Bob Woodruff's recovery images
 

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/popup?id=2...ontent=&page=1

Not too graphic but it does show the extent of his originial injuries and the slow recovery after several surgeries.

I think he is one lucky guy, sadly many injured soldiers have not faired as well.

Bob is a consumate reporter, and - IMHO - now one of ABC's greatest assets. His experience will provide a unique perspective to a nation struggling to come to grips with the experience of divisive and malingering war.

I haven't had the opportunity to see him back in action on the air. Clearly, his appearance is much the same as it was prior to the injuries. How is his neurological status - his speech and movement?

From what the Washington post and Reuters are reporting he got much better treatment than most of the wounded GIs. :(

Sad but true. You just can't compare Bob's healthcare provided by a major network to that the grunts get from the VA. Some military wives and parents are having to quit their jobs to provide physical therapy and other post hospitalcare for the wounded that the VA doesn't (or can't) provide.

It's hard to believe, but the VA as a whole, seems to be even worse now than it was in the 60's when..........well, 'nuff said.:smashfrea

I just finished TBI Hell by Geo Gosling. It tells the tale of his traumatic brain injury. I don't know how many TBI's are coming home but I know the VA isn't up to it.

That is a major understatement. Even Rumsfeld's wife (brought in discretely by other volunteers) discovered how bad things were in Walter Reed - and could not get Rumsfeld to solve it. Once the stories about the contempt for soldier in Walter Reed were leaked, even volunteers were suddenly attacked by the Walter Reed bureaucracy.

The story about Woodruff is not the story. The real story is what was peripheral - the contempt for soldiers even in Walter Reed Hospital.

How much contempt have we for our troops? Interesting last night was the NC governor on Charlie Rose. 5,000 National Guard from NC being deployed ... without any radios. So the Governor took state money to buy them 50 radios.

Well what happened to Woodruff also demonstrates another fact. American troops even since 2003 have been attacked 1500 to 3000 times .... per day. So the Cheney administration had this number classified as a secret. Woodruff is only typical of what comes back from Iraq every day. Mission Accomplished. We even put those soldiers in Walter Reed where patients are told where their room is and were left to find that building - then that room - on their own.

One Congressman and his wife stopped going to Walter Reed about a year ago. A soldier was found lying in his bed in his own urine. Even the Congressman was stalemated to get assistance for wounded American soldiers. But clearly Saddam was the greater threat.

BTW, deja vue Vietnam. Woodruff's and other's wounds - not the extraorindary care Woodruff got - is the real story.

The story was from 2004 which would be about 3 years ago.


"In 2004, Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.) and his wife stopped visiting the wounded at Walter Reed out of frustration. Young said he voiced concerns to commanders over troubling incidents he witnessed but was rebuffed or ignored. "When Bev or I would bring problems to the attention of authorities of Walter Reed, we were made to feel very uncomfortable," said Young, who began visiting the wounded recuperating at other facilities.

Beverly Young said she complained to Kiley several times. She once visited a soldier who was lying in urine on his mattress pad in the hospital. When a nurse ignored her, Young said, "I went flying down to Kevin Kiley's office again, and got nowhere. He has skirted this stuff for five years and blamed everyone else.""

And if true and she let this go for 3 years she is partly culpable.

here is the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...022801954.html

It is worse than you think.

Back in February when all those stories of contempt for the American soldier were published, top management then began taking revenge on volunteers and other who were suspected of blowing the whistle. Not only would a soldier lie in his own urine. Those who tried to change things even 3 years ago where instead attacked as the enemy. But then this is the kind of government that would also lie about Saddam's WMDs, define an axis of evil, and ... well where was the scumbag president when he knew a category five hurricane was bearing down on New Orleans? He flew to CA for a campaign fund raiser.

Contempt for the American soldier? That was obvious years ago when he was declaring "Mission Accomplished".

It was almost impossible for little people to affect change. Too many Americans so hated this country as to instead believe crap from Rush Limbaugh. Therefore attacking whistle blowers even in 2004 was situation normal for George Jr's dictatorship. Yes it is that much worse. Walter Reed is only how much of the iceberg? How much deeper does the contempt lie?

Well it must be your opinion that this is all Bush's fault. That is a simplistic view at the minimum. The problems have gone back a long way.

:corn:

Stop being so greedy and hand me some of that popcorn. It's just getting good. :D

Kevin Kiley court-marshall, it just sounds good. Keep repeating it everywhere you go.

I have met him and I think he is generally (no pun intended) an asshole.