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View Full Version : Army Surgeon General Forced to Retire


BMT (RIP)
03-12-2007, 11:29
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WALTER_REED?SITE=NCFAY&SECTION=HOME


BMT

Warrior-Mentor
03-12-2007, 13:23
If you saw his testimony (e.g. "I don't do barracks inspections..."), you know why.

Karl.Masters
03-12-2007, 13:46
If you saw his testimony (e.g. "I don't do barracks inspections..."), you know why.

Roger that. Statement of charges for those green tabs he was sporting in the hearings....

Jack Moroney (RIP)
03-12-2007, 14:23
This is too easy. He needs to be given the opportunity to fix this with the incentive of retiring after it is done and the grade he leaves service with commensurate with the outcome of his efforts. No one should be allowed to exit like this leaving crap for someone else to clean up. He needs to be given his orders, the resources he says he needs, a suitable time limit, and whatever supervision is required. The SOB was promoted persumable because he had the potential to serve at that grade, now make him perform and then send him on his way.

Warrior-Mentor
03-12-2007, 14:27
This is too easy. He needs to be given the opportunity to fix this with the incentive of retiring after it is done and the grade he leaves service with commensurate with the outcome of his efforts. No one should be allowed to exit like this leaving crap for someone else to clean up. He needs to be given his orders, the resources he says he needs, a suitable time limit, and whatever supervision is required. The SOB was promoted persumable because he had the potential to serve at that grade, now make him perform and then send him on his way.

He had the time while he was the Walter Reed Commander, a mere 6 mnths ago IIRC.

Jack Moroney (RIP)
03-12-2007, 14:30
He had the time while he was the Walter Reed Commander, a mere 6 mnths ago IIRC.

Fine, that was his rehearsal, now he can get it right or leave as the military in grade to be determined, but sure as hell not as a flag officer.

SouthernDZ
03-12-2007, 14:36
Recieved by email at work:

ADDRESSEES PASS TO ALL SUBORDINATE COMMANDS

1. WHEN I WAS NOMINATED TO TAKE THIS POST JUST OVER THREE MONTHS AGO, I SAID THAT THE PATRIOTS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE IN OUR ARMED SERVICES HAVE NO EQUAL IN THE WORLD. I MADE A SOLEMN COMMITMENT TO THE CONGRESS, TO THE NATION, AND TO YOU TO KEEP THE WELFARE OF MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM UPPERMOST IN MY MIND AT ALL TIMES.

2. LIKE MOST AMERICANS I WAS DISMAYED TO HEAR REPORTS ABOUT SUBSTANDARD OUTPATIENT CARE AND FACILITIES AT THE WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER. WHEN YOU JOIN THE MILITARY, YOU BECOME PART OF A FAMILY, AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ANY MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY TO BE TREATED THIS WAY.

3. PRESIDENT BUSH HAS SINCE APPOINTED A BI-PARTISAN PANEL THE COMMISSION ON CARE FOR AMERICA S RETURNING WOUNDED WARRIORS THAT WILL COMPREHENSIVELY REVIEW THE TREATMENT OUR GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING RECOVERING SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN. THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW GROUP I ESTABLISHED WILL TAKE A BROAD LOOK AT ALL OF OUR REHABILITATIVE CARE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES AT WALTER REED AND AT THE NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER IN BETHESDA. THE LATTER EFFORT HAS A VERY SHORT DEADLINE NEXT MONTH TO MAKE SURE WE IDENTIFY ANY ADDITIONAL FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM AND FIX THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

4. THIS DEPARTMENT, HOWEVER, WILL NOT WAIT FOR REPORTS BY OUTSIDE PANELS BEFORE TAKING ACTION ON PROBLEMS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT RIGHT NOW. TO THAT END, THE UNDER SECRETARY OF THE ARMY PETE GEREN BRIEFED ME TODAY ON THE ARMY S ACTION PLAN TO DEAL WITH WALTER REED OUTPATIENT CARE. I EXPECT TO RECEIVE PROGRESS REPORTS EVERY TWO WEEKS.

5. IN ADDITION, UNDER SECRETARY FOR PERSONNEL AND READINESS DR. DAVID CHU AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS DR. WILLIAM WINKENWERDER WILL UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE, DEPARTMENT-WIDE REVIEW OF MILITARY MEDICAL CARE PROGRAMS, FACILITIES, AND PROCEDURES. I HAVE TOLD THE SENIOR MILITARY AND CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP OF THIS DEPARTMENT THAT MONEY WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE. AFTER THE WAR ITSELF, WE HAVE NO HIGHER PRIORITY THAN CARING PROPERLY FOR OUR WOUNDED.

