Hospital Investigates Former Aid Chief:Walter Reed Official

[cal04]

Walter Reed Official Had Own Charity

For the past three years, Michael J. Wagner directed the Army's largest effort to help the most vulnerable soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. His office in Room 3E01 of the world-renowned hospital was supposed to match big-hearted donors with thousands of wounded soldiers who could not afford to feed their children, pay mortgages, buy plane tickets or put up visiting families in nearby hotels.

But while he was being paid to provide this vital service to patients, outpatients and their relations, Wagner was also seeking funders and soliciting donations for his own new charity, based in Texas, according to documents and interviews with current and former staff members. Some families also said Wagner treated them callously and made it hard for them to receive assistance.

Last week, Walter Reed launched a criminal investigation of Wagner after The Washington Post sought a response to his activities while he ran the Army's Medical Family Assistance Center, a position he left several weeks ago. Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, the commander at Walter Reed, said the probe by the Criminal Investigation Command (CID) "reflects the seriousness with which we take these allegations."

Weightman's legal adviser, Col. Samuel Smith, said that "it would clearly be a conflict of interest" prohibited by federal law, Army regulations and Defense Department ethics rules if Wagner used his position to solicit funds for his own organization.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/19/AR2007021901113.html

[Solly Mack]

1. now why am I not surprised?

[Erika]

2. Another sign of how republicans "care" about our vets

They, like W, worship the $ sign. Money trumps all.

[babylonsister]

3. One big ole hornet's nest seems to have been stirred up.

Good. Expose all the decay, and I'm sure there's tons of it.

[w8liftinglady]

4. yeah...and hold these bastards responsible

[salin]

5. Have to wonder how much he gains, financially, from this "charity"

How GOPish - preside over budget cuts while resources are stretched more than thread bear... while soliciting $$ that self-enrich.

[SharonAnn]

7. He'll get paid and probably other family members will, too.

[salin]

11. It is the bushco way

babs gives money to a school district foundation which is explicitly meant to be spent buying son Neil's ed. software - from a company babs has a financial interset it... yep, I would suspect the self-dealin spreads to the family.

[Monkeyman]

6. hmm no wonder the Commander is fixing thing up

This Story might just give us the outrage needed

[lazer47]

8. Where is the moral outrage??

When does the Congress and Senate actually show some moral outrage and begin to show some integrity.

[bleever]

10. Welcome to DU, lazer47.

Good question to ask your Senators and congressperson.

[Monkeyman]

12. Welcome to the DU

You have found the outrage.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi lazer47!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[lazer47]

17. Thank you, glad to be here

[Me.]

9. Well This Is Worrisome On More Than One Level

After the request made last Nov. (?) to send items the service men need I've been sending. Now I wonder if they're even getting them. That room, 3E01, is where the request asked people to send their donations.

[Monkeyman]

13. A good start to check here is a email

[e-mail] ask to have it checked out

[Me.]

14. Done

Thank you

[sandnsea]

15. Fourteen families a day????

These motherfuckers couldn't manage to get donated assistance to a measly 14 families a day??? Our local social services have to help more than 14 families a day.

"According to Walter Reed, an average of 14 families a day seek assistance from the center. While it is difficult to quantify the value of donations, the center received $4,500 worth of phone cards in 2006 and handled $1.9 million worth of donated plane tickets. Weightman said the center's staff was recently increased from five to nine employees, with two people assigned to keeping track of the donations, and training has been improved."

[KoKo]

18. What were they doing with all this aid? Was it going elsewhere?

in someones pocket...sold on blackmarket.