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The sky may be the limit but with the reduced reimbursement rates which hit stand alone diagnostic imaging facilities they may find the sky falling instead.
And as usual the SEC does nothing
BUYINS.NET Issues SqueezeTrigger Price of $0.39 on NewMarket Technology, Inc. (NMKT); Approximately 49.2 million Shares Shorted Since May 2005
NewMarket to Announce Record Revenue and Net Income for 2006 Soon
DALLAS, TX- Apr 9, 2007 -- NewMarket Technology, Inc. (OTC BB:NMKT.OB - News) announced today that BUYINS.NET, www.buyins.net, is reiterating coverage of NewMarket Technology after releasing the latest short sale data to April 2007. From May 2005 to April 2007 approximately 638.8 million total aggregate shares of NMKT have traded for a total dollar value of nearly $248.9 million. The total aggregate number of shares shorted in this time period is approximately 49.2 million shares. The NMKT SqueezeTrigger price of $0.39 is the volume weighted average short price of all short selling in NMKT. A short squeeze began when shares of NMKT closed above $0.39. As the price of NMKT rises, more short positions become losing positions for short sellers.
NewMarket Technology pre-announced 2006 annual revenue of over $74 million, beating the company's forecast of $70 million with a record net income of more than $4 million in 2006: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070330/20070330005184.html?.v=1. The company will be filing its annual report in the next few days.
To access SqueezeTrigger Prices ahead of potential short squeezes beginning, visit http://www.buyins.net.
Month Total Vol. Short Vol. Avg. Price Short $ Value
May '05 13,820,360 1,064,168 $0.44 $465,573
June 21,706,228 1,671,380 $0.51 $852,404
July 12,175,556 937,518 $0.47 $439,508
August 14,465,750 1,113,863 $0.41 $460,805
September 10,378,287 799,128 $0.39 $308,623
October 17,501,124 1,347,587 $0.39 $525,828
November 14,281,293 1,099,660 $0.40 $437,115
December 17,641,624 1,358,405 $0.34 $455,066
January '06 29,716,456 2,288,167 $0.30 $691,713
February 26,109,716 2,010,448 $0.32 $652,390
March 56,683,868 4,364,658 $0.37 $1,597,465
April 113,698,480 8,754,783 $0.49 $4,310,855
May 46,940,064 3,614,385 $0.44 $1,586,354
June 18,222,716 1,403,149 $0.36 $509,343
July 12,281,880 945,705 $0.33 $313,501
August 19,484,390 1,500,298 $0.31 $468,393
September 11,855,308 912,859 $0.29 $266,372
October 28,657,552 2,206,632 $0.30 $659,783
November 28,375,034 2,184,878 $0.29 $639,732
December 31,158,482 2,399,203 $0.33 $785,739
January '07 36,984,876 2,847,835 $0.37 $1,060,249
February 20,245,952 1,558,938 $0.35 $549,993
March 31,774,220 2,446,615 $0.40 $969,349
April 4,653,251 358,300 $0.43 $155,323
Total: 638,812,467 49,188,560 $0.39 $19,161,477
*short volume is approximated using a proprietary algorithm.
**average short price is calculated using a volume weighted average short price.
***short volume is the total short trade volume and does not account for covers.
Who Was:
1. President of the largest steel company?
2. President of the largest gas company? > >
3. President of the New York Stock Exchange?
4. Greatest wheat speculator?
5. President of the Bank of International Settlement?
6. Great Bear of Wall Street?
These men were considered some of the worlds most successful of their days.
Now, 80 years later, the history book asks us if we know what ultimately became of them?
The Answers:
1. The president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper.
2. The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane.
3. The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home.
4. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless.
5. The president of the Bank of International Settlement, shot himself.
6. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, also committed suicide.
However: in that same year, 1923, the PGA Champion and the winner of the most important golf tournament, the US Open, was Gene Sarazen.
What became of him?
He played golf until he was 92, died in 1999 at the age of 95. He was financially secure at the time of his death.
The Moral: Screw work. Play golf. Or go sailing!!!!!
ImClone Systems (IMCL) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) said Apr. 4 that their cancer drug Erbitux can improve the odds of survival in patients on chemotherapy whose head and neck cancers have spread. Investors bid up ImClone's stock nearly 5% to $42.49 on the Nasdaq, while Bristol-Myers Squibb, which is responsible for most of Erbitux's development and marketing costs, rose 0.9% to $27.78.
The development is the latest hopeful sign for the tens of thousands of Americans destined to be diagnosed this year with cancers in areas that range from the thyroid to the tongue. The American Cancer Society estimated that more than 12,900 Americans will die this year from head and neck cancer, which most often strikes people older than 50 who have used a lot of tobacco or alcohol during their lives.
