Video: Angry Gates announces Army Secretary’s resignation over Walter Reed
posted at 6:12 pm on March 2, 2007 by Allahpundit
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It’s a slow burn, but still a burn.
That makes two heads that have rolled in as many days over the scandal, an unusually quick response for an administration famous for retaining and even rewarding its most inept members. Danger Room wonders if this proves that Gates has less tolerance for incompetence than his predecessor. Maybe, although if WaPo broke a story as politically radioactive as wounded troops being neglected during Rummy’s term, I doubt he’d have been slow to move either.
Note the reporters asking at the end whether Harvey jumped or was pushed. Gates doesn’t answer, but the AP does:
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Harvey had resigned. But senior defense officials speaking on condition of anonymity said Gates had asked Harvey to leave. Gates was displeased that Harvey, after firing Maj. Gen. George Weightman as the head of Walter Reed, chose to name as Weightman’s temporary replacement another general whose role in the controversy was still in question.
That general is Kevin Kiley, who figured prominently in yesterday’s post. Gates named a permanent replacement for Weightman this afternoon, so Kiley’s interim term is already over. I’m surprised he hasn’t been replaced yet as Army surgeon general.
Henry Waxman’s already served one subpoena, with more sure to come. Can’t blame him a bit.
Update: Like I said, more sure to come.
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I like this Gates fella. This is the kind of Leadership the DOD needs. It’s a shame he can’t do that to the VA leadership.
After spending time in a third world country and getting severely wounded, the soldiers do not deserve to come home to third world living conditions while being healed.
That jerk in charge of the VA needs to be the next to go. Since he assumed command, the VA is fast reverting to what is was when I returned from Vietnam.
Helloyawl on March 2, 2007 at 6:43 PM
He’s a strong guy, Gates. The kind of military leadership we need, especially now.
amerpundit on March 2, 2007 at 6:50 PM
I was skeptical about Gates at first (an Aggie for heavens sake :D ) but I am super-impressed with this.
RushBaby on March 2, 2007 at 6:58 PM
As bad as the Reed imbroglio has been (and continues to be), has anyone asked about Clinton’s involvement? How much money did Slick and his cronies take out of that budget? Not that that makes it right now, but still one wonders. Surely, the MSM won’t mention it.
jaleach on March 2, 2007 at 7:00 PM
I’m not ready to join the lynch mob just yet. There is going to be a lot of finger pointing, and the words ‘budget’, and ‘appropriations’ will be thrown around.
When we hang somebody in the village square, I want it to be the right guy.
Never forget that the news media loves to sensationalize these kind of stories.
rockhauler on March 2, 2007 at 7:04 PM
RushBaby on March 2, 2007 at 7:09 PM
botched my quote tag, sorry, time to go home.
RushBaby on March 2, 2007 at 7:10 PM
Good point. But six years have passed… more than enough time to clean some mold and do some repairs. I am personally sickened by the situation. We can’t, as conscientious Americans, claim to support these men and women and not be outraged by this.
I hope Gates continues to clean house, literally and figuratively. My dad and brother are both Aggies. I give Gates extra points for that. RushBaby, Aggies are people too.
SailorDave on March 2, 2007 at 7:14 PM
Washington, being Washington, this was not entirely unexpected. However, most people will never get beyond the headlines to see that the building at issue is a billetting facility. Most people who read this will assume that the care the soldiers get at Walter Reed is substandard. Absolutely not true. The health care our troops are getting is so good that the survival of wounds rate, a measure of trauma care, is orders of magnitude better than in any previous conflict. Our medics are doing a superb job.
That said, a thorough investigation should show that there are policy and cutural reasons why this building was not as well maintained as it might have been. I can speak as one who spent most of my adult life in the military. Budgets are created by sending your requirements up to Washington, and then distributing what the President asks for and the Congress appropriates. There is never enough money to do all the things that you are required to do. Each service decides if “A” is more important than “B.” Over the years, and spanning multiple administrations and Congresses, the military medical system has done the best it can with the resources it is given. MG Weightman just happened to be the guy holding the stick when it blew up.
The tragedy, in my mind, is this is going to be the scandal du jour. As soon as all the politicians get their soundbite showing “they support the trooops,” it will return to business as usual. I am willing to bet real money that unless they send in a wrecking ball to destroy Building 18, in 10 years it will be in exactly the same state it is today.
Spurlee on March 2, 2007 at 7:22 PM
It is my understanding that this protion of the hospital had been closed until a couple of years ago when it was again reopened to accomdate the number of patients. No excuses.
To me the bigger question is did any of the soldiers who passed through there compalin prior to the last 6 months? If they did what became of these complaints? I am so mad I am seeing red over this because it is active duty doing this. Before most of the incidents that caused embarrsement was from Reserve and National Guard soldiers so to anybody with a little bit of knowledge of the inner workings of the military it was not that big of a surprise.
But while we are having all of firings and investigations somebody damn well better be making it right.
LakeRuins on March 2, 2007 at 7:23 PM
You would lose. Walter Reed is on the base closure list.
LakeRuins on March 2, 2007 at 7:24 PM
You obviously don’t have any experience with the BRAC process…
Spurlee on March 2, 2007 at 7:31 PM
Vouchers for veterans. Privatize medical care for veterans. Let them choose their own medical care.
spmat on March 2, 2007 at 7:40 PM
No offense intended, fellow Texan! My son is an Aggie. My family’s full of Aggies AND Longhorns and good natured ribbing is just reflexive.