6. WE EMPOWER LEADERS WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY, AUTHORITY, AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THEIR MISSION. WITH THAT RESPONSIBILITY COMES ACCOUNTABILITY. AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ISSUES, LET ME BE CLEAR: ANY INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF RANK OFFICER OR ENLISTED, MILITARY OR CIVILIAN WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHEN SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN ARE NOT TREATED AS THEY SHOULD BE.

7. YOU DESERVE NO LESS, AS DO YOUR FAMILIES WHO ALSO SERVE. IT IS THE FAMILY THAT TAKES ON EXTRA DUTIES AT HOME WHILE SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN ARE AWAY. THE FAMILY ALSO SUFFERS WHEN THEIR LOVED ONE IS INJURED IN BATTLE. AND IT IS THE FAMILY WHO IS THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AS THEIR WOUNDED SOLDIER, SAILOR, AIRMAN OR MARINE UNDERTAKES WHAT CAN BE LONG AND PAINFUL RECOVERY.

8. THE INJURED TROOPS AT WALTER REED AND IN OTHER MILITARY HOSPITALS HAVE PAID A HIGH PRICE FOR PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR AMERICA. LIKE YOU, THEY VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE KNOWING FULL WELL THE RISKS AND DANGERS INVOLVED. THEY DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND GRATITUDE AND THE VERY BEST THAT OUR GREAT COUNTRY CAN PROVIDE. WE OWE THIS TO THEM, AND WE MUST DELIVER. I AM TOTALLY COMMITTED TO DOING SO.

9. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.

ROBERT M. GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.

The Reaper
03-12-2007, 14:51
Wonder if any of this will trickle into the VA system, who has to care for the wounded once they are medically separated?

TR

SouthernDZ
03-12-2007, 15:09
This is too easy. He needs to be given the opportunity to fix this with the incentive of retiring after it is done and the grade he leaves service with commensurate with the outcome of his efforts. No one should be allowed to exit like this leaving crap for someone else to clean up. He needs to be given his orders, the resources he says he needs, a suitable time limit, and whatever supervision is required. The SOB was promoted persumable because he had the potential to serve at that grade, now make him perform and then send him on his way.

Unfortunately Colonel, without naming names, LTG Kiley placed a civilian in charge of almost every aspect of the running of AMEDD and MEDCOM almost two years ago. He abdicated full authority to this SOB. This civilian was an O6 who didn't make GO, retired and returned as an SES at the OTSG. Much of what has transpired here lies right at his doorstep.

LTG Kiley's retirement is long overdue, but it's only a first step. Unfortunately, everything I just wrote is common knowledge at Command level, but no one stood up to say the Emperor has no clothes.

AxeMan
03-12-2007, 15:41
Let me start this by saying that I have never been to Walter Reed. With that being said, it is pretty obvious that the problems being highlighted in the past weeks have been problems for many years. If the Army is going to relieve the entire chain of command, they should start looking into past chain of commands and/ or individuals who have dropped the ball at Walter Reed. These people are still out there in leadership positions, likely doing the same crappy job where they are assigned now.

I’m always amazed at the “Zero Defect” standards that QP’s are held to, yet the S-1 can loose your award or your finance paperwork for 6-months and nothing ever happens to him/ her.

…….MDW

Jack Moroney (RIP)
03-12-2007, 19:33
[QUOTE=SouthernDZ] He abdicated full authority to this SOB. /QUOTE]

That might be, however he could not delegate responsibility. Perhaps it is time to look into why the Medical Command folks have a whole different promotion and personnel system. If you are supposed to be a commander/leader and hold rank at those various levels. perhaps you need to learn how to be a soldier first, be held to the same standards and career performance requirements as every other branch in the combat/combat support/combat service support arms and stop thinking that all officers at each particular grade are equal to every other officer at that grade. There seems to be a severe disconnect here in my eyes.

SouthernDZ
03-13-2007, 12:53
There seems to be a severe disconnect here in my eyes.

There is; while you were gaining leadership experience at platoon, company, battalion (ODA, ODB, Bn) positions, your medical counterpart was not. Unfortunately, often the sum total of preparation for command for physicians was the pre-command course.

I think combat arms officers replacing medical corps officers is a good thing; unfortunately, rumor has it that combat arms soldiers may be a little busy right now.