "Professional Military Ethic" (PME)... which is a can of worms I'll definitely punt for now)
blah. i feel catharsed, or whatever the hell a "catharsis" might be in verb form. but also in need of sleep after a good laugh. E! channel had SNL's episode w/SNOOP DOG(G?) hosting the other night, and i hope to heaven that it taped ok! Is there any not-so-cheesy way to sign off?... probably not. more later.
Special thanks, from the bottom of my heart, to Lynne Morgan for a powerfully worded letter to the Editor, as posted on WaPo 17 October. I don't often hear anyone fed up with the systematic lack of priorities in DC in general, especially concerning the disconnect between all the pride, outreach & passion when political-types *talk* about service, vets, sacrifice (rah rah, shish boom bah, here's a flag) and the realities we face (sorry dude, the HMO/contractor/big-airplane-maker/Pentagon-gardener's-nephew's-union has a lobby & a ton of cash--unlike YOUR sorry ass who was merely patriotic-- why don't you just go ahead and suck it up some more?)
For all those who didn't make it that far in the Oct. 14 front-page article "A Wife's Battle," in the 43rd paragraph we learned that, in a city where the rich ride in limousines and federal workers get 48.5 cents a mile, disabled veterans are still paid the 1977 mileage reimbursement rate of 11 cents a mile...It's hard to find great examples like that! I mean, ones that actually show proportionality so the problem is *clear* to anyone with a brain... something that can't be spun so it just sounds like whiny "Yeah man, us against The Man"... (It's not like we get f'in royalties on all those political speeches, nor any of the other times troops are there in the background, smiling, staring, nodding off, adding "national security authenticity" or whatever)
Enormous priority on Bosses' well being, at the workers' expense, is the way of the world, I know. It sucks, but it's not something that keeps me up at night in the course of normal industry.
The reason it's so heinous in our, um... industry, is that we who are entrusted with ANY sort of leadership & responsibility over troops are instilled from Day 1 with the sense that we have a moral obligation--almost a sacred duty--to take care of the troops under us.
There is NO upper limit when it becomes acceptable, in our world, to live it up and let the little people fight it out amongst themselves. The E-4 in charge of 2 lives, E-7 in charge of 30, O-3 legally responsible for 120 troops + their families... up to the O-8 commanding an entire division (~20,000) & beyond: we have one basic responsibility to push ourselves to make sure we're providing the best training, equipment, environment & care available. If we don't get our staff to get its head out of its ass to take care of something, this sort of honor-code says it's us, the boss (& staff if necessary) who go without heaters, food, ammo, *whatever* until we make shit happen.
Obviously the political world works differently, which is exactly why most troops prefer to avoid anything to do with politics, politicians, policy, or anything that takes such a mental re-set button to understand, much less navigate.
No troops, except perhaps the senior leaders who interface daily with, say, the senior civilian Chain of Command, should *have* to be concerned with a single matter of politics. Now we are.
Sometimes it's easier not to know. Not because we're dumb little simpletons, but because it's too damn hard to be "in the moment" enough to function & stay sharp in military stuff, while also doubting and second-guessing. The House-Divided-Falls and all that. Focus, compartmentalize, train, mission, bring people home alive, and screw the rest-- at least for now. Yes, some officers have flirted with political issues--often to their own detriment--out of either ambition or necessity as they find the Pentagon ever more politicized... BUT, that's been widely criticized both inside the military *and* among the soldier-scholars whose work revolves around this "Professional Military Ethic" (PME)... which is a can of worms I'll definitely punt for now)
blah. i feel catharsed, or whatever the hell a "catharsis" might be in verb form. but also in need of sleep after a good laugh. E! channel had SNL's episode w/SNOOP DOG(G?) hosting the other night, and i hope to heaven that it taped ok! Is there any not-so-cheesy way to sign off?... probably not. more later.
VA: 10 patients died under care of former surgeon at IL hospital - Boston.com
VA: 10 patients died under care of former surgeon at IL hospital - Boston.com
Hmmm. 9 deaths for this doc, compared w/his peers' average of 2. Now this is starting to sound like a doctor near and dear to us Fort Campbell vets "lucky" enough to have seen Dr. Tw----e at Blanchfield/BACH. A proud combination of "inept" and "obstructionist"... with dashes of passive aggression to make the mix really fun. We only managed to get any help w/that after the Scandal Of Which We May Not Speak, which wasn't even (directly) medical. But not until he'd severely screwed us up.
I don't usually have the heart or energy to blog much anymore; every story seems like another droplet in a really big monsoon--something I can't change, but have to live with the consequences--while meanwhile there's some asshole of a weatherman smiling on tv insisting it's only a passing drizzle.
Hopefully [sic] getting into the habit of posting articles like this, keeping commentary to a minimum to try to avoid it snowballing into a rant, will wind up being healthier than closing the page and pretending to ignore it, then having it build up inside and turn cancerous.
More Quickies later :-)
--> Does anyone know what studies have been done on the correlation between blogging & depression, or how soothing/maddening the blog tends to be (compared with other forms of writing or expression)?
Ten patients died under the care of an embattled surgeon during the roughly 20 months he worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital in southern Illinois, according to a letter released Friday.But wait -- sh*t happens... people die in hospitals, right?
Durbin said last month VA officials told him nine veterans -- all in some way linked to [Dr.] Veizaga-Mendez -- died at the hospital during a six-month period ending in March, during which the hospital would have expected only two deaths.
Hmmm. 9 deaths for this doc, compared w/his peers' average of 2. Now this is starting to sound like a doctor near and dear to us Fort Campbell vets "lucky" enough to have seen Dr. Tw----e at Blanchfield/BACH. A proud combination of "inept" and "obstructionist"... with dashes of passive aggression to make the mix really fun. We only managed to get any help w/that after the Scandal Of Which We May Not Speak, which wasn't even (directly) medical. But not until he'd severely screwed us up.
I wonder how this punk finally got in trouble?
[He] worked at the Marion hospital from January 2006 until he resigned Aug. 13, three days after a Kentucky man apparently bled to death after undergoing gallstone-removal surgery Veizaga-Mendez performed.
Ew.
I don't usually have the heart or energy to blog much anymore; every story seems like another droplet in a really big monsoon--something I can't change, but have to live with the consequences--while meanwhile there's some asshole of a weatherman smiling on tv insisting it's only a passing drizzle.
Hopefully [sic] getting into the habit of posting articles like this, keeping commentary to a minimum to try to avoid it snowballing into a rant, will wind up being healthier than closing the page and pretending to ignore it, then having it build up inside and turn cancerous.
More Quickies later :-)
--> Does anyone know what studies have been done on the correlation between blogging & depression, or how soothing/maddening the blog tends to be (compared with other forms of writing or expression)?
28 April 2007
public interest
It seems the WASHINGTON POST is expanding beyond the WRAMC trouble. So this isn't exactly a "hotline" but it will attract attention.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/walter-reed/index.html
Tipline: Share your experience with the military or VA health care systems with Post reporters: (202) 334-4880 or militarycare@washpost.com
Through Your Lens: Send us your photos and videos chronicling experiences you or a family member have had in the military and VA health care systems: walterreed@washingtonpost.com
They stick some in the corners
Still others in the hall
And they're lying in there
They're dying in there
Don't you care at all?
— William Fick
Still others in the hall
And they're lying in there
They're dying in there
Don't you care at all?