"When Erbitux was approved for head and neck cancer, it was not only hailed as the first new treatment for the disease in 45 years, but it was also the first drug approved to show a survival benefit in this population. Just one year later, this study adds to the growing body of clinical evidence with Erbitux in these patients," said Martin Birkhofer, M.D., vice president of Oncology Global Medical Affairs at Bristol-Myers Squibb in a statement Apr. 4.
So far, Erbitux has Food and Drug Administration approval for use in patients whose head and neck cancer has spread to other parts of the body, but only if earlier chemotherapy treatment hasn't worked. ImClone and Bristol-Myers Squibb said Apr. 4 that a study of 400 such patients showed that survival rates go up if you combine Erbitux with platinum-based chemotherapy as a first treatment.
The FDA had famously rejected ImClone's initial application for Erbitux, one of the first of a new generation of targeted cancer drugs, back in December, 2001, saying the clinical trial didn't meet standards and the patient data was sloppy. Erbitux finally won approval for the treatment of colon cancer in February, 2004, based on another clinical trial run by Merck KgGA of Germany (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/9/05, "Erbitux: ImClone Makes Headway"). Then, on Mar. 1, 2006, the FDA approved Erbitux in combination with radiation therapy to treat head and neck cancer.
ImClone, which is responsible for manufacturing Erbitux, has steadily improved its profits since then. It earned net income of around $371 million during 2006, compared to only $86 million in 2005, according to Standard & Poor's Equity Research. (S&P, like BusinessWeek.com, is owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies.)
Noting that the recent study suggests Erbitux could be used as a treatment for more head and neck cancer patients within the next 12 to 18 months, Rodman & Renshaw analyst Michael King raised his estimate for ImClone's earnings per share in 2008 to $1.84 from $1.73 and a target price on the stock to $48 from $44.
S&P equity analyst Steven Silver also hiked his 2008 EPS estimate for ImClone to $1.61 from $1.45 and target price on the stock to $42 from $39. But Silver kept a hold opinion on the stock, and raised a note of caution. "While we see momentum for IMCL in head and neck, colorectal and pancreatic cancers, we remain cautious about intense competition in each area," Silver warned.
ImClone's stock has surged 50% in the past month, while its rival Amgen (AGM) has suffered setbacks in recent weeks developing its own cancer drugs. In January, for example, the Thousand Oaks, (Calif.) biotechnology company said patients who received its colon cancer drug Vectibix, while using a chemotherapy treatment with Avastin, didn't show much response -- and in some cases, people had more diarrhea, dehydration and infection.
It remains to be seen how ImClone fares in its efforts to develop the best new drugs. In the meantime, cancer patients might benefit.
Isn;t it a shame that the SEC is caving in to pressure from their Wall Street associates. The rule as it now stands reduces the enormous profits the street reaps by failing to deliver.
Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas ..
1. Beaumont to El Paso : 742 miles
2. Beaumont to Chicago : 770 miles
3. El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas
4. World's first rodeo was in Pecos , July 4, 1883.
5. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water.
6. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the
first full-time coach for Rice University in Houston .
7. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America .
8. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America's only remaining flock of whooping cranes.
9. Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978.
10. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900 caused by a hurricane in which over 8000 lives were lost on Galveston Island .
11. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was " Houston ."
12. King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island.
13. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a US rainfall record of 43" in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July 1979.
14. Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, (known as Constitution of 1845 by Republic of Texas to enter the union) instead of
by annexation. This allows the Texas flag to fly at the same height as the US flag, and may divide into 4 States. We're also the only state that can
legally secede from the rest of em.
15. A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old.
16. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
17. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period after Dr in Dr Pepper.
18. Texas has had six capital cities:
18.1. Washington-on-the-Brazos
18.2. Harrisburg
18.3. Galveston
18.4. Velasco
18.5. West Columbia
18.6. Austin
19. The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. (by 7 feet).
20. The name Texas! comes f rom the Hasini Indian word "tejas" meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas .
21. The State animal is the Armadillo. (An interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies! They have one egg, which
splits into four, and they either have four males or four females. Well, I thought it was interesting anyway!)
22. The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston .
23. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - TEXAS STYLE People here in Texas have trouble with all those "shalls" and "shall nots" in the ten Commandments. Folks here just aren't used to talking in those terms. So, some folks out in west Texas got together and translated the "King James" into "King Ranch"
language:
Ten Commandments, Cowboy Style.
Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie, Texas .
(1) Just one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.
(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(7) No killin'.
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff
Now that's kinda plain an' simple don't ya think?
Y'all have a good Day. Ye hear now.
"THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON YOU"
And my other three favorite Texas Saysing: "Keep Austin Weird" and "Don't Mess with Texas" and "Everything is bigger in Texas."
Subject: Lipstick in School
According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington was recently faced with a unique problem. A number of 12 year old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally, the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night (you can just imagine the yawns from the little princesses).
To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then there have been no lip prints on the mirror.
There are teachers.... and then there are educators.
Neal Page played a major role in designing and producing the VCST product line. IOn his new company he continued on this same track and I believe he is becoming a very serious competitor . Have you looked at his web site yet???
Did you notice that in Damadians recent letter to shareholders he claimed that FONR personnel attended a lecture course on use of MRI for breast exams?? Only problem is that he lied again. The course actually took place in 2001. I wish I could find the list of attendees-I'd send it to the SEC.
GE?? As an example a company named KRONOS (KNOS.OB) Hired a GE VP and in three years he has almost destroyed the company. Just as in any situation it is the individal merit and not the company name that is the important factor.
One day God was looking down at earth and saw all of the rascally behavior that was going on. So He called one of His angels to go to earth for a time. When he returned, he told God, "Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not." > God thought for a moment and said, "Maybe I had better send down another angel to get a second opinion." So God called another angel and sent him to earth for a time, too. When the angel returned he went to God and said, "Yes, it's true. The earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good." God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5 % who were good, because He wanted to encourage them, give them a little something to help them keep > going. Do you know what the e-mail said? No? Okay, just checking with you. I didn't get one either
Subject: Texas history
Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas ..
1. Beaumont to El Paso : 742 miles
2. Beaumont to Chicago : 770 miles
3. El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas
4. World's first rodeo was in Pecos , July 4, 1883.
5. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water.
6. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the
first full-time coach for Rice University in Houston .
7. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America .
8. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America's only remaining flock of whooping cranes.
9. Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978.
10. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900 caused by a hurricane in which over 8000 lives were lost on Galveston Island .
11. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was " Houston ."
12. King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island.
13. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a US rainfall record of 43" in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July 1979.
14. Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, (known as Constitution of 1845 by Republic of Texas to enter the union) instead of
by annexation. This allows the Texas flag to fly at the same height as the US flag, and may divide into 4 States. We're also the only state that can
legally secede from the rest of em.
15. A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old.
16. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
17. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period after Dr in Dr Pepper.
18. Texas has had six capital cities:
18.1. Washington-on-the-Brazos
18.2. Harrisburg
18.3. Galveston
18.4. Velasco
18.5. West Columbia
18.6. Austin
19. The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. (by 7 feet).
20. The name Texas! comes f rom the Hasini Indian word "tejas" meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas .
21. The State animal is the Armadillo. (An interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies! They have one egg, which
splits into four, and they either have four males or four females. Well, I thought it was interesting anyway!)
22. The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston .
23. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - TEXAS STYLE People here in Texas have trouble with all those "shalls" and "shall nots" in the ten Commandments. Folks here just aren't used to talking in those terms. So, some folks out in west Texas got together and translated the "King James" into "King Ranch"
language:
Ten Commandments, Cowboy Style.
Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie, Texas .
(1) Just one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.
(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(7) No killin'.
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff
Now that's kinda plain an' simple don't ya think?
Y'all have a good Day. Ye hear now.
"THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON YOU"
And my other three favorite Texas Saysing: "Keep Austin Weird" and "Don't Mess with Texas" and "Everything is bigger in Texas."
Three men were hiking through a forest when they came upon a large, raging violent river. Needing to get on the other side, the first man prayed, "God, please give me the strength to cross the river."
Poof? God gave him big arms and strong legs and he was able to swim across in about 2 hours, having almost drowned twice.
After witnessing that, the second man prayed, "God, please give me strength and the tools to cross the river."
Poof! God gave him a rowboat and strong arms and strong legs and he was able to row across in about an hour after almost capsizing once.
Seeing what happened to the first two men, the third man prayed, "God, please give me the strength, the tools and the intelligence to cross
this river."
Poof! He was turned into a woman. She checked the map, hiked one hundred yards up stream and walked across the bridge.
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An old cowboy
sat down at the Starbucks and ordered a cup of coffee. As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him. She turned to the cowboy and asked, " Are you a real cowboy?" He replied, "Well, I've spent my whole life breaking colts, working cows, going to rodeos, fixing fences, pulling calves, bailing hay, doctoring calves, cleaning my barn, fixing flats, working on tractors, and feeding my dogs, so I guess I am a cowboy."
She said, "I'm a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about women. When I shower, I think about women. When I watch TV, I think about women. I even think about women when I eat. It seems that everything makes me think of women." The two sat sipping in silence.
