I received the following missive through an Army doctor interested in what goes on at Walter Reed.
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 10:43 AM
Subject: FROM THE CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS WRAMC
I have had enough and am going to give my perspective on the news about
Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Please understand that I am speaking
for myself and I am responsible for my thoughts alone. The news media
and politicians are making it sound like Walter Reed is a terrible place
and the staff here has been abusing our brave wounded soldiers; what a
bunch of bull!
I am completing my 24th year of service in the Army next month so you
decide for yourself if I have the experience to write about this topic.
I have been the senior clinical chaplain at Walter Reed for
four years and will leave to go back to the infantry this summer. I
supervise the chaplain staff inside Walter Reed that cares for the 200
inpatients, the 650+ daily outpatients from the war who come to us for
medical care, the 4000+ staff, and over 3000 soldiers and their families
that come for clinical appointments daily.
Walter Reed has cared for over 5500 wounded from the war. I cannot count
the number of sick and non-battle injured that have come through over
that timeframe. The staff at this facility has done an incredible job at
the largest US military medical center with the worst injured of the
war. We have cared for over 400 amputees and their families. I am
privileged to serve the wounded, their families, and our staff.
When the news about building 18 broke I was on leave. I was in shock
when the news broke. We in the chaplains office in Walter Reed, as well
as the majority of people at Walter Reed, did not know anyone was in
building 18. I didn't even know we had a building 18. How can that
happen? Walter Reed is over 100 acres of 66 buildings on two
installations. Building 18 is not on the installation of Walter Reed and
was believed to be closed years ago by our department.
The fact that some leaders in the medical brigade that is in charge of
the outpatients put soldiers in there is terrible. That is why the
company commander, first sergeant, and a group of platoon leaders and
platoon sergeants were relieved immediately. They failed their soldiers
and the Army. The commanding general was later relieved (more about
this) and his sergeant major has been told to move on--if he gets to.
The brigade sergeant major was relieved and more relief's are sure to
come and need to.
As any leader knows, if you do not take care of soldiers, lie, and then
try to cover it up, you are not worthy of the commission you hold and
should be sent packing. I have no issue, and am actually proud, that
they did relieve the leaders they found who knew of the terrible
conditions some of our outpatients were enduring. The media is making it
sound like these conditions are rampant at Walter Reed and nothing could
be further from the truth. We need improvements and will now get them. I
hate it that it took this to make it happen.
The Army and the media made MG Weightman, our CG, out to be the problem
and fired him. This was a great injustice. He was only here for six
months, is responsible for military medical care in the 20 Northeast
states, wears four "hats" of responsibilities, and relies on his
subordinate leaders to know what is happening in their areas of
responsibilities. He has a colonel that runs the hospital (my hospital
commander), a colonel that runs the medical brigade (where the
outpatient wounded are assigned and supposedly cared for), and a colonel
that is responsible to run the garrison and installation.
What people don't know is that he was making many changes as he became
aware of them and had requested money to fix other places on the
installation. The Army did not come through until four months after he
asked for the money, remember that he was here only six months, which
was only days before they relieved him. His leaders responsible for
outpatient care did not tell him about conditions in building 18. He has
been an incredible leader who really cares about the wounded, their
families, and our staff. I cannot say the same about a former commander,
who was my first commander here at Walter Reed, and definitely knew
about many problems and is in the position to fix them and he did not.
MG Weightman also should not be held responsible for the military's
unjust and inefficient medical board system and the problems in the VA
system.
We
lost a great leader and passionate man who showed he had the guts to
make changes and was doing so when he was made the scapegoat for others.
What I am furious about is that the media is making it sound like all of
Walter Reed is like building 18. Nothing could be further from the
truth. No system is perfect but the medical staff provides great care in
this hospital. What needs to be addressed, and finally will, is the
bureaucratic garbage that all soldiers are put through going into
medical boards and medical retirements. Congress is finally giving the
money that people have asked for at Walter Reed for years to fix places
on the installations and address shortcomings. What they don't want you
to know is Congress caused many problems by the BRAC process saying they
were closing Walter Reed.
We cannot keep nor attract all the quality people we need at Walter Reed
when they know this place will close in several years and they are not
promised a job at the new hospital. Then they did this thing call A76
where they fired many of the workers here for a company of contractors,
IAP, to get a contract to provide care outside the hospital proper. The
company, which is responsible for maintenance, only hired half the
number of people as there were originally assigned to maintenance areas
to save money.
Walter
Reed leadership fought the A76 and BRAC process for years, but lost.
Congress instituted the BRAC and A76 process; not the leadership of
Walter Reed.
What I wish everyone would also hear is that for every horror story we
are now hearing about in the media that truly needs to be addressed, you
are not hearing about the hundreds of other wounded and injured soldiers
who tell a story of great care they received. You are not hearing about
the incredibly high morale of our troops and the fact that most of them
want to go back, be with their teammates, and finish the job properly.
You should be very proud of the wounded troopers we have at Walter Reed.
They make me so proud to be in the Army and I will fight to get their
story out.
I want you to hear the whole story because our wounded, their families,
our Army, and the nation need to know that many in the media and select
politicians have an agenda. Forget agendas and make the changes that
have been needed for years to fix problems in every military hospital
and the VA system. The poor leaders will be identified and sent packing
and good riddance to them. I wish the same could be said for the
politicians and media personalities who are also responsible but now
want it to look like they are very concerned. Where have they been for
the last four years?
I am
ashamed of what they all did and the pain it has caused many to think
that everyone is like that.
Please know that you are not hearing the whole story. Please know that
there are thousands of dedicated soldiers and civilian medical staff
caring for your soldiers and their families. When I leave here I will
end up deploying.
When soldiers in my division have to go to Walter Reed from the
battlefield, I know they will get great medical care. I pray that you
know the same thing.
God bless all our troops and their families wherever they may be.
God bless you all,
+Chaplain John L. Kallerson
Senior Chaplain Clinician
Walter Reed Army Medical Center |
