Heads Roll Around Walter Reed Story

Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, announces that a few senior heads have rolled as the Walter Reed story about the poor treatment of wounded warriors continues. The most senior head to date to hit the floor has been that of US Army Secretary Francis Harvey.

Most Americans were shocked and dismayed by the story written last week by reporters for the Washington Post. As a Vietnam War veteran I was not too surprised as I and other veterans have known for years that American as a nation, not in the current environment Americans as a people, treat veterans, wounded or not, as “discarded shell casings” as one veteran recently put it.

President Bush is hoping that early vigorous action by Robert Gates will limit the political fallout for his White House. Hopefully, it will not. Veterans groups and concerned volunteer workers at Walter Reed as well as more than a few Congressmen have been aware of the sorry conditions at Walter Reed for years.

The President has made a number of “photo opp” visits to Walter Reed to pass out Purple Hearts and to thank the wounded warriors for their sacrifices. Yes, they have made sacrifices, so that the elite of America can continue to live in extreme comfort with their fortunes often made on the back of ongoing wars in distance lands.

They manage to avoid personal nasty situations like fighting in wars or heaven forbid having their sons and daughters fight in wars. For the elite, your congressmen, their extended families, the wealthy, and other elected officials, wars are for profits and career advancement, not for making sacrifices.

As Vice President Dick Cheney said when asked about his failure to join the service during the Vietnam era “I had other priorities”. Most of the elite families in America do.

Pity we don’t have the tradition that our friends in Britain have. In that country leaders and their families are expected to do their duty and to serve in the armed forces. Witness, Prince William and Prince Harry, the Princes of Wales, second and third in line to the British Throne, who are currently serving as officers in the British Army. Prince Harry has been assigned to serve in Iraq later this year. Prince William is almost certainly to follow with combat service.

Hip, Hip, Hurray for Prince William and Prince Harry. Their priorities are correct for men destined to be important members of British society and the leadership structure for many years to come. Their experience as officers in the military will better prepare them for the challenges of leadership that lie ahead. The traditions of duty, service, and honor are alive and well in Great Britain.

Now George W. Bush, a chicken hawk who lacks military combat experience, expects Americans to believe that he just didn’t know. That a few “bad apples” are responsible for the mistreatment of American’s wounded in combat fighting his reckless war. He dares to make a disclaimer statement at a time when his budget calls for further reductions in the level of funding for the Veterans Adminstration which is expected to provide long term care for veterans.

The truth has to be that they all knew or should have known. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield ( thankfully now put to pasture), Rice, your Senators and Representatives. It just wasn’t in their priorities to have the poor conditions at Walter Reed rectified. They have been too busy making speeches about how much they appreciate all the sacrifices that the veterans and their families make while making few if any sacrifices of their own.

Until the Washington Post story. Now they are falling all over themselves to find scapegoats to cover up their own indifference.

Thank God America still has a largely free press. The right to a free press must be defended. The Walter Reed story is the perfect example as to why a free press is so important. The present White House gang would have it be otherwise.

Be on guard Americans. If you don’t demand that your rights be protected who will? Your current President or Congressmen? I wouldn’t bet on it.

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