A little while later, a man sat down on the other side of the old cowboy and asked, "Are you a real cowboy?"
He replied, "I always thought I was, but I just found out that I'm a lesbian."
************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at
Fornar has established a unique record. Every machine they have sold,delivered and installed has increased their losses.
If you are a shareholder I hope you are aware of the upcoming 1/25 reverse stock split.
What is Politics?
Whether Democrat or Republican, I think you'll get a kick out of this!
A little boy goes to his dad and asks, "What is Politics?"
Dad says, "Well son, let me try to explain it this way:
I am the head of the family, so call me The President.
Your mother is the administrator of the money, so we call her the Government.
We are here to take care of your needs, so we will call you the People.
The nanny, we will consider her the Working Class.
And your baby brother, we will call him the Future.
Now think about that and see if it makes sense."
So the little boy goes off to bed thinking about what Dad has said.
Later that night, he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him.
He finds that the baby has severely soiled his diaper.
So the little boy goes to his parent's room and finds his mother asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he goes tothe nanny's room. Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the nanny. He gives up and goes back to bed.
The next morning, the little boy say's to his father, "Dad, I think I understand the concept of politics now."
The father says, "Good, son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about."
The little boy replies, "The President is screwing the Working Class while the Government is sound asleep. The People are being ignored and the Future is in deep SHIT
where is it. I donj't see it anywhere?????
Read the proxy statement. The split parameters are clearly defined therein.
Inlet Technologies Appoints Neil Selvin as Chief Operating Officer
Advanced Encoding Solutions Provider Builds on Recent Momentum
Raleigh, NC, March 26, 2007 - Inlet Technologies, the leader in advanced encoding solutions, has appointed Neil Selvin as its first chief operating officer (COO). In this role, Selvin will oversee Inlet’s outbound business activities, with responsibility for Inlet’s sales, business development and marketing organizations.
Selvin’s appointment builds upon Inlet’s recent product and sales momentum, and augments the highly respected management team the company has assembled to date. Selvin’s skills in strategic marketing and operational execution complement chief executive officer and founder Neal Page’s industry knowledge and vision.
"Neil’s extensive management skills, energy, insights and successful track record are a welcome addition to our team," said Page. "His proven abilities will enhance Inlet’s leadership in the new media market, with a flair that will help to drive the company to a new level of growth and industry leadership. Look to see some creative marketing initiatives presented by Inlet in the next several months under Neil’s direction."
With more than 25 years of experience in high technology, Selvin most recently served as a strategic marketing consultant for small technology businesses. Prior to his consultancy, he served as executive vice president of products and marketing for Approva, a leader in continuous controls monitoring software. During his two-decade tenure in Silicon Valley, Neil was president and chief executive officer of several public and private companies, including Pivia, OneWorld Systems and Global Village Communication. At Global Village, Neil led an explosive corporate growth, including a successful IPO in 1994. He also was director of marketing for portable computing for Apple Computer. Neil holds B.A. and M.S. degrees in physics from Pomona College and Brown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
About Inlet Technologies
Inlet Technologies is the leading provider of advanced encoding solutions, enabling new media for new networks. Inlet solutions produce the highest quality video, faster and more efficiently than any other solution. Inlet allows content creators, programmers and distributors to increase production efficiency, reduce costs and deliver superior quality video over any Internet Protocol (IP) network. Inlet’s award-winning products – the Fathom® and Spinnaker™ encoder families and Semaphore™ automated quality control software – scale seamlessly from mobile to web to high-definition. Inlet solutions are ideal for applications such as Video-on-Demand, Web-based video, real-time, professional streaming and digital archiving and dailies. Inlet customers, such as Modern Video, Akimbo and Microsoft Studios, are able to expand their audiences and create new revenue from their valuable content. For more information, visit www.inlethd.com.
Inlet Tech was founded by Neal Page-the former head of VCST Raleigh,N.C. operations
One For Ripley
True story reported in Florida Newspaper...
"When Nathan Radlich's house was burgled, thieves left
his TV, his VCR, and even left his watch. What they did
take was "generic white cardboard box filled with greyish
-white powder." (That at least is the way the police
described it.) A spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale police
said "that it looked similar to cocaine and they'd probably
thought they'd hit the big time."
Then Nathan stood in front of the TV cameras and
pleaded with the burglars: "Please return the cremated
remains of my sister, Gertrude. She died three years ago."
Well, the next morning, the bullet-riddled corpse of a
drug dealer known as Hoochie Pevens was found on
Nathan's doorstep. The cardboard box was there too;
about half of Gertrud e's as hes remained. And there was
this note. It said: "Hoochie sold us the bogus blow, so
we wasted Hoochie. Sorry we snorted your sister.