RushBaby on March 2, 2007 at 7:47 PM
Well written and right on the mark.
The only thing to add is something President Bush has had to deal with since day one (1):
Bureaucratic resistance….
PinkyBigglesworth on March 2, 2007 at 9:57 PM
I accompanied my dad (He is retired active duty of 20+ years, a Vietnam Veteran [67-68] in addition a REAL Purple Heart recipient from that tour) as he was med-evac’d (via the Air Force)to Walter Reed the first weekend in Feb this year. Not only was I impressed with the care despite the hectic activity of constant missions (of soldiers coming in and out) but I was proud to see the medical staff caring for its own.
If my dad could speak right now (he is on a ventilator because of a weak diaphragm, but fully alert and equally aware of the story) he would tell the soliders to suck it up and tell the civilian media to back off. It reeks of a political ploy to even bring up the conditions (being reported)as the entire operation of Walter Reed.
Although the conditions should be handled, this does not warrant resignations. We are quickly becoming a society that does not know how to handle inconvinience and make mountains out of molehills because “we” feel “offended.”
The pace of activity is fast at Walter Reed. If you haven’t been there, picture Grand Central Station in NYC. However, the commitment,from the medical staff and those in charge, to our soldiers is ever present. Given the current circumstance, I say shame on anyone who says otherwise!
geckomon on March 2, 2007 at 10:02 PM
Some information on this suggests the soldiers expected a Holiday Inn and got some flop house, as if that is the only complaint. I suspect the living conditions were only part of the problem.
Other information suggests some mind-numbing red tape that had to be waded through for either getting care, or getting things related to their care done.
I bet a combination of a number of things resulted in this mess, yet the mold and other “living conditions” are what gets the press. It’s hard to describe going through a bureaucratic nightmare, but mold is something anyone can understand.
When I was getting ready to deploy for the first Gulf War, every single individual I encountered was helpful and encouraging in seeing the mission got done and soldiers were deployed.
When I returned, it was kind of shocking to see the attitude of some, bordering on resentment. Luckily this was only from a few.
91Veteran on March 2, 2007 at 11:41 PM
I forgot to mention the President is focusing on this in his weekly radio address, and appointing a commission to look at military AND VA hospitals nationwide.
91Veteran on March 2, 2007 at 11:46 PM
What are the odds of social programs being cut and placed into the VA system?
*holding breath, turning blue*
SouthernGent on March 3, 2007 at 12:03 AM
That’s usually lost during managment changes; corporations, The Senate, etc.
- The Cat
MirCat on March 3, 2007 at 12:36 AM
That is also my inclination, but all I have to go on is what I’ve read in the news, and on blogs, and that puts my bullcrap detector in full alarm mode.
So I’ll vote with your father; (and good luck to you, both.)
rockhauler on March 3, 2007 at 1:11 AM
“Most people who read this will assume that the care the soldiers get at Walter Reed is substandard. Absolutely not true.”
That is not the point nor (I agree) is it true.
The point is that people in authority were not doing their job, and the failure to do that job impacted upon the welfare of some of our wounded soldiers and marines.
I’ll repeat what I said yesterday: If senior officers in the chain of command KNEW about these substandard conditions and did not either blow the whistle nor work to correct them, then I believe that courts martial would be in order.
As Doctors they swore an oath to do no harm. As officers in the United States Army they took an oath, too, but more importantly, they undertook an obligation of honor to treat their subordinates with honor and integrity.
georgej on March 3, 2007 at 3:09 AM
Ya know, I’m really getting tired of seeing the name Haliburton linked to all the real or percieved foul ups in this administration.
Jeeze, I hate the way everything is politicized!!! If somebody needs to hang, then lets get it done and get our troops the care they deserve!
csdeven on March 3, 2007 at 3:23 AM
If the demorats have their way, we will all be in one big VA-run system of healthcare. I know Walter Reed is an Army hospital, but the bueracracy is the same.
gary on March 3, 2007 at 9:23 AM
Lots of great comments here….
Georgej, I agree that someone wasn’t doing their job because the conditions should never had been allowed to deteriorate to that level. I own an older home, and have to do constant upkeep on it or it would fall into dis-repair real fast. The part of this I wonder about is did the military people in charge mis-use the funds they had for upkeep, or were they not given the funds and told by their higher ups to do the best they can? Congress has to appropiate the funds after the president requests them. With Walter Reed on the base closure list, it wouldn’t surprise me if that was the case. In that case, the suggestions of scape-goating gets some real traction in my mind.
Dang skippy! We have the hogs at the trough leeches of our society who do nothing for the country as a whole getting a free ride, yet our heroes who have sacrificed the most are treated like second class citizens in many areas. It is to our troops credit, AND many of our contributors here, that take the attitude of bucking up. That attitude is why they are heroes, but they don’t do it for that reason. Thanks for the great comment!
Thanks for the comments you guys, you’ve given me a new and better perspective on this.
csdeven on March 3, 2007 at 10:06 AM
Jury O still out on gates. I don’t see him as a great guy just yet. If they intend to close Walter Reed like they said it needed to, they need to just do it.
Highrise on March 4, 2007 at 2:12 AM
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