A Request for Keith Olbermann

One Way to Stop the Bad News at Walter Reed

Just days ago, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was lauded for his candor regarding the deplorable conditions at Water Reed Medical Center, saying he was “grateful to reporters for bringing this problem to our attention, but very disappointed we did not identify it ourselves."

Today we have this report from the front page of the Army Times which suggests the brass there have reacted differently...

DoD Cracks Down on Walter Reed Media Coverage

Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Medical Hold Unit say they have been told they will wake up at 6 a.m. every morning and have their rooms ready for inspection at 7 a.m., and that they must not speak to the media.

“Some soldiers believe this is a form of punishment for the trouble soldiers caused by talking to the media,” one Medical Hold Unit soldier said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Soldiers say their sergeant major gathered troops at 6 p.m. Monday to tell them they must follow their chain of command when asking for help with their medical evaluation paperwork, or when they spot mold, mice or other problems in their quarters.

One would assume that this 'crackdown' on media coverage would accompany a real effort to improve the conditions at Walter Reed. But then, if not for the media coverage, one wouldn't have assumed the conditions at Walter Reed were in need of improvement in the first place.

Source: The Newshole (Complete Article and Comments)

After this story was covered on The Newshole (one of my links of interest) I posted a comment (the thirteenth one down) requesting that Keith Olbermann deliver one of his trademark poignant "Special Comments" addressing the reprehensible treatment of US servicemen and women. Hope it takes.

This was my comment:

"If anything deserves a "Special Comment" a la Olbermann, it has to be the deplorable treatment of the military. From sending them grossly ill-equipped to war zones abroad (despite billions of dollars going toward private contractors) to the horrid conditions in which they are subjected to recuperate. And now 7:00 AM inspections? I'm sure some of these war veterans are heavily medicated and these inspections impose and undue burden on the servicemen and women whose energies need to be focused on getting themselves better, not public relations.

Since, something else occurred to me - with the additional "surge" of 21,500 troops, not including another 25,000 support troops, (a number which seems to get swept under the proverbial rug), how do the powers that be plan on stretching their already thin resources? Are these the conditions the returning wounded have to look forward to? Worse conditions? Shame!