No hard feelings. Have a nice day."
If you had purchased $1,000.00 of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00.
With Enron, you would have had $16.50 left of the original $1,000.00.
With WorldCom, you would have had less than $5.00 left.
If you had purchased $1000 of Delta Air Lines stock you would have $49.00 left
But, if you had purchased $1,000.00 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling REFUND, You would have had $214.00.
Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.
It's called the 401-Keg Plan.
This May Change Your Opinion Of Your Professional Military
Ladies & Gentlemen:
I received this from a fellow officer last week but we couldn't verify the attribution. Consequently, I held up on it.
I have since been able to confirm that it is as written. The author is who he says he is and this is his work. As a Lieutenant Colonel, prior to going to the War College and then on to the assigment which he writes about, he commanded a battalion of the 18th Infantry Regiment in the 1st Infantry Division, my old unit.
The original can be found on a Website originally started by the late Colonel David Hackworth, one of the most decorated soldiers in the post-WW II period, a published author, and talking head on the Networks prior to his death. The site is Soldiers for the Truth Foundation.
What surprises me about the essay is not what Colonel Stouder says, but that no one tried to block it from getting out. I had heard, from retired friends whose judgment I respect, much of what he writes about. My friends were pessimistic even before the President made his famous carrier landing.
Don't get rattled by all the acronyms - no soldier can write without using them, it's an ineradicable flaw we all must endure.
Sam
RICHARD L. STOUDER
Director Technology Development and Deployment
National Security Directorate
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
I was assigned to US Central Command in 1992 after graduating from the National War College. For my first year I was assigned as the lead for the OPLAN that was the redux of Desert Shield - Desert Storm. The culmination of that first year was Gen Hoar and I briefing the OPLAN for approval to the SecDef. In the room were Dick Cheney, the CJCS, Colin Powell, and the one of Cheney's Undersecs, Paul Wolfowitz. This was the first rewritten OPLAN since the first Gulf War. I think it is illustrative and a portent of things to come when the major sticking point was a discussion of the number > of Army and Marine forces and the number of USAF fighter squadrons. The person who was arguing for more Air Force and less ground forces was Wolfowitz.
I then became the Chief of War Plans Division and began work on the next generation of War Plans. As we were trying to figure out how to execute the requirements in the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (JSCAP), the bi-annual document where CINCs are tasked for war planning, we encounter a problem. As George H.W. Bush and Cheney were carrying out the "Peace Dividend" they started an aggressive program to downsize the Armed Forces. As you remember we dramatically cut the size of the military during this timeframe. This reduction of the military was at odds with the tasks to the CINCs in the JSCAP; there were not enough forces to meet the taskings to CINCCENT
(SWA MRC) and CINCPAC (Korea MRC). We in CENTCOM were the genesis of the Two MRC strategy when we got Gen Hoar to assign unacceptable risk to our OPLAN when war in SWA followed war in Korea . The major point here is Bush the first and Cheney as the SecDef began the cutting of our military to the point where we could not execute the taskings of the JSCAP.
In the 1994 planning cycle we hit an immediate hurdle. The JSCAP directs CINCS to use the National Intelligence Estimate as the basis for the threat assessment that is building block for the respective OPLANs. I got very involved in this and had many meetings with the CIA (responsible for the NIEs) and DIA. For any who have seen inside the NIE process you are quickly disabused of the idea that NIEs are pure intelligence. The NIE process is fraught with politics. It is supposed to be a consensus document, that is, intelligence assessment by committee. This NIE had serious fundamental flaws and we got the new CINC, Gen Peay to non-concur and to request the CJCS allow CENTCOM to use the CENTCOM intelligence assessment as the basis for planning vice the NIE; this was unprecedented. After a year of debate we finally won. This is also illustrative of things to come.
It was in the planning for this OPLAN where we began to have serious internal CENTCOM debate on Phase V, post conflict. The discussions included most every issue that has now come to light in the current war. Fundamental to our assessment was the complex society that was Iraq. Saddam Hussein was the glue that held Iraq together. If we remove Saddam there was a great chance that Iraq would come apart at the seams. Combine that with the fact that we were charged by the JSCAP to defeat Saddam while 1) maintaining as a nation-state, and 2) insuring Iraq remained a counter-balance to Iran and
3) had the capability for self defense. This required some new thinking about how we approached post conflict operations. This was to be the first OPLAN that seriously addressed this complex phase of the operation, for we had no doubt we could win "the war," but we had to insure we had a plan "to win the peace." This OPLAN was eventually approved by the then SecDef, William Perry.
