Rep. Schmidt on Walter Reed

Via email:

Like all Americans, I was sickened to read about the deplorable living conditions that our injured soldiers were reported to have been subjected to at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center , located here in Washington , DC . This week I took several hours and traveled to the Hospital complex to see the situation first hand.



Our returning troops, who have sacrificed so much for us, deserve our gratitude, respect, and the very best healthcare available. That is what makes this situation so alarming.



The Washington Post's two-part expose detailed a story of neglect and dilapidated living conditions, including mold, rodents, and faulty plumbing.



The Army responded swiftly to the reports with the new Secretary of Defense, Secretary Gates, removing Walter Reed's commanding officer and accepting the resignation of the Secretary of the Army. Several others were also dismissed or re-assigned.



The President responded by naming a bipartisan Commission on Care for America 's Returning Wounded Warriors, headed by former Senator Bob Dole and former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. The seven person commission, including two veterans injured in Iraq , a wife of a wounded solder, and other experts on veterans affairs and military healthcare, will conduct a comprehensive review of the care America is providing our wounded servicemen and women returning from the battlefield.



I decided to visit the Walter Reed Army Medical Center so I could take a look at the facility firsthand, and learn what is being done to address the situation. I toured all four outpatient housing facilities, and was pleasantly surprised to find that three of the buildings contained clean living spaces, updated television and computer access, and full access to cooking units or cafeterias.



I also toured Building 18, which is the focus of the Washington Post's story. This building, which stood empty for years and is slated for demolition, was put back into use for housing purposes due to the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan . While I believe that this building is beneath the standard of what is acceptable, I think it is wrong to suggest that mold found behind an air conditioner somehow is an excuse to say that all of our veterans are receiving substandard medical care. It is important to remember that the building in question is an apartment building, not a medical facility. Further the building was scheduled to be torn down within two years.



There is no question that Building 18 should have been upgraded or not in use at all. Postponing Building 18's demolition and allowing its use for living quarters was a poor management decision, and the decision makers should be - and have been -- punished.

Needless to say, Building 18 is now empty, and will be demolished.



While I found the situation at Walter Reed to be overblown by both politicians and the media, I hope that future accounts will bring more light to the real issues. We need to do more to make sure that our veterans get the level of healthcare they desperately need. Which is why, in the supplemental bill the House will debate next week, there is $3.5 billion in new funding to improve the veteran healthcare system.



In light of recent events, several people have asked me about Cincinnati Veterans' Medical Center , which I have had the opportunity to visit on several occasions. I have toured this facility's operating rooms and living spaces, and visited with patients there over the years. In my experience, I have found this fine institution to provide quality care and outstanding service to our veterans.



Few issues are as important to me as those concerning our troops. That is why I went to Iraq last year to talk to our troops, and it's what led me to Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital this week to tour the facility. It's also why I support increasing funding by $3.5 billion for our veterans healthcare to ensure that they will receive the quality care that they so richly deserve.