— William Fick
- • Fighting Walter Reed After Fighting the War, April 8, 2007
- • Delayed Benefits Frustrate Veterans, April 8, 2007
- • Q&A Transcript: VA Disability Benefits, April 9, 2007
21 April 2007
more hotlines
Other numbers troops and family members can call with concerns about military medicine issues:
1-800 497 6261
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
If a troop feels they have been retaliated against, DoD wants to hear about it: [FULL PAGE LINK]
Defense Hotline Reprisal Complaints: WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION INFORMATION
You may also call the Defense Hotline at (800) 424-9098 to discuss your case with an investigator if you have additional questions or concerns. Persons who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may also contact us through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 (additional information regarding the Federal Relay Service may be obtained through it's website www.gsa.gov/frs).
Complaints should be submitted via mail or fax transmission. Our address is: DEFENSE HOTLINE, THE PENTAGON, WASHINGTON DC 20301-1900. Our commercial fax number is (703) 604-8567. Our DSN prefix is 664.
[FULL PAGE LINK]
17 April 2007
trust
Who can an injured soldier trust these days? Well, for starters, themself - but there are other organizations to help.
But how do I check out these organizations and hotlines?
Call a hotline anonymously and check out their procedures, find out who they report to, where they're located.
There are some hotlines set-up as scams - little spy networks, but I trust that there are good hotlines available for soldiers, too.
1-800-984-8523 seems to be a good one for soldiers/families to call - I'm not going to pretend to know what good any hotline will or won't do for any particular situation, but troops' medical care is a hot topic now and we should keep it that way until some good changes come about.
But how do I check out these organizations and hotlines?
Call a hotline anonymously and check out their procedures, find out who they report to, where they're located.
There are some hotlines set-up as scams - little spy networks, but I trust that there are good hotlines available for soldiers, too.
1-800-984-8523 seems to be a good one for soldiers/families to call - I'm not going to pretend to know what good any hotline will or won't do for any particular situation, but troops' medical care is a hot topic now and we should keep it that way until some good changes come about.
16 April 2007
transition points
Not every Military Base has a VA transition center. Campbell has one -
there are VA counselors on site, a DAV rep, and a VFW rep. Having these
resources is a big help, not only to MEB troops but also for anyone else
leaving the service. VA claims are settled faster, and having claim
specialists helps troops prepare VA claims more accurately and completely.
Places like Benning and Riley don't have this convenience available -
but the help is available on-line and even over the phone.
there are VA counselors on site, a DAV rep, and a VFW rep. Having these
resources is a big help, not only to MEB troops but also for anyone else
leaving the service. VA claims are settled faster, and having claim
specialists helps troops prepare VA claims more accurately and completely.
Places like Benning and Riley don't have this convenience available -
but the help is available on-line and even over the phone.
The Walter Reed "Tiger Team" is visiting every medical facility but I
don't know how much impact a two-day guided tour will have on the MEB
process for troops going through the transition.
10 April 2007
show me the money
Below is a link to a page that helps calculate disability pay from the
Army and VA, and how those payments relate to one-another.
I have only included the severance pays from the Army - it is the most
common form of Army Medical Separation Compensation. About 90% of all
medical separations are severance based (0% - 20%). Retirement is
effective from 30% and higher. Retirement warrants an entirely separate
calculation process.
Army and VA, and how those payments relate to one-another.
I have only included the severance pays from the Army - it is the most
common form of Army Medical Separation Compensation. About 90% of all
medical separations are severance based (0% - 20%). Retirement is
effective from 30% and higher. Retirement warrants an entirely separate
calculation process.
06 April 2007
Hotline
The Army has put up a hotline for soldiers and family members to call with concerns about the MEB/PEB process.
The number is 1-800-984-8523
Overseas DSN: 312-328-0002
Stateside DSN: 328-0002
email: wsfsupport@conus.army.mil
Link to [Flyer]
Flyer Text:
The purpose of the hotline is two-fold:
-To offer wounded, injured, or ill Soldiers and their family members a way to share concerns on the quality of patient care.
- To provide senioer Army leaders with visibility on medically-related issues so they can properly allocate resources to better serve Soldiers and families.
The hotline is an avenue to gather information about medical care as well as suggest ways we can improve our medical support systems.
The hotline has not been established to circumvent the chain of command, but rather to give Soldiers and family members an additional means to resolve medical-related issues. Any type of retribution directed towards those who use the hotline will not be tolerated.
-End flyer text
I wonder how flooded this phone line has been.
I'll be calling soon . . .
The number is 1-800-984-8523
Overseas DSN: 312-328-0002
Stateside DSN: 328-0002
email: wsfsupport@conus.army.mil
Link to [Flyer]
Flyer Text:
The purpose of the hotline is two-fold:
-To offer wounded, injured, or ill Soldiers and their family members a way to share concerns on the quality of patient care.
- To provide senioer Army leaders with visibility on medically-related issues so they can properly allocate resources to better serve Soldiers and families.
The hotline is an avenue to gather information about medical care as well as suggest ways we can improve our medical support systems.
The hotline has not been established to circumvent the chain of command, but rather to give Soldiers and family members an additional means to resolve medical-related issues. Any type of retribution directed towards those who use the hotline will not be tolerated.
-End flyer text
I wonder how flooded this phone line has been.
I'll be calling soon . . .
28 March 2007
quantify your quality of life
The MEB tries to assess troops condition by assigning a number - a percentage - to which that troop is unable to perform "normal" activities.
Unfortunately disability rating has become quite murky.
There are Functional Assessments available for the military to use and more accurately assess a troop's disability, but not too many troops go through those assessments. Instead, the MEB generates a percentage based on medical records.
Activities of Daily living are a decent measure for a troop to describe how an injury affects them on a daily basis. [This page] has an ADL worksheet that a troop can use to better describe their limitations. A form such as this can be very helpful in a situation where a troop may disagree with what the MEB states.
This form makes a great attachment to any MEB Appeal.
Unfortunately disability rating has become quite murky.
There are Functional Assessments available for the military to use and more accurately assess a troop's disability, but not too many troops go through those assessments. Instead, the MEB generates a percentage based on medical records.
Activities of Daily living are a decent measure for a troop to describe how an injury affects them on a daily basis. [This page] has an ADL worksheet that a troop can use to better describe their limitations. A form such as this can be very helpful in a situation where a troop may disagree with what the MEB states.
This form makes a great attachment to any MEB Appeal.
27 March 2007
matters of time
GonzoGate has eclipsed the WRAMC problems in the news. The media only has the attention span that Nielsen Families provide. Fortunately there are still many Veteran Advocacy groups working very hard to make sure the military medical mess can keep the attention it needs in order to create positive change for troopsvets/patients. I have a list of links posted on the sidebar of this blog, but here they are again: [LINKS]
25 March 2007
what's it take
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070409/kors
Is America in denial?
I hope not. In fact, I don't think it is. I think some politicians are in denial, or they're just good liars - that's a tough one.
I've said before that I probably wouldn't believe the stories I tell if I hadn't lived them - the medical treatment of troops in the military is literally unbelievable. This story makes me very sad.
I won't do it much justice trying to describe it, but it illustrates how medical conditions are used by MEB officials to kick troops to the curb and leave them behind.
If I hadn't seen this happen I might not believe it myself - but now I encourage all troops to tape record conversations with their providers - it's perfectly legal - just watch out - THEY might say you're paranoid or something . . .
Is America in denial?
I hope not. In fact, I don't think it is. I think some politicians are in denial, or they're just good liars - that's a tough one.
I've said before that I probably wouldn't believe the stories I tell if I hadn't lived them - the medical treatment of troops in the military is literally unbelievable. This story makes me very sad.
I won't do it much justice trying to describe it, but it illustrates how medical conditions are used by MEB officials to kick troops to the curb and leave them behind.
If I hadn't seen this happen I might not believe it myself - but now I encourage all troops to tape record conversations with their providers - it's perfectly legal - just watch out - THEY might say you're paranoid or something . . .
