Walter Reed general loses his command

[Bernadette]

AP


WASHINGTON - The Army said Thursday that the two-star general in charge of Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been relieved of command following disclosures about inadequate treatment of wounded soldiers.

The firing of Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, who was commanding general of the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command as well as Walter Reed hospital, was announced by Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey.

In a brief announcement, the Army said service leaders had "lost trust and confidence" in Weightman's leadership abilities "to address needed solutions for soldier outpatient care." He had headed Walter Reed since Aug. 25, 2006.

The Army and the Defense Department launched a series of investigations after The Washington Post published a series of stories last week that documented problems in soldiers' housing and in the medical bureaucracy at Walter Reed, which has been called the Army's premier caregiver for soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After a visit to the hospital compound last Friday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said those found to have been responsible for the problems at Walter Reed would be "held accountable."

On Thursday he issued a brief statement endorsing Harvey's action.

"The care and welfare of our wounded men and women in uniform demand the highest standard of excellence and commitment that we can muster as a government," Gates said. "When this standard is not met, I will insist on swift and direct corrective action and, where appropriate, accountability up the chain of command."

It was not clear whether Gates insisted on Weightman's firing. A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Gates was "actively involved" in the firing decision.

A Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, said before Weightman's firing was announced that an outside review panel created by Gates was holding its first meeting Friday at the Pentagon. Headed by two former Army secretaries, Togo West and Jack Marsh, the panel is to review treatment and administrative processes at Walter Reed and at the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md. Gates has instructed the group to report its findings publicly within 45 days.

Being relieved of command means Weightman is almost certain to have lost his future in the Army.

A native of Vermont, he graduated from West Point in 1973 and got his medical degree from the University of Vermont. He later served as the surgeon for the 82nd Airborne Division, including during Desert Storm.

He has held a number of medical commands, including service as a leading surgeon during the initial stages of the Iraq war.

Weightman's duties at Walter Reed will be assumed temporarily by Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, the commander of U.S. Medical Command, until a permanent replacement is found, Harvey said.

"The Army is moving quickly to address issues regarding outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center," the announcement said.

Last week the Army took disciplinary action against several lower-level soldiers at Walter Reed, but officials have declined to publicly confirm any details of those actions.

The problems at Walter Reed pertain not to the quality of medical treatment for wounded soldiers but rather to the level of care for those who are well enough to be outpatients, living in Army housing at Walter Reed. One building was singled out in the Post reports as suffering from ill-repair, including mold on interior walls.

The Army also has acknowledged problems with the system it uses to evaluate wounded soldiers in determining whether they are well enough to return to active duty.

At a breakfast meeting with reporters Thursday, in which he refused to discuss any aspect of the Walter Reed investigations, Harvey said the Army also was reviewing conditions at its medical centers elsewhere in the country. He would not be more specific.







This photo provided by the Pentagon shows Army Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, commander of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, speaking to the crowd during the NASCAR visit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington on Sept. 21, 2006. the Army said Thursday, March 1, 2007, that the two-star general in charge of Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been relieved of command following disclosures about inadequate treatment of wounded soldiers.

[SuperScout]

From what has been reported, the relief of this incompetent is probably about two years too late, but could serve as a warning to other military medical facilities' commanders. The word, hopefully will get out, that these tax-payer funded facilities are to be operated as a public trust (public in so far as our Warriors are concerned), and not as some pre-retirement parking place.

It is still sad and disturbing that a senior officer would allow his command to fall into such disrepair and disrepute. I strongly suspect that the deteriorating condition of WRMC hs been an ongoing disaster for some time, and only because someone decided to demonstrate some personal integrity, the story breaks onto the national scene. I predicted that some high-level heads would roll, and there may be more on the chopping block.

[revwardoc]

Sounds like a step in the right direction. He may be a good surgeon, I don't know, but he certainly isn't a good leader.

[Packo]

There is an old saying in the medical field. NEVER EVER LET DOCTORS RUN HOSPITALS. That's why you have Medical SERVICE Officers and enlisted.

Our Naval hospital hasn't been worth a shit since the MSC CAPT left and our last 3 CO's have been.....Doctors. They do NOT make good administrators. All they usually give a shit about is other Doctors.

Glad to see him go. Still wondering if he ever requested help from above and was denied due to funding and being BRAC'ed.

Pack

[Gimpy]

about damn time!

GOOD RIDDANCE!

[SuperScout]

Actually, the poor schmuck has only been in command less than a year, but he's still responsible for what happends while he's there. As I've written elsewhere, the problems with WRMC appear to by systemic, so just cutting off the head now is not goint to cue the snake's problem. And then irony of all ironies, the man appointed to replace Weightman is the same general who commanded the joint before! More head shots needed.

[Boats]

Whether it was his fault or not - take care of our kids for you will be walking the streets. Such a shameful issue I heard much more on the news and was appalled by the things that were going on. Good ridden's