The 1996 planning cycle then provided more detail to post conflict operations. We had another huge debate with OSD regarding the number of ground forces vice the number of air forces. We conducted detailed modeling and simulation to defend our force ratios. One of the other important aspects of our justification for ground forces was post conflict operations. There was tremendous pressure from OSD that mirrored the Air Staff view that precision weapons delivered by air would win the war and we could cut ground forces significantly. In the end, SecDef Cohen approved the OPLAN.
I spent two years in another assignment and in 1998 I was assigned as the G3, Third US Army/ARCENT working for then LTG Tommy Franks. CINCCENT Tony Zinni designated ARCENT as the Combined Force Land Component Commander
(CFLCC). In this capacity ARCENT was responsible, in peacetime, for planning and coordinating all land operations, and in war, employing all land forces. As we developed the land operations in support of CENTCOMs OPLAN and briefed it to Gen Zinni, he was most uncomfortable with post conflict planning; there was not enough detail. Gen Zinni fully understood the complexities in Iraq and the role that Saddam played. He also said that what kept him awake at night was the thought that Saddam "might die in his sleep" or "be assassinated," and the US would be left to go into Iraq to quell the ensuing chaos. We then went into several months of detailed planning for post conflict operations. Every possible scenario and every branch and sequel that could be conceived was identified and planned for. Gen Zinni also knew that even with the best of military plans, the solution to post conflict had to include the interagency process of the US Government. He caused a two day meeting in Tysons Corner where the CENTCOM plan, the Service Component Commanders plans were presented to a large interagency working group. In the end this effort failed because the various agencies of the US Government refused to take responsibility for their Titled functional areas. Nevertheless, for the first time there was a detailed military plan for post conflict operations. These plans covered consequence that has come to pass since we invaded Iraq. The person who briefed the land component plan was LTG Franks.
So Bush the second was convinced we needed to go into Iraq and remove Saddam. We had a military plan that was developed and improved upon since
1992 and had been briefed to every SecDef that served during that timeframe. Success depended on very thoroughly thought out and war gamed force levels. The plan had very detailed concepts for post conflict operations. The first thing the serving SecDef, Rumsfeld, did was tell CENTCOM to trash the OPLAN. Rumsfeld and his advisors believed that we could win with "shock and awe" and didn't need many ground forces. In the total ignorance of Iraq and Arab culture, Rumsfeld and his advisors said they didn't have responsibility for nation building. Rumsfeld and his advisors based their justification on the current Iraq NIE. Who was the primary advisor, none other than Paul Wolfowitz. The Army and Marine Corps has been hand cuffed since they crossed the Line of Departure. The lack of ground forces has now proven to be the fundamental flaw of the Rumsfeld strategy, and we have never recovered from this. Key to the Zinni post conflict plan was keeping the Iraqi Army intact. There were plans for how to not destroy the Iraqi Army so that they could be the foundation for rebuilding the Iraqi military so that Iraq could remain a counter balance to Iran. Also key to our post conflict plan was rapidly rebuilding an Iraqi government. The first acts of Paul Bremmer were to disband the Iraqi Army and refuse to allow former Baathists in the new government. If the paucity of ground forces didn't doom the U.S. effort, these two acts did. We have been playing catch-up ever since. The Army and Marines have carried this war and every success we have had has been on the backs of the Soldiers and Marines that walk patrol everyday.
The military of our country is charged with fighting our nation's wars. Since the end of the first Gulf War our military has been reduced to levels below required to defend our national interests. Funding for our military, > as a percentage of GNP, has been at the lowest in generations. We have a military planning process that is designed to execute our National Military Strategy. We have a professional military that knows how to fight our nation's wars. Unfortunately when the military strategy is ignored by so-called civilian experts, when we have a generation of senior military leadership that have been cowed by a "my way or the highway" SecDef, we have the mess we are in now. The Army is unfairly taking the blame for this debacle in Iraq. The Army is too small for the requirements asked of it, its people are over-extended and tired, its equipment is in shambles, and its future modernization is in jeopardy due to funding. The Army and the United States of America will unfairly pay for this folly for generations.
END OF ARTICLE
The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers
Action on your suggestion is long overdue.
I have seen no such staff reductions. In fact due to the industry funding support the staff has increased.
Amgen Colon Cancer Setback Delays Competition
Posted by Jacob Goldstein
Amgen said late yesterday it was halting a closely watched trial of its cancer drug Vectibix for colon cancer. The news is a blow not only to cancer patients seeking new hope, but also to the prospect of competitive pricing in biotech cancer drugs, which can cost thousands of dollars a month.
The trial was in patients newly diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to other parts of the body. One group of patients received Vectibix and Genentech’s Avastin, combined with chemotherapy; another group received only Avastin and chemotherapy. The trial was halted because patients lived longer and tumors grew more slowly in the group that received Avastin but not Vectibix.
