Mr. Secretary Gates,
It is not commendable to make Weightman the fall guy for all the inadequacies that have existed in our military hospitals for decades. Walter Reed Hospital is actually a step higher than most of the Veterans Affairs medical centers which are all grossly under funded and under staffed. Mr. Gates what you said March 1st is very commendable about the care and welfare of our veterans demands the highest standard of excellence and commitment that we can muster as a government. What we always needed as veterans is quality health care, respect from a knowledgeable health care provider, and the chance to resume a comfortable life as a productive member of the society for which we offered to give up our own life to serve and protect. The only solution to this problem is for at least four billion in EMERGENCY funding be immediately allocated to the Veterans Affairs medical centers. Will you help us Mr. Gates?
As an older veteran who has been trying to help our young kids/veterans long before this Walter Reed atrocity became public, I have noticed an important fact that has yet to be touched upon. A large majority of soon to be physicians that are working at Veteran's Affairs medical centers have been imported from other countries where they only had two years or so of medical schooling, followed by a two year intern program to become a doctor in their country. By practicing, and doing research on us veterans for a very low salary, they are rewarded in three or four years with a green card and a license to practice medicine in the United States. All of these soon to be professionals are very nice people, most with a family, and are grateful for the chances they are receiving. But as most intelligent medical personnel, when their time is done, they leave the VA hospital for a better paying position. I wonder if the term contracting out, is just a nicer way of saying the same thing. Either way, no existing problems in the VA medical facilities can be corrected without proper funding for patients and staff.
No one has to look back any further than February 9, 2007 to find someone to be held accountable for all the present problems in this system. Just read the press release from former house Vets Chair Steve Buyer, as he praises VA Secretary Jim Nicholson for a great VA budget and goes on to say; "this budget will allow them (veterans) to receive the care they need and lead full lives." Steve Buyer is already out, but please take note, whose arse did his outright lie cover? I just watched the 6:30 news last evening (March 7th) and guess who is now in charge of cutting his own red tape at the VA medical faculties? Jim Nicholson is now in charge. What is wrong with this picture?