Army Officer: Long-Term Morale a Concern

[babylonsister]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VETERANS_CARE?SITE=NDBIS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Army Officer: Long-Term Morale a Concern

By HOPE YEN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army's new acting surgeon general said Tuesday she is concerned about long-term morale because the military lacks money to hire enough nurses and mental health specialists to treat thousands of troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

"When the original plans were made, we did not take into consideration we could be in a long war," said Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock. She became surgeon general earlier this month after Kevin Kiley was forced to resign in a scandal over poor treatment of war-wounded at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"We have not been able to do the hiring," Pollock told a House Armed Services subcommittee.

She testified at the first of two congressional hearings Tuesday on veterans care during which lawmakers expressed impatience with the Bush administration's efforts. They said years of communication gaps between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have yet to be fixed.

Testimony from officials from the two departments highlighted the difficulties that lie ahead for the Bush administration in fixing problems following reports of shoddy outpatient treatment and bureaucratic delays at Walter Reed, one of the Army's premier facilities for treating the injured.

Since the disclosures last month, three high-level Pentagon officials have been forced to step down. Some Democrats also have questioned whether VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, a former Republican National Committee chairman, is up to the job of revitalizing the veterans care system.

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[MikeNearMcChord]

1. I think morale is gone.

I think we are at the stage of disgruntlement. I bet no high ranking Pentagon officals will want to go near the troops, in Iraq without Blackwater security soon.

[babylonsister]

2. I agree, especially after hearing Michael Ware on CNN yesterday;

Baghdad is a hellhole, despite what McCain is saying to the contrary. Doesn't sound like that 'surge' is working...at all.