14 March 2007
a bitter taste
If the administration was going to address problems "quickly" they would have done so when the first casualties returned from the war back in 2001. For almost SIX (6) years this problem has been brewing. It's past brewing, it's rotten. Ever forget that the coffee pot was on? After a few hours of baking, the coffee gets bitter, acidic and dry - it doesn't taste so good anymore - but it'll sure deliver a good WAKE-UP!!!! on the taste buds.
It's gonna take a lot of cream and sugar to sweeten that coffee. And the coffee was hot - it burnt a lot of people, all the way to the heart.
In a perfect world the system would really only need some minor correcting. But we live in an invented world - one corrupted by some serious political BS.
My prediction: Few, if any, individuals will be held accountable for their wrong-doings and failures as leaders/humans being; more systematic procedures (read: additional bureaucracy) will be created to ensure better treatment for troops/vets; a few featured troops/vets will be treated wonderfully and be seen on TV; the long-term outcomes will be very slow and painful for the majority of troops and vets.
Why so bitter? Not bitter, I'm an idealist at heart, really, but I've seen how money flows and how policies get muddled by politics. Sad.
More money will be spent on investigating and creating additional "checks" (bureaucracy) for the system than will be spent within the system - where it would benefit the individuals in need.
But I remain hopeful that eventually troops and vets will get the care they need.
It's gonna take a lot of cream and sugar to sweeten that coffee. And the coffee was hot - it burnt a lot of people, all the way to the heart.
In a perfect world the system would really only need some minor correcting. But we live in an invented world - one corrupted by some serious political BS.
My prediction: Few, if any, individuals will be held accountable for their wrong-doings and failures as leaders/humans being; more systematic procedures (read: additional bureaucracy) will be created to ensure better treatment for troops/vets; a few featured troops/vets will be treated wonderfully and be seen on TV; the long-term outcomes will be very slow and painful for the majority of troops and vets.
Why so bitter? Not bitter, I'm an idealist at heart, really, but I've seen how money flows and how policies get muddled by politics. Sad.
More money will be spent on investigating and creating additional "checks" (bureaucracy) for the system than will be spent within the system - where it would benefit the individuals in need.
But I remain hopeful that eventually troops and vets will get the care they need.
12 March 2007
easy off
Kiley got let down easy. He started this whole mess when he was the commander at WRAMC just a few years ago. His successor looked up to Kiley for help - and got none. When Kiley's successor retired, Weightman entered the fray - and bore the shame of Kiley's mess when he was fired - relieved of his command - just six months into his tour.
And Kiley sat at WRAMC and tried to defend himself, passing the buck all the while. He started this CF (military slang for big mess) and didn't try to fix it even when promoted to a more powerful position with greater capability to make the changes they needed to make.
The Army isn't poor! These troops were outpatients - put them in a hotel! Use a van to transport them. If a patient can't ride in a van then that patient gets priority for a room in near-by barracks. Its not that hard - Generals can make decisions like this, they have that power.
In the wake of all his own damage, Kiley gets to just fade away and will be honored at some dog-and-pony show retirement party. The money spent on his retirement celebration could probably pay for lodging for half the troops that were stuck in building 18 to stay at the Ritz downtown.
And Kiley sat at WRAMC and tried to defend himself, passing the buck all the while. He started this CF (military slang for big mess) and didn't try to fix it even when promoted to a more powerful position with greater capability to make the changes they needed to make.
The Army isn't poor! These troops were outpatients - put them in a hotel! Use a van to transport them. If a patient can't ride in a van then that patient gets priority for a room in near-by barracks. Its not that hard - Generals can make decisions like this, they have that power.
In the wake of all his own damage, Kiley gets to just fade away and will be honored at some dog-and-pony show retirement party. The money spent on his retirement celebration could probably pay for lodging for half the troops that were stuck in building 18 to stay at the Ritz downtown.
10 March 2007
playing doctor
Sometimes I feel like I'm watching an episode of Whose Line is it, Anyway when I'm looking at the standard procedures of evaluating the medical fitness of soldiers in the Army. Total confusion, total "cover my ass," total ad-hoc, and inconsistent application of Army Regulations.
First of all GAO has already called this an "overly complex system" but still the system remains in place, unchanged.
So who determines the actual disability ratings for a soldier? WOW, that's a loaded question.
The Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) is made up of three people, only ONE of the three needs to be a doctor, and they are the final authority for determining the disability rating a soldiers will receive upon exiting the Army. That's according to Army Regulation 635-40 Section IV, Chapter 4-17 paragraph b. Check it out
But where do they get the information to make such an important decision?
Referral to the PEB comes from determinations made by the MEB after a long, often ugly process that soldiers must endure. The system really isn't all that bad - once understood. The problem is that the administrators are corrupt as all hell.
The PEBLOS will tell soldiers things like "the VA will take care of you," or any other of a series of lies that will encourage soldiers to hurry-up and leave the military, even if the soldier will lose benefits in the process.
One PEBLO had the audacity to tell me that my wife "didn't deserve a second opinion," and that she just needed to "learn to deal with her disability."
So who are these PEBLOS who "play doctor" or try to "play god" with patients' medical care, future benefits, and their lives - they are AGENTS OF A GOVERNMENT SYSTEM. They don't represent anyone's interest accept the Army's - and that means saving money - even at soldiers' expense.
And to make matters worse, severely injured soldiers at Army Community Hospitals, like at Fort Benning (Martin ACH), Ft. Campbell (Blanchfield) and many others, are seen by Primary Care Providers (PCMs) who are General Family Practicioners, Physician Assistants, or Nurse Practicioners. These PCMs write the MEB - the document used by the PEB to determine the disability rating a soldier will receive. These PCMs are NOTORIOUS for falsely recording patients' conditions. These PCMs lack the specialized training often required to properly describe and document the ACTUAL condition that a soldier suffers - yet the PCM can over-rule the opinion of any specialist, and the PEBLO will send the botched MEB forward. Sure a soldier can appeal - but why put a soldier through the extra work of appealing, why not just properly document the condition in the first place.
My opinion, and I share this with many others, is that the "agents of the system" (PCMs, PEBLOS, etc.) hope that soldiers will quit asking for help, will get worn down by the system, accept defeat, maybe even believe that the VA will help. They want the soldier to sign away their benefits and leave the Army.
One quality control mechanism I propose is instead of rating a hospital's performance on how fast soldiers get booted, rate that hospital NEGATIVELY for every appeal it generates. Army Medical Command Officials should want to know why certain hospitals have left more soldiers dissatisfied than other hospitals. HOLD THE LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE!!
First of all GAO has already called this an "overly complex system" but still the system remains in place, unchanged.
So who determines the actual disability ratings for a soldier? WOW, that's a loaded question.
The Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) is made up of three people, only ONE of the three needs to be a doctor, and they are the final authority for determining the disability rating a soldiers will receive upon exiting the Army. That's according to Army Regulation 635-40 Section IV, Chapter 4-17 paragraph b. Check it out
But where do they get the information to make such an important decision?
Referral to the PEB comes from determinations made by the MEB after a long, often ugly process that soldiers must endure. The system really isn't all that bad - once understood. The problem is that the administrators are corrupt as all hell.
The PEBLOS will tell soldiers things like "the VA will take care of you," or any other of a series of lies that will encourage soldiers to hurry-up and leave the military, even if the soldier will lose benefits in the process.
One PEBLO had the audacity to tell me that my wife "didn't deserve a second opinion," and that she just needed to "learn to deal with her disability."
So who are these PEBLOS who "play doctor" or try to "play god" with patients' medical care, future benefits, and their lives - they are AGENTS OF A GOVERNMENT SYSTEM. They don't represent anyone's interest accept the Army's - and that means saving money - even at soldiers' expense.
