Action vowed over Walter Reed conditions

Published 7:42 am Tuesday, March 6, 2007

They want more than a bandage.

Lawmakers promised a quick response and sought an independent commission as they expressed outrage Sunday over the poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

‘‘I’m worried about if it’s this bad at the outpatient facilities at Walter Reed, how is it in the rest of the country? Because Walter Reed is our crown jewel,’’ said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

Sgt. 1st Class Grayson “Norris” Galatas of Meridian has almost been a permanent fixture at Walter Reed since an Improvised Explosive Device exploded near his vehicle April 19, 2005, while he was on duty in Iraq with the 150th Combat Engineer Battalion.

Galatas had several surgeries at Walter Reed and he said he has been pleased with the level of medical care he received as a patient there. But, he said, he has heard stories from other wounded soldiers about the bad conditions of the barracks.

“I’ve always had a room at the Malone House, which is nice, but I have heard others say Building 18 is pretty bad,” he said.

Galatas said he complained once to a commander about what he perceived to be ill treatment he received from a nurse after one of his surgeries. According to Galatas, the nurse gave him rough treatment after one of his surgeries and he and his wife, Janis, complained to the assistant commander. He said the nurse apologized.

Galatas said he isn’t sure why the conditions at the hospital’s barracks are so bad, but he thinks the hospital’s administration may be focusing more time on joining Walter Reed with the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., than on making sure complaints and day-to-day operations are taken care of.

“I think they were under-prepared and didn’t react quickly enough to do the right thing,” he said.

Galatas said he is waiting on a meeting with the Medical Review Board to find out if he will return to duty or will receive a medical retirement. He said he would like to return to duty.

In a letter Sunday to Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday, Schumer asked for an independent commission, possibly headed by former Secretary of State Colin Powell, to investigate all post-combat medical facilities and recommend changes.

‘‘To think that men and women are serving their country in the most honorable and courageous way possible and all we give them is a dilapidated, rat-infested, run-down building to recover is a disgrace,’’ Schumer wrote. ‘‘My fear is that Walter Reed is just the tip of the iceberg, and merely highlights the pervasive and systemic mistreatment of our service members.’’

Meanwhile, President Bush last week ordered a comprehensive review of conditions at the nation’s network of military and veteran hospitals. They have been overwhelmed by injured troops from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The White House said the president would name a bipartisan commission to assess whether the problems at Walter Reed exist at other facilities. Last week, Gates created an outside panel to review the situation at Walter Reed and the other major military hospital in the Washington area, the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md.