When Vectibix was approved last fall, Amgen made news for pricing the drug 20% lower than Erbitux, a similar drug made by ImClone. While Vectibix’s price was still high — $8,000 a month — Amgen’s move was seen as a possible turning point in the world of biotech cancer drugs, whose high prices have increasingly drawn criticism.
But yesterday’s news means Vectibix is not likely to be a strong alternative to Erbitux anytime soon — a fact investors recognized this morning, sending ImClone stock up some 14% in early trading. Amgen, on the other hand, fell 4%.
Correction: The setback for Vectibix gave a boost to ImClone shares. The original post said Erbitux shares went up. Thanks to commenter Brad Crystal for catching our error
National Pride and Technology
After having dug to a depth of 10 meters last year, Scottish scientists
found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.
Not to be outdone by the Scots, in the weeks that followed, British scientists dug to a depth of 20 meters, and shortly after, headlines in the UK newspapers read: "British archaeologists have found traces of 200 year old copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the Scots."
One week later, "The Klub", a Sunburg, Minnesota newspaper reported the following: "After digging as deep as 30 meters in corn fields near Games Lake, Ole Johnson, a self taught archeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. Ole has therefore concluded that 300 years ago Norwegians were already using wireless
Smile ~~~ God loves you!!!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
Marriage changes passion.
Suddenly you're in bed with a relative.
I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it.
So I said "Implants?" She hit me.
How come we choose from just two people to run for
president and over fifty for Miss America?
I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed up in the first place!
When I was young we used to go "skinny dipping," now I just "chunky dunk."
Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.
Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl Alt Delete' and start all over? AMEN, AMEN !!
Why is it that our children can't read a Bible in school, but they can in prison?
Wouldn't you know it...
Brain cells come and brain cells go, but FATcells live forever.
Why do I have to swear on the Bible in court when the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed outside?
Bumper sticker of the year:
"If you can read this, thank a teacher -and, since it's in English, thank a soldier"
And remember: life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
Ya just might want to pass this along....
I think reading comprehension is not one of your better traits. Bye.
Wouldn't it be nice if when we screw it up we could just hit alt-ctrl-delete and start over with a clean slate??
Strongly recommen you go to NASAA.og and click on the button in th lower left portion of that page and listen to the recent symposium addressing the individuasl invetor's rights. It certqainly debunks the Wall Street attachos on SHO and other regulatiosn which limit then.
ridiculous
Why not put them on your ignore list and then revel in your ignorance
Political Correctnes“ New Revisions
Due to the climate of political correctness now pervading America, Kentuckians, Tennesseans and West Virginians will no longer be referred to as "HILLBILLIES.You must now refer to them as APPALACHIAN-AMERICANS.
And furthermore:
HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT WOMEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT:
1) She is not a "BABE" or a "CHICK" - She is a "BREASTED AMERICAN."
2) She is not "EASY" - She is "HORIZONTALLY ACCESSIBLE."
3) She is not a "DUMB BLONDE" - She is a "LIGHT-HAIRED DETOUR OFF THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY."
4) She has not "BEEN AROUND" - She is a "PREVIOUSLY-ENJOYED COMPANION."
5) She does not "NAG" you - She becomes "VERBALLY REPETITIVE."
6) She is not a "TWO-BIT HOOKER" - She is a "LOW COST PROVIDER."
***HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT MEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT:
1) He does not have a "BEER GUT" - He has developed a "LIQUID GRAIN STORAGE FACILITY."
2) He is not a "BAD DANCER" - He is "OVERLY CAUCASIAN."
3) He does not "GET LOST ALL THE TIME" - He "INVESTIGATES ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS."
4) He is not "BALDING" - He is in "FOLLICLE REGRESSION."
5) He does not act like a "TOTAL ASS" - He develops a case of RECTAL-CRANIAL INVERSION."
6) It is not his "CRACK" you see hanging out of his pants - It's "REAR CLEAVAGE."
Way UP!
ImClone soars as Amgen slides
Colorectal study shows lower survival rate with Vectibix drug
PrintE-mailDisable live quotesRSSDigg itDel.icio.usBy Val Brickates Kennedy, MarketWatch
Last Update: 12:01 PM ET Mar 23, 2007
BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- ImClone Systems Inc.'s shares soared while Amgen Inc. skidded Friday, playing off a key study for Amgen's Vectibix drug that yielded disappointing results.
Vectibix, a treatment for colorectal cancer, competes against ImClone's rival therapy Erbitux.