And to make matters worse, severely injured soldiers at Army Community Hospitals, like at Fort Benning (Martin ACH), Ft. Campbell (Blanchfield) and many others, are seen by Primary Care Providers (PCMs) who are General Family Practicioners, Physician Assistants, or Nurse Practicioners. These PCMs write the MEB - the document used by the PEB to determine the disability rating a soldier will receive. These PCMs are NOTORIOUS for falsely recording patients' conditions. These PCMs lack the specialized training often required to properly describe and document the ACTUAL condition that a soldier suffers - yet the PCM can over-rule the opinion of any specialist, and the PEBLO will send the botched MEB forward. Sure a soldier can appeal - but why put a soldier through the extra work of appealing, why not just properly document the condition in the first place.
My opinion, and I share this with many others, is that the "agents of the system" (PCMs, PEBLOS, etc.) hope that soldiers will quit asking for help, will get worn down by the system, accept defeat, maybe even believe that the VA will help. They want the soldier to sign away their benefits and leave the Army.
One quality control mechanism I propose is instead of rating a hospital's performance on how fast soldiers get booted, rate that hospital NEGATIVELY for every appeal it generates. Army Medical Command Officials should want to know why certain hospitals have left more soldiers dissatisfied than other hospitals. HOLD THE LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE!!
09 March 2007
equivocation
Back when I was at School equivocation was as bad as lying.
How times have changed.
This morning I read in the Leaf Chronicle about Med Hold at BACH and yesterday about BACH's eagerness to hear suggestions for change.
Sugestions for change need go no further that the Complaint Box at the Patient Representative's office. Or even the notes from past Town Hall meetings with patients in Medical Hold.
The majority of providers at BACH are WONDERFUL - I personally had great experiences with my providers.
The providers who accept roles as administrators become a problem. As an administrator priorities CAN shift from patient care to systematic MANAGEMENT - and all too often the two clash.
Case managers may not be overworked - but their loyalties are to the process before the patient and that is a major systematic problem that must change.
And while BACH will, only with threat of exposure, allow patients to seek treatment outside the walls of BACH, BACH providers are known to prevent follow-through of this outside care. BACH's non-specialized general practitioners often over-rule the recommendations for treatment made by Vanderbilt or other MEDCEN specialty-trained doctors.
Most disturbing has been BACH's management of complaints made by patients. The leadership's actions have made no changes to quality of care concerns brought by patients.
Instead of closing Open Investigations, BACH allows the providers in question to deploy. Deploying the problem only drags the investigation. Worse yet, if that provider is under investigation they are now exposing deployed soldiers to known and unnecessary risk.
But none of that is in the articles in the Leaf Chronicle. The BACH leadership carefully crafted their talking points to avoid more in-depth questioning.
After major lawsuits BACH built a new "Mother-Baby Unit." Spouses can sue for malpractice, service members can't.
So, applying the backward logic so prevalent in the Military, especially the Military Medical System, it would appear that all "questionable providers" see the most vulnerable and voiceless soldiers while all the reputable providers see the other patients.
Like I said, I had an awesome experience at the hospital. I was fortunate to not have an administrator operating on me.
How times have changed.
This morning I read in the Leaf Chronicle about Med Hold at BACH and yesterday about BACH's eagerness to hear suggestions for change.
Sugestions for change need go no further that the Complaint Box at the Patient Representative's office. Or even the notes from past Town Hall meetings with patients in Medical Hold.
The majority of providers at BACH are WONDERFUL - I personally had great experiences with my providers.
The providers who accept roles as administrators become a problem. As an administrator priorities CAN shift from patient care to systematic MANAGEMENT - and all too often the two clash.
Case managers may not be overworked - but their loyalties are to the process before the patient and that is a major systematic problem that must change.
And while BACH will, only with threat of exposure, allow patients to seek treatment outside the walls of BACH, BACH providers are known to prevent follow-through of this outside care. BACH's non-specialized general practitioners often over-rule the recommendations for treatment made by Vanderbilt or other MEDCEN specialty-trained doctors.
Most disturbing has been BACH's management of complaints made by patients. The leadership's actions have made no changes to quality of care concerns brought by patients.
Instead of closing Open Investigations, BACH allows the providers in question to deploy. Deploying the problem only drags the investigation. Worse yet, if that provider is under investigation they are now exposing deployed soldiers to known and unnecessary risk.
But none of that is in the articles in the Leaf Chronicle. The BACH leadership carefully crafted their talking points to avoid more in-depth questioning.
After major lawsuits BACH built a new "Mother-Baby Unit." Spouses can sue for malpractice, service members can't.
So, applying the backward logic so prevalent in the Military, especially the Military Medical System, it would appear that all "questionable providers" see the most vulnerable and voiceless soldiers while all the reputable providers see the other patients.
Like I said, I had an awesome experience at the hospital. I was fortunate to not have an administrator operating on me.
08 March 2007
monetary and staff problems at WRAMC
But these problems only came to this point because of leadership failures. Somewhere in the chain of command or concern a leader failed to provide accurate reports and another failed to inspect within their sphere.
The Army probably doesn't need more money - but there needs to be accounting of Total Military spending to ensure proper spending priorities. I'm one of those guys that worries about contractors over-charging for services and lining the pockets of corporate execs at the expense of Military Readiness Spending. I would rather have had more bullets, even toilet paper for that matter, than to have Internet and satellite TV available.
But the Military spends the money congress sends (or the prez pushes) on "stuff," I'd really like to know what "stuff" is. Half of the "wazzuu" expensive toys we take to the sandbox suck. They break or just don't work with other systems already in place. Computer programs don't share the same platforms - but what difference does it make when the sand ruins the electronics.
I'm sure Walter Reed could have found money SOMEWHERE to make sure soldiers were well cared-for. The Army CAN authorize TLA - Temporary Lodging Allowances - to house soldiers in adequate living conditions. But in order to save money the administrators (they don't deserve to be called leaders anymore) tucked the troops away and hoped that no one would look.
The Army probably doesn't need more money - but there needs to be accounting of Total Military spending to ensure proper spending priorities. I'm one of those guys that worries about contractors over-charging for services and lining the pockets of corporate execs at the expense of Military Readiness Spending. I would rather have had more bullets, even toilet paper for that matter, than to have Internet and satellite TV available.
But the Military spends the money congress sends (or the prez pushes) on "stuff," I'd really like to know what "stuff" is. Half of the "wazzuu" expensive toys we take to the sandbox suck. They break or just don't work with other systems already in place. Computer programs don't share the same platforms - but what difference does it make when the sand ruins the electronics.
I'm sure Walter Reed could have found money SOMEWHERE to make sure soldiers were well cared-for. The Army CAN authorize TLA - Temporary Lodging Allowances - to house soldiers in adequate living conditions. But in order to save money the administrators (they don't deserve to be called leaders anymore) tucked the troops away and hoped that no one would look.
ARMY MEDICINE EXPLAINED?
This links to a page that helps explain the Army Medical Separation Process.
It can only HELP explain the system - the system is so confusing that even the administrators make mistakes sometimes. Actually I think they "make mistakes" on purpose, but that's my cynical nature, I guess.
What is the difference between the MEB, PEB, and MMRB?
It can only HELP explain the system - the system is so confusing that even the administrators make mistakes sometimes. Actually I think they "make mistakes" on purpose, but that's my cynical nature, I guess.
What is the difference between the MEB, PEB, and MMRB?
Hey, don't get confused yet. I still haven't SCRATCHED THE SURFACE of the VA stuff yet.
AND REMEMBER, THE VA IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM, AND COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE ARMY SYSTEM.
BUT YES, ABSOLUTELY, BOTH NEED TO BE FIXED!!!!
