At a news conference at the Pentagon, Lt. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, the Army surgeon general, described one passage in the article — which referred to the units as “warehouses of despair” for many soldiers — as “among the most offensive to us.”
But General Schoomaker and the other officers did not dispute any of the facts in the article.
“I don’t see them as necessarily crafting fiction,” General Schoomaker said, referring to The Times. “But I do believe that it’s wholly unrepresentative of the totality and the context of what we’ve done for warrior care.”
1 comment:
Warrior Transition Units, although originally a political construct as an overreaction to criticism of the Walter Reed barracks mold "scandal," has turned into a hand-holding organization for sick and injured soldiers, few of whom are suffering from battle wounds, and many of which have never even made it *to* the combat theaters.
When first set up, the "wounded warriors" were often just that -- soldiers who had been wounded in the combat theaters and needed extended rehabilitation. They couldn't remain assigned to their home units, since that would keep a slot filled and the unit would be short that person. The Warrior Transition barracks were outfitted with big-screen TVs, free cable, video game machines, and the patients were given cell phones so they could be contacted to ensure they made their appointments. They also receive free transportation, even to the downtown Wal-Mart.
I believe we should do all we can for soldiers who have been wounded in combat zones, but I'm against doing all that for someone who blew out his knee playing volleyball.
Post a Comment