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<DIV>Wonderful! After asking our armed forces members to sacrafice their
life and limbs in a war we were lied to in entering, we cannot even take
adequate care of our wopuded and their families. What a horrible tragedy
and disgrace.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>W.</DIV>
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<H3>Our view on treating the wounded: Iraq casualties overwhelm system; more
money, less red tape needed.</H3>
<P>Last month's initial reports about care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
for troops wounded in Iraq focused on mold and vermin in an outpatient
facility.</P>
<P>Totally unacceptable, of course, but easily fixed.</P>
<P>The bigger, more intractable problems with military health care involve red
tape and stifling bureaucracy. Those problems aren't limited to Walter Reed but
are widespread throughout the system. They have caused pain, desperation and
financial hardship for thousands of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars,
as well as their families.</P></DIV><A id=more></A>
<DIV class=entry-more>
<P>Perhaps the most distressing truth is this is another outrage that could have
been avoided with more planning and less denial. The Pentagon did not expect the
Iraq war to go on so long — four years as of today. The flood of casualties from
both Iraq and Afghanistan has overwhelmed the medical facilities and magnified
the problems. </P>
<P>Thanks to medical advances, about 90% of troops wounded in Iraq survive,
compared with 75% in Vietnam. The initial treatment they receive at Walter Reed
and other facilities can equal the best in the world. It's afterward that the
system breaks down. Reports by internal watchdogs, congressional investigators
and various news media paint a shocking picture:</P>
<P>*In the past two years, <A
href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-12-army-benefit-delays_N.htm">the
Army failed to meet deadlines</A> for granting medical retirements in 94% of
cases. Three-fifths of Army hospitals didn't meet Pentagon standards in their
processing, and 44% have inaccurate record keeping. According to a report from
the Army inspector general, the fault lies partly with a shortage of physicians
at three-quarters of the medical facilities.</P>
<P>*At the Department of Veterans Affairs, where troops receive care after they
leave active duty, there was a 127-day average wait for compensation claims (16
days more than in 2003), <A
href="http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07562thigh.pdf">according to the Government
Accountability Office</A>. It takes an average of almost two years to process an
appeal. Records frequently get lost or fail to get passed on because <A
href="http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07606thigh.pdf">the military and veterans'
systems</A> don't even have compatible computer systems.</P>
<P>Those statistics, of course, don't tell of the human heartbreak. <A
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/05/AR2007030500676.html">Hearings
in Congress have showcased men</A> such as Staff Sgt. John Daniel Shannon, who
lost an eye and suffered brain injuries in Iraq in 2004 but was left for two
weeks in a room without being contacted about follow-up treatment. </P>
<P>Can any good come out of this? Perhaps.</P>
<P>New Defense Secretary Robert Gates has made a start. To establish an
atmosphere of accountability, he has ousted the secretary of the Army and the
head of Walter Reed. He has forced the Army's surgeon general into retirement.
The shoddy living conditions at the offending outpatient facility have been
attended to.</P>
<P>Addressing the deeper, systemic failures will take sustained attention and
funding. At the very least, it requires adding staff, adjusting attitudes,
computerizing records and streamlining procedures. Some lawmakers are preparing
legislation to include such measures. The various review panels studying the
situation will no doubt recommend other ways to repair military health care.
</P>
<P>U.S. troops who have suffered injuries in the service of their country
deserve no less. On that, at least, supporters and opponents of the war in Iraq
can agree.</P>
<P> </P>
<DIV class=inside-copy>
<H3>Opposing view: We're rebuilding trust</H3>
<H4>Care for wounded has fallen short, but problems are being addressed.</H4>
<P><STRONG>By David S.C. Chu</STRONG></P><INTRO></INTRO><MORE></MORE>
<P>The Department of Defense cares deeply about the well-being of its people. It
shows in the quality of medical care provided to those deployed, which has been
widely celebrated. The result is the highest survival rate for the wounded in
the history of American military operations, and the lowest rate of disease and
non-battle injuries. </P></DIV><A id=more></A>
<DIV class=entry-more>
<P>Commitment to our people shows in actions of recent years to replace
substandard housing, expand the network of family support, and partner with the
states to ensure military families are not disadvantaged by the demands of
military service. Our Tricare health plan is highly rated by independent
surveys, and our child care services were recently judged as tops in the nation.
</P>
<P>But in several areas relating to servicemembers recuperating from injury, or
seeking to move forward with their lives, we have fallen short. To those
adversely affected, and to the American public, I apologize. We are identifying
and correcting the shortcomings.</P>
<P>Each military service already has a program to track and support its wounded,
and the department has a Military Severely Injured Center where military
families may call, and through which we coordinate our efforts with other
agencies. These programs will be strengthened. </P>
<P>We are likewise working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to make
improvements toward the seamless transition to which everyone aspires.</P>
<P>Those injured who leave service and seek assistance from federal agencies
often are frustrated. Not surprising — disability payments, for example, are
provided through three different programs, driven by different statutory
frameworks. Perhaps that should be reconsidered. In the meantime, the Defense
Department has published a guide book for families to use in navigating this
labyrinth, and we are adding case workers to help them. </P>
<P>The president and the secretary of Defense appointed review groups to
establish facts and chart the course ahead. As we work to run current programs
well, the independent reviews will help shape future programs to ensure we
support servicemembers in the manner the American people
expect.</P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>