AND REMEMBER, THE VA IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM, AND COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE ARMY SYSTEM.
BUT YES, ABSOLUTELY, BOTH NEED TO BE FIXED!!!!
07 March 2007
Making the problem worse
Everyone's hoppin' and poppin' in DC now trying to looks busy, trying to look like they care, trying to make it look like they have been doing their jobs all along.
Stop trying to cover your tracks!! You're wasting time generating lies for press releases, just fix the problems.
The major problem that is destroying the medical system right now is the leadership. It just plain sucks. And there is no accountability of that leadership. The President answers to NO ONE - he's made that crystal clear, but with all that authority, where is his responsibility.
And then the head of the VA has obviously had his head up someone's ass, if not his own.
Stop trying to cover your tracks!! You're wasting time generating lies for press releases, just fix the problems.
The major problem that is destroying the medical system right now is the leadership. It just plain sucks. And there is no accountability of that leadership. The President answers to NO ONE - he's made that crystal clear, but with all that authority, where is his responsibility.
And then the head of the VA has obviously had his head up someone's ass, if not his own.
From:After meeting with the president, Nicholson defended the Veterans Administration, but acknowledged there is room for improvement.
"When you're seeing over 1 million patients a week, you have to be very good, and if there is any one patient who doesn't get the care that they deserve, that's unacceptable," Nicholson said
He said his agency is hiring 100 new patient advocates who will help troops returning from war deal with the bureaucracy.
"The American people can feel very good about the health care system that their VA is providing to veterans," Nicholson said, "but if there is a case where a veteran gets lost in the system, or suffers anxiety or their family does as a result of something we're not doing, that is unacceptable."
Bush: No Tolerance for Medical Neglect
By DEB RIECHMANNThe Associated Press
Wednesday, March 7, 2007; 1:46 PM
By saying a patient is not getting the necessary care he is basically admitting that his whole organization is a failure.
And now he's hiring 100 more "advocates." The VA doesn't have advocates. The VA has bureaucrats. If a patient is to have a proper advocate - a person who will actually look out for the Patient's BEST INTEREST - not the interest of the institution, then that advocate cannot come from within the VA PERIOD!
The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and the VFW help Vets fight the VA bullshit - THEY have advocates and representatives that act on patients' behalves.
And why are we changing the subject to the VA, anyway? Their system is in desperate need of repair, too, but Walter Reed is TOTALLY separate from the VA.
The problems at WRAMC are with ACTIVE DUTY Soldiers - and WRAMC is supposed to help them heal to a STABLE STATE where then the VA can help provide further medical care after the soldier leaves the service.
05 March 2007
More confilcts of interest
I know I already mentioned this once before but the conflicts of interest in Military Medical Care have come into the spotlight again.
At WRAMC soldiers did not feel they had any advocate - their case managers, doctors, nurses, chains of command, even the Medical Evaluation Board Liaisons seemed to have the system as a priority over the current and future care of the soldiers.
Baffling how this can happen.
But it was an MEB officer that told me my wife didn't deserve any further medical treatment - that worker had to sit through "sensitivity training" - probably just the annual required training of any hospital worker - when I voiced my opinion that her attitude was potentially harmful to the health of other soldiers and their families.
It was almost funny to hear GEN Cody talk about the MEB, PEB, and VA processes of disability rating. It's so fucking confusing. Yet soldiers only get a few days to weigh their options once given access to their rating paperwork. It takes weeks to grasp the ins-and-outs of that complex system, and "no one" can ever seem to explain it to confused patients. The MEB officers hide behind their position and case workers are too closely tied to the hospital command structure.
Case managers need to be patient advocates, not another obstacle. We had a wonderful case manager here, until it became clear that she was actually HELPING patients - then her supervisor - a Lieutenant Colonel limited the contact she could have with patients - the LTC was more interested in a faster moving system - never mind medical duties to help troops heal.
At WRAMC soldiers did not feel they had any advocate - their case managers, doctors, nurses, chains of command, even the Medical Evaluation Board Liaisons seemed to have the system as a priority over the current and future care of the soldiers.
Baffling how this can happen.
But it was an MEB officer that told me my wife didn't deserve any further medical treatment - that worker had to sit through "sensitivity training" - probably just the annual required training of any hospital worker - when I voiced my opinion that her attitude was potentially harmful to the health of other soldiers and their families.
It was almost funny to hear GEN Cody talk about the MEB, PEB, and VA processes of disability rating. It's so fucking confusing. Yet soldiers only get a few days to weigh their options once given access to their rating paperwork. It takes weeks to grasp the ins-and-outs of that complex system, and "no one" can ever seem to explain it to confused patients. The MEB officers hide behind their position and case workers are too closely tied to the hospital command structure.
Case managers need to be patient advocates, not another obstacle. We had a wonderful case manager here, until it became clear that she was actually HELPING patients - then her supervisor - a Lieutenant Colonel limited the contact she could have with patients - the LTC was more interested in a faster moving system - never mind medical duties to help troops heal.
Realities of the war at home
Thank you soooo much for getting these realities in the spotlight!
I can only imagine how much information you must have in overflowing inboxes and full voicemail boxes.
I am glad it has become so clear that this was not merely an isolated incident at one hospital!
I can only imagine how much information you must have in overflowing inboxes and full voicemail boxes.
I am glad it has become so clear that this was not merely an isolated incident at one hospital!
04 March 2007
It could happen to you . . .
And who holds providers to standards of practice? What motivation could there possibly be for providers to cross a line somewhere and put troops in such a bad position in life.
And why do I believe this story - I SAW IT HAPPEN HERE.
Same type thing, just different names. That practice is so wrong, such a breach of ethical standards it makes my blood boil.
The transition area from Active Duty to Veteran status is a no-man's land. The laws get real fuzzy in there and bureaucratic policies and politics add to the confused process.
I find myself explaining Catch-22's over and over to young troops going through the MEB process and they are baffled by how distorted the whole system is. It's backward, crooked, disorienting. It is not user friendly and somewhere along the way the people involved in the process have developed an attitude that enables the PROCESS, not the TROOP.
It just kills me to watch an MEB officer act "unbiased" as they tell a young, injured soldier "just how easy this will all be if you just sign it now." "Oh, you don't want to take your 10 days to think about it, that just makes things drag on." "Oh no, the DAV rep or VFW rep can't help with THAT, they only do Veteran stuff, they'll help you after you sign."
Bullshit!!
Troops - talk to vet groups, other vets who have been through the system, look online, read the regs. Whatever you do, don't take anything at face value who looks at you like a statistic. Because that's what the system sees - statistics of how many are med-boarded and how fast. If the army can put you out without a medboard, THEY WILL - it's cheaper. And if they can medboard you faster, without proper treatment - THEY WILL - it's cheaper, AND - it makes THEM look better for "healing" you faster. A troop is not supposed to get medboarded until their condition is stable - and the VA doesn't pick up "where the army left off," either.
Getting into the VA for treatment takes time, and with an unstable condition this can mean deterioration and worsening of the condition.
I don't know where things went awry in the medical system, I had a great doc - the MEB office pissed me off, but medically, I got treated well - I was very fortunate to have an awesome doctor. Some of the other providers I have seen are a malpractice suit waiting to happen - oh yeah, FERES, how'd I forget.
I guess a good sign is that if a provider is never available to see civilians at the hospital, there may be a reason. Maybe that's why untrustworthy doctors end up treating all the MEDHOLD soldiers and only the MEDHOLD soldiers.
These docs are treating the most seriously injured troops from war. They're not treating guinea pigs. These troops have families, they have lives. They deserve the BEST care possible. And the doctors must be held to that same standard of accountability that other doctors must uphold.
And why do I believe this story - I SAW IT HAPPEN HERE.
