Reply #33: Walter Reed Medical Center to be Closed [View All]

[Not_Giving_Up]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050825/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/base_closings;_ylt=AuqYVBlzrFL4DMXitwEN._Ks0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

WASHINGTON - A federal commission voted Thursday to close Walter Reed Army Medical Center — the crown jewel of U.S. military hospitals — as part of the Pentagon's sweeping proposal to restructure bases across the country.

Located in the heart of the nation's capital, the century-old hospital has treated presidents and foreign leaders as well as veterans and soldiers, including those returning from the Iraq war.

Most of its work would be relocated to a more modern, expanded hospital in Bethesda, Md., to be renamed Walter Reed in a nod to the old facility's heritage.

The nine-member panel also was expected to start debating the Air Force's plans, arguably the most contentious of the group, as it steamrolled through hundreds of Pentagon proposals at a brisk pace after four months of study and preparation. Commissioners said it was unclear how many Air Force proposals they would consider Thursday, but they expected to finish by Friday.