March 5 - Pet Peeve Monday - Walter Reed Hospital

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY is about the state of Veteran’s Hospitals like Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It’s NOT about the perceived scandal that was “uncovered” by the Washington Post. My PET PEEVE is about the indignant response that Washington’s politicos have exuded. These headline grabbers feign moral outrage when they hear about the dysfunctional nature in which we treat our veterans for the “first” time. (Again, I need a sarcasm font).

Read the below passage:

“A group of doctors in a veteran's hospital must contend with their hopeless situation: too many patients and not enough beds. The main cause of their problems is bureaucratic belt-tightening by the hospital administrators. The doctors are determined to give the best service they can, even if that means defying the orders of management and performing unauthorized operations. "

Is it?

A. The lead story from USA Today last week
B. A book summary by Michael Crichton
C. An episode of ER, Grey’s Anatomy or House
D. The plot of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn ‘s book The Cancer Ward

The correct answer is NONE of the above. It is the PLOT SUMMARY from the 1992 movie, Article 99. It starred Ray Liotta, Keifer Sunderland, and recent Academy Award winner Forrest Whitaker.

My point and PEEVE are this. The deplorable treatment of our country’s heroes and veterans has been in existence since at least the Revolutionary War.

Revolutionary War soldiers lost their farms in order to pay back taxes that were imposed while they were serving their new country. This led to the "Shays' Rebellion," led by Massachusetts’ veteran, Capt. Daniel Shay President James Monroe did not settle the claims of Revolutionary War veterans until 1817.

Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. is the world's premier provider of orthotic and prosthetic services and products. They got their start during the Civil War, when 18-year-old James Edward Hanger, the second amputee of the Civil War was unhappy with his Government Issue leg. James Hanger decided to make his own prosthesis, and started a business in the prosthetic business in Richmond, VA, before the Civil War ended, serving both Yankee and Rebel soldiers.

World War I servicemen were discharged with $60 severances. Ultimately, World War I veterans collected about $700 in bonus money, but only after they marched on Washington and were routed by troops under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Ron Kovic, detailed in his book and subsequent movie about the travesties afforded to Vietnam War veterans in “Born on the Fourth of July.”

It would BE news if our government did that right thing. How about treating every soldier injury with the respect and care commensurate with the sacrifices that soldier has given to this nation.

The travesty is that this story will only last a few more news cycles until Britney leaves rehab, Angelina Jolie adopts another baby, or until another American Idol is exposed.