Same type thing, just different names. That practice is so wrong, such a breach of ethical standards it makes my blood boil.
The transition area from Active Duty to Veteran status is a no-man's land. The laws get real fuzzy in there and bureaucratic policies and politics add to the confused process.
I find myself explaining Catch-22's over and over to young troops going through the MEB process and they are baffled by how distorted the whole system is. It's backward, crooked, disorienting. It is not user friendly and somewhere along the way the people involved in the process have developed an attitude that enables the PROCESS, not the TROOP.
It just kills me to watch an MEB officer act "unbiased" as they tell a young, injured soldier "just how easy this will all be if you just sign it now." "Oh, you don't want to take your 10 days to think about it, that just makes things drag on." "Oh no, the DAV rep or VFW rep can't help with THAT, they only do Veteran stuff, they'll help you after you sign."
Bullshit!!
Troops - talk to vet groups, other vets who have been through the system, look online, read the regs. Whatever you do, don't take anything at face value who looks at you like a statistic. Because that's what the system sees - statistics of how many are med-boarded and how fast. If the army can put you out without a medboard, THEY WILL - it's cheaper. And if they can medboard you faster, without proper treatment - THEY WILL - it's cheaper, AND - it makes THEM look better for "healing" you faster. A troop is not supposed to get medboarded until their condition is stable - and the VA doesn't pick up "where the army left off," either.
Getting into the VA for treatment takes time, and with an unstable condition this can mean deterioration and worsening of the condition.
I don't know where things went awry in the medical system, I had a great doc - the MEB office pissed me off, but medically, I got treated well - I was very fortunate to have an awesome doctor. Some of the other providers I have seen are a malpractice suit waiting to happen - oh yeah, FERES, how'd I forget.
I guess a good sign is that if a provider is never available to see civilians at the hospital, there may be a reason. Maybe that's why untrustworthy doctors end up treating all the MEDHOLD soldiers and only the MEDHOLD soldiers.
These docs are treating the most seriously injured troops from war. They're not treating guinea pigs. These troops have families, they have lives. They deserve the BEST care possible. And the doctors must be held to that same standard of accountability that other doctors must uphold.
03 March 2007
Plan? What Plan?
When I was in
The shittily planned Iraq war had no Paragraph 4. The only large scale logistics have been pocket padding to high-paying politicos. The only MEDEVAC plan is failing. Look only as far as any Army hospital to see the sad state of affairs for wounded soldiers. They are the forgotten ones. Those who live on impaired are forgotten and further punished with he burdens of their injuries and the sketchy medical care they receive. And once the VA takes over – shit, where do I start.
02 March 2007
Too little too late
Where does the buck stop??
So Weightman was only in Command for 6 months -- who was there 6 months ago and what did they do about this? Those kinds of structural problems don't happen in a few months - we're talking years of abandonment.
What next? What happens after this knee-jerk reaction settles? Will there be follow-up but the administration? Walter Reed is supposed to be the Flag Ship of Army medicine.
Actually the problems at Reed are fairly simple when considering the problems at other hospitals - the ones out of range of national reporting - like here at Ft. Campbell.
These failures are directly linked to the administrations failures in the preparation for war.
So Weightman was only in Command for 6 months -- who was there 6 months ago and what did they do about this? Those kinds of structural problems don't happen in a few months - we're talking years of abandonment.
What next? What happens after this knee-jerk reaction settles? Will there be follow-up but the administration? Walter Reed is supposed to be the Flag Ship of Army medicine.
Actually the problems at Reed are fairly simple when considering the problems at other hospitals - the ones out of range of national reporting - like here at Ft. Campbell.
These failures are directly linked to the administrations failures in the preparation for war.
You do the math
So Bush wants to take this opportunity to talk about how he has grown the VA budget under his administration -- Way wrong answer for those paying attention. He forgot to mention that the budget increase (decrease) is due to the increased co-pays and the decreased per-vet spending for the VA. The numbers of disabled Vets are growing faster than the budget is increasing, so claiming to increase the budget is BULLSHIT!!
Bush also will emphasize in the address that more than 1 million veterans have been brought into the Veterans Administration health care system since 2001 and that his fiscal 2008 budget proposal includes a request for more than $86 billion for veterans' services, representing a 77 percent increase since he took office.---Bush Orders Review of Service Members' Care
By William BraniginWashington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 2, 2007; 5:18 PM
WRAMC ain't the first
In September, 2004 I left the 101st Airborne Division and became a MEDDAC soldier in the Medical Hold Company. I was awaiting separation from the Army because of injuries I received while deployed. My wife was also having serious medical problems (BUT THAT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY).
When I came over to the Ft. Campbell Hospital, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH) I was offered a company command. The Troop Commander, a Major, was an energetic and compassionate leader - I had a great deal of respect for her and wanted to accept the job. Especially after she discussed what my duties and responsibilities would entail:
The Medical Hold barracks were horrible. Much like the ones at WRAMC now featured all over the news they were full of mold, mildew, asbestos, and deteriorating construction - holes in walls, broken window frames - these were not suitable for soldiers. There was no handicap access and no elevators - and, like at WRAMC, these soldiers were severely disabled I walked through these barracks and wanted to help get them fixed.
The Troop Commander had been working on getting these fixed since they had taken command but to no avail.
I did not accept the company command - my wife's health had deteriorated too much. If I took command I would either abandon her, or be in a position where I could let soldiers down - I was not willing to accept either of these outcomes. I helped with the company in a limited capacity and took care of my wife.
The soldier's barracks situation improved before my wife was granted access to the care she needed in order to heal.
When we requested work orders on these dilapidated buildings the housing office would explain that because the barracks were so old, and marked for destruction, funding could not be approved to renovate or otherwise fix the problems. New construction on-post had priority over old construction - understandable - but it didn't address the current housing problems.
Eventually, after many false starts, the Troop Commander found ways to correct the problem as much as possible. She found ways to get repair work done. Some soldiers moved to a hotel off-post. The soldiers got moved to a better building almost a year later. But better than what? What is considered acceptable? They just moved to a somewhat better building. It's still old and falling apart and won't get renovated, either.
AND I KNOW SHE BROUGHT THESES PROBLEMS HIGH UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
She did her job but found little support from above.
But Ft. Campbell is getting a new command center - it looks nice, IT's HUGE!! Lot's of money going into that development.
The Army is about people, soldiers, not about machinery or equipment. What good will that equipment be if there are no more soldiers left to use it?
When I came over to the Ft. Campbell Hospital, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH) I was offered a company command. The Troop Commander, a Major, was an energetic and compassionate leader - I had a great deal of respect for her and wanted to accept the job. Especially after she discussed what my duties and responsibilities would entail:
The Medical Hold barracks were horrible. Much like the ones at WRAMC now featured all over the news they were full of mold, mildew, asbestos, and deteriorating construction - holes in walls, broken window frames - these were not suitable for soldiers. There was no handicap access and no elevators - and, like at WRAMC, these soldiers were severely disabled I walked through these barracks and wanted to help get them fixed.
The Troop Commander had been working on getting these fixed since they had taken command but to no avail.
I did not accept the company command - my wife's health had deteriorated too much. If I took command I would either abandon her, or be in a position where I could let soldiers down - I was not willing to accept either of these outcomes. I helped with the company in a limited capacity and took care of my wife.
The soldier's barracks situation improved before my wife was granted access to the care she needed in order to heal.
When we requested work orders on these dilapidated buildings the housing office would explain that because the barracks were so old, and marked for destruction, funding could not be approved to renovate or otherwise fix the problems. New construction on-post had priority over old construction - understandable - but it didn't address the current housing problems.
