Walter Reed: America’s Disgrace
Even if the war being fought by America’s soldiers is highly unpopular on the homefront, the soldiers at the end of the day are still human beings. They were once children like those who have never fought. When they remove their uniforms, they are once again civilians. They may not be perfect but they are still human like other Americans.
They found a career in protecting their nation and being the first to take up arms, even when their country’s administation has its collective head in the sand ignoring the cold hard facts.
They are no different than anyone else at the day’s end. They still have families and bills to pay. They just want to earn a living like the rest of the American public.
The soldiers in all branches of the US armed forces are glorified in recruitment drives; their achievements are paraded before the media and the world. The army is shown doing good, and the men and women who serve as the heart and soul are shown in uniform, standing proud.
And shall they fall in battle, their casket, loyally draped with Old Glory is whisked off the plane for a funeral befitting of a soldier who has fallen in battle
But, behind the stars and strips lies a darker side. Until recently, it went undocumented, slipping beneath the infinite rada of the media.
There are those who come home injured and maimed in battle.
They are stuck in the loop of limbo, where they are unable to fight, but not yet in a casket.
They are in military medical centres, which have suffered numerous cutbacks over the years.
They are treated in less than stellar conditions and the facilities are mediocre at best.
In here, tales of neglect exist and to those on the outside seem unrealistic because America is supposed to be a beacon of life, liberty and freedom.
A facility that is supposed to treat and release soldiers, they are left in the care of under-staffed and under-funded system.
Walter Reed was supposed to help restore America’s soldiers, but instead is rife with scandals and other less than pleasant conditions that have forced administrators to resign and for Democrats to call for an internal investigation of the facilities. But all the testimony and investigations would not quell the fact that funding for veterans has been suffered substantial cutbacks in the seven years that Bush and the Republicans have held free reign in office, and even with the Democrats in power, very little will change.
Until something gives, veterans at America’s various medical centres will be the ones who pay the price for political follies, shortcomings and cutbacks.
The Other Side of Walter Reed – The background story and indepth analysis of the scandal.
Walter Reed – a veteran’s blog and account of life there.
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