Eventually, after many false starts, the Troop Commander found ways to correct the problem as much as possible. She found ways to get repair work done. Some soldiers moved to a hotel off-post. The soldiers got moved to a better building almost a year later. But better than what? What is considered acceptable? They just moved to a somewhat better building. It's still old and falling apart and won't get renovated, either.
AND I KNOW SHE BROUGHT THESES PROBLEMS HIGH UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
She did her job but found little support from above.
But Ft. Campbell is getting a new command center - it looks nice, IT's HUGE!! Lot's of money going into that development.
The Army is about people, soldiers, not about machinery or equipment. What good will that equipment be if there are no more soldiers left to use it?
01 March 2007
accountability
Walter Reed's Commander just got canned, NOW WHAT?
In the reports yesterday soldiers at WRAMC were being punished for their leaders' failures. The First Sergeant was fired, and now the 2-star General got fired, too.
I wonder about the people in-between . . .
There is quite a large gap in rank-structure and accountability between the Company 1SG and Hospital Commander.
BUT - the burden of Command is great and a new commander may be the right start. I trust that the investigators will discover many systematic failures as well as human failures in this whole mess - after all, someone has to design, implement, and oversee this broken system.
The President was at WRAMC a few months ago. Having prepared for VIP guests at various-level functions I can assume that the preparations made prior to the President's visit included making sure all the "bad things" were covered over.
So, while I believe our President is failing in many ways, in this instance I would not be surprised if the military shielded themselves from looking bad.
And that just goes back to integrity and the lack there-of at high levels of the military chain of command. The really good leaders, the ones who put their troops before themselves, usually get passed-over and forgotten. But that's another rant for another day.
Instead I am left to ponder what will become of military medicine - this shit storm may be the catalyst of change so desperately needed.
The Army Times is doing a great job tracking the problems with disability ratings and other issues surrounding the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) process.
Hopefully the new governmental leadership will start doing what they were selected to do - fix the broken shit the current administration won't admit is broken.
In the reports yesterday soldiers at WRAMC were being punished for their leaders' failures. The First Sergeant was fired, and now the 2-star General got fired, too.
I wonder about the people in-between . . .
There is quite a large gap in rank-structure and accountability between the Company 1SG and Hospital Commander.
BUT - the burden of Command is great and a new commander may be the right start. I trust that the investigators will discover many systematic failures as well as human failures in this whole mess - after all, someone has to design, implement, and oversee this broken system.
The President was at WRAMC a few months ago. Having prepared for VIP guests at various-level functions I can assume that the preparations made prior to the President's visit included making sure all the "bad things" were covered over.
So, while I believe our President is failing in many ways, in this instance I would not be surprised if the military shielded themselves from looking bad.
And that just goes back to integrity and the lack there-of at high levels of the military chain of command. The really good leaders, the ones who put their troops before themselves, usually get passed-over and forgotten. But that's another rant for another day.
Instead I am left to ponder what will become of military medicine - this shit storm may be the catalyst of change so desperately needed.
The Army Times is doing a great job tracking the problems with disability ratings and other issues surrounding the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) process.
Hopefully the new governmental leadership will start doing what they were selected to do - fix the broken shit the current administration won't admit is broken.
28 February 2007
Military Med system FUBAR -- part 3 (5? 67?)
But it also should not have taken newspaper articles to bring change to outpatient conditions at Walter Reed. And while filthy conditions at Building 18 are a temporary problem for these veterans, lowball settlements may leave soldiers and their families impoverished for life.
-- Washington Post Editorial, "Rotten Homecoming" -- 21 FEB 07
I find it nearly impossible to explain how this stuff can happen, when family or friends ask. If I'm bitching about how frustrated I am with being denied treatment or only getting it after a 3-year fight, it's understandably bizarre. I got tired of trying, because it always ends up in, "Well why don't you just...(..)?"
Which would work in any OTHER HMO.
And which wouldn't be necessary if more of the leadership were more interested in patient care and troops' well-being, than number-crunching and avoiding conflict with unethical practitioners.
Here's the systematic issue:
The biggest problem is: most of us wounded, maimed or disabled get
stuck at our shitty little "Army Community Hospitals" (ABHs) on our
own posts--away from the specialty clinics, support programs &
publicity of Walter Reed. Honestly, I'm horrified things got so bad
at Walter Reed, thank god for WaPo--but those articles exposed maybe
5% of the systematic failure to do right by injured troops.
It kills me how the Pentagon makes it sound like all "severely
injured" troops are getting care at Walter Reed. Or its sister-Army
Medical Centers (AMCs).
Bullshit--it's where a severely injured troop goes ONLY if he/she's
wicked lucky, Knows Someone or has a dramatic external injury. The
rest of us "severely injured" hospital-bunnies would all but pull out
a buddy's IV to get to Walter Reed. It's like Xanadu, heaven, a place
of wonder.
The difference? At Medical Centers like WallyWorld you get, you
know, medical treatment along with your
moldy/infested/condemned barracks... Rumor has it: the troops are
sometimes even treated like patients instead of weaklings or shitbags.
WOW!
The majority of us-- shrapneled digestive systems, organ failures,
traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord issues, single-arm amputations,
or whatever (even cancer) get scattered around the country, out of the
public eye (i.e., in little army towns with no investigative
reporters). At these ACHs, hospital administrators can deny
treatment, falsify records, or otherwise screw us with no
repercussions that I've seen, ever.
To be fair: most of the people at these Army Community Hospitals on
tactical/"grunt" posts are AWESOME. Many are army wives or formerly
troops themselves. 90%+ are professional, sweet, and busting their
ass to keep things going. They're so exhausted from dealing with
overcrowded clinics and increasingly pissed off patients, I truly
don't know how they stay sane. I submit "Good Job!" reports on them
whenever possible.
The problem, as usual in a bureaucracy, lies with:
A. Pentagon bean-counters (generals or senior civilians)
shortchanging the outlying hospitals to fund whatever rusty-ass
Artillery system got porked in again this year
B. Hospital admin types (senior officers) who pretend everything's
SUPER instead of grabbing their sack and addressing , or
C. A few unithical & power-trippy doctor or nurse (usually one in
charge of a clinic) too senile, incompetent, ambitious or psychotic
for the whole "medical care" thing
Of course, they're the "authority" or "professionals" so they're the
ones who get to give all the official input. We start thinking we're
just crazy, til we figure out the odds of simultaneous, identical mass
hallucinations are slim. Even on wacky pain meds.
I just don't know how to get help for all of us at outlying hospitals.
I've tried. Others here have worn themselves out trying. How do you
raise hell in Pudunk, Kentucky/Tennessee border for Peter's sake. ANY
suggestions would be genuinely appreciated. Congressionals get shot
down as fast as...quail-hunting partners. We're not allowed to sue
for malpractice (not that most of us would...but the threat might help
quality control)
24 February 2007
Recovery Ops
I'm glad the lid finally got blown off the military covering-up the failures of the administration. These problems so recently brought to light about WRAMC (Walter Reed Army Medical Center) are only superficial. Taco Bell has rats and roaches. The real problem is the leadership's failure to take corrective action. These problems have been known for a long time.
Good leaders are not just the lucky people who have no problems during their periods of responsibility. (Though many generals and high-power politicians have either been so lucky, or have done a hell-of-a-job covering things up) The best leaders are the ones who can take horrific problems and conditions and make the situation better. It will take leadership beyond the capability of those currently in charge to fix this problem.
This should be investigated - letting conditions get this bad is dereliction of duty. But to say that leadership knew nothing of the problems adds insult to injury - quite literally in this case.
Either the high-up leaders didn't care enough to inspect all facilities, facility managers lied to higher-up leaders, or the higher-up leaders knew, and did nothing to fix matters. Each of these possibilities demonstrate the dire circumstances within the DoD's management of military medical practices.
What is more - Walter Reed is hallowed ground for injured troops - it's a MEDCEN (Medical Center), in the middle of Washington D.C.!!! The outlying community hospitals in the Army don't have nearly what WRAMC can provide. Soldiers in outlying hospitals live in worse conditions (yeah, I've seen them and smelled the puke left in the asbestos filled hallways by cancer patients returning from chemo and radiation treatment, and I've seen the moldy showers where burn-victims and amputees have to bathe) and there is no spotlight to fix them!!
These troops have returned home from war with life-changing wounds and injuries and the administration continues their "fight the war on the cheap" mentality by cutting corners on health care.
And why can't soldiers make a cause for this themselves? Why is it that these men and women fought a faceless, far-off enemy and can't stick-up for themselves? Easy - they have no weapon, and no support. The majority of seriously injured troops returning to these piss-poor conditions are low-ranking and have little-to-no family or financial support. Battling the physical injuries and psychological trauma of their injuries and the PTSD most likely linked to that injury leaves our combat-trained service members in an unsupported position. They have no recourse against shitty medical care and have no one to guide them through the red-tape involved in transitioning from active duty to the civilian world. Sure there are benefits and programs linked to service - but what good are these services when they are not made accessible to vets and families who would most benefit from them. Besides, most of these vets-to-be just want to get on with their lives - they aren't the type to wallow in misery.
Hopefully this WRAMC shitstorm won't stop in DC - so many more military hospitals need the spotlight turned on. Hospital leaders need to be held accountable for their neglect of troop health.
So if it takes the press corps to motivate the leadership of "this great Nation" so be it - our troops deserve better treatment and their leadership lacks the character, the moral courage and the intestinal fortitude to find a way to provide it.
Good leaders are not just the lucky people who have no problems during their periods of responsibility. (Though many generals and high-power politicians have either been so lucky, or have done a hell-of-a-job covering things up) The best leaders are the ones who can take horrific problems and conditions and make the situation better. It will take leadership beyond the capability of those currently in charge to fix this problem.
This should be investigated - letting conditions get this bad is dereliction of duty. But to say that leadership knew nothing of the problems adds insult to injury - quite literally in this case.
Either the high-up leaders didn't care enough to inspect all facilities, facility managers lied to higher-up leaders, or the higher-up leaders knew, and did nothing to fix matters. Each of these possibilities demonstrate the dire circumstances within the DoD's management of military medical practices.
What is more - Walter Reed is hallowed ground for injured troops - it's a MEDCEN (Medical Center), in the middle of Washington D.C.!!! The outlying community hospitals in the Army don't have nearly what WRAMC can provide. Soldiers in outlying hospitals live in worse conditions (yeah, I've seen them and smelled the puke left in the asbestos filled hallways by cancer patients returning from chemo and radiation treatment, and I've seen the moldy showers where burn-victims and amputees have to bathe) and there is no spotlight to fix them!!
These troops have returned home from war with life-changing wounds and injuries and the administration continues their "fight the war on the cheap" mentality by cutting corners on health care.
And why can't soldiers make a cause for this themselves? Why is it that these men and women fought a faceless, far-off enemy and can't stick-up for themselves? Easy - they have no weapon, and no support. The majority of seriously injured troops returning to these piss-poor conditions are low-ranking and have little-to-no family or financial support. Battling the physical injuries and psychological trauma of their injuries and the PTSD most likely linked to that injury leaves our combat-trained service members in an unsupported position. They have no recourse against shitty medical care and have no one to guide them through the red-tape involved in transitioning from active duty to the civilian world. Sure there are benefits and programs linked to service - but what good are these services when they are not made accessible to vets and families who would most benefit from them. Besides, most of these vets-to-be just want to get on with their lives - they aren't the type to wallow in misery.
Hopefully this WRAMC shitstorm won't stop in DC - so many more military hospitals need the spotlight turned on. Hospital leaders need to be held accountable for their neglect of troop health.
So if it takes the press corps to motivate the leadership of "this great Nation" so be it - our troops deserve better treatment and their leadership lacks the character, the moral courage and the intestinal fortitude to find a way to provide it.
20 February 2007
Washington Post Article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/17/AR2007021701172.html
Here is the beginning:
Here is the beginning:
Soldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army's Top Medical Facility
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, February 18, 2007; Page A01
Behind the door of Army Spec. Jeremy Duncan's room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down with black mold. When the wounded combat engineer stands in his shower and looks up, he can see the bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole. The entire building, constructed between the world wars, often smells like greasy carry-out. Signs of neglect are everywhere: mouse droppings, belly-up cockroaches, stained carpets, cheap mattresses.
This is the world of Building 18, not the kind of place where Duncan expected to recover when he was evacuated to Walter Reed Army Medical Center from Iraq last February with a broken neck and a shredded left ear, nearly dead from blood loss. But the old lodge, just outside the gates of the hospital and five miles up the road from the White House, has housed hundreds of maimed soldiers recuperating from injuries suffered in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
16 February 2007
There's something you don't see every day
On character:
I once heard character defined as having the discipline to perform a task at 0200 when no one else was around to watch. I've also hear it described as doing what's right for no other reason than the fact that it's the right thing to do.
I must say I was quite disappointed to hear a captain announce to his subordinates that he didn't feel compelled to attend a meeting with his subordinates because the colonel wasn't going to attend. So the captain needed the colonel to hold his hand through the meeting with the troops? I guess so. So who was there with the troops? Not the captain, not the colonel, no, just the sergeant major who has no choice but either pass the buck to the colonel or just say "I have no idea what you're talking about." And he probably had no idea. No senior administrator or commander wants to believe anything that comes out of meetings about unethical medical practices. The military puts its doctors in a pretty safe bubble - Feres.
Where does character fit into all this? Well, that's the problem -- it doesn't. I haven't seen many leaders of character since I left the line. If a company commander needs a colonel's direct line of sight to do the right thing then our military is just falling to pieces. Captains shouldn't need that kind of supervision, and soldiers should never have reason to worry that their captain is only getting pulled along by the colonel on a tight leash, taking every opportunity to dodge some irksome duty.
-- Ragin' Ranger OUT
I once heard character defined as having the discipline to perform a task at 0200 when no one else was around to watch. I've also hear it described as doing what's right for no other reason than the fact that it's the right thing to do.
I must say I was quite disappointed to hear a captain announce to his subordinates that he didn't feel compelled to attend a meeting with his subordinates because the colonel wasn't going to attend. So the captain needed the colonel to hold his hand through the meeting with the troops? I guess so. So who was there with the troops? Not the captain, not the colonel, no, just the sergeant major who has no choice but either pass the buck to the colonel or just say "I have no idea what you're talking about." And he probably had no idea. No senior administrator or commander wants to believe anything that comes out of meetings about unethical medical practices. The military puts its doctors in a pretty safe bubble - Feres.
Where does character fit into all this? Well, that's the problem -- it doesn't. I haven't seen many leaders of character since I left the line. If a company commander needs a colonel's direct line of sight to do the right thing then our military is just falling to pieces. Captains shouldn't need that kind of supervision, and soldiers should never have reason to worry that their captain is only getting pulled along by the colonel on a tight leash, taking every opportunity to dodge some irksome duty.
-- Ragin' Ranger OUT
25 January 2007
Guide to helping soldiers and their families through Army Medicine
Here is a link to a handbook that looks to be a good resource for helping soldiers and their families deal with the many stresses that come from injuries and wounds from military service. There is a lot of great information in this book that I hope can find its way into the hands of many otherwise confused soldiers and family members.
[Our Hero Handbook]
- Ragin' Ranger Out
[Our Hero Handbook]
- Ragin' Ranger Out
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