Shares of ImClone (IMCL : ImClone Systems Inc
News , chart , profile , more
Last: 38.18+4.30+12.69%
2:29pm 03/23/2007
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IMCL38.18, +4.30, +12.7%) shot up 12% to $38.10, while Amgen's shares moved down 5% to $57.53 in midday trading.
Late Thursday, Amgen (AMGN : Amgen Inc
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AMGN58.14, -2.33, -3.9%) said that a clinical trial testing Vectibix in combination with a standard chemotherapy regimen and the drug Avastin showed that patients taking Vectibix had a lower survival rate than those who didn't. Amgen sponsored the so-called PACCE trial.
Avastin is a leading biotechnology therapy marketed by Genentech Inc. (DNA : genentech inc com new
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Last: 81.97-3.31-3.88%
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DNA81.97, -3.31, -3.9%) for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Approved last September, Vectibix has emerged as a key competitor to ImClone's Erbitux, as both are used to treat patients with advanced colorectal cancer who have failed to respond to other treatments.
Both Amgen and ImClone have been seeking to have their drugs approved as first-resort rather than last-resort drugs for colorectal cancer, which would considerably broaden their market opportunities.
Neither Vectibix nor Erbitux is yet approved to be used with Avastin, which is used to treat patients in earlier stages of the disease. Avastin, which is also used to treat other types of cancer, is Genentech's best-selling drug.
Shares of Genentech also slipped, down 3% at $82.32. The company issued an update on its research-and-development pipeline and financial forecast earlier Friday. See full story.
Erbitux's market position shored up
Erbitux, which is ImClone's only marketed product, is also approved to treat head and neck cancer. The drug is co-marketed with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY : Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
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BMY27.38, -0.41, -1.5%) , shares of which were up fractionally at $27.85.
Analysts on Friday said that Vectibix's woes should buoy ImClone shares, at least in the short run.
"We expect near-term momentum in ImClone as investors will likely view failure of the PACCE trial as a positive for Erbitux as it removes a near-term overhang on the stock," wrote Bear Stearns analysts in a research note Friday.
At FBR Research, analysts noted that Vectibix's setback could spell greater market opportunity for Erbitux.
"We think this is a positive for ImClone, in that Erbitux may now have less competition in growing into earlier lines (i.e., bigger markets) of colon cancer," FBR Research told clients.
"We feel more confident in Erbitux's abilities to meet or beat sales expectations after last night's news, and positive pancreatic cancer data would put even more of a spotlight on Erbitux's market expansion potential," they added.
Other options envisioned for Vectibix
In a statement Thursday, Amgen management expressed disappointment over the results of the clinical trial, although they still plan to pursue testing of Vectibix with standard chemotherapy drugs for the treatment of earlier-stage colorectal cancer.
"We had hoped that adding Vectibix to the current U.S. standard-of-care for patients newly diagnosed with [metastatic colorectal cancer] would improve outcomes without excessive added toxicity," said Roger Perlmutter, Amgen's executive vice president of research and development.
"Unfortunately, it appears that adding Vectibix to Avastin, when used in combination with oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based chemotherapy, increased toxicity without improving efficacy," he added.
As a result of the trial, analysts at FBR Research said they were lowering their peak sales estimates for Vectibix to $762 million
I had my stint with the SEC quite a few years ago. I joined as a consultant on a stock fraud case involving SEXI. Just today I learned that all claims that validated the buyer's losses will be covered. Amazing that there is enough money to return to investors to wipe out their losses in this fraud. Of course the bad part is they had to wait quiter a few years to get their checks. Sometimes the system does work.Wonder if they have any interest inpursuing a new fraud case-ANLT
read the entire article and you'll find it to be right "on topic"
In Oklahoma, a man faces up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines after pleading guilty to selling $21,000 worth of concert and sporting event tickets on the internet, but never delivering them. In another case, a man and a woman are charged with selling computer software to customers on Ebay, and face felony charges for not delivering the products. In that case, Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson said that “We allege that customers paid for items they never received. The internet should not be a safe harbor for criminals.”
Yet every day, six billion dollars worth of shares are purchased in companies in the US stock market, and not delivered. Someone signs on to their brokerage account, or more accurately, millions of someones sign on, and pay for shares in companies that their broker doesn’t deliver. In some cases, those shares are never delivered, creating what is essentially a flood of counterfeit shares in publicly traded companies, harming both investors and the companies themselves.
In the next few weeks, the Oklahoma Legislature will vote on a landmark bill that could serve as the model for stock market reform efforts nationwide. It has been written to withstand the legal assault that Wall Street has unleashed on other legislation introduced in other states. The measure, SB979, has already passed the Senate and will come up for a vote in the House sometime in the next few weeks.
This issue is NOT as much about Wall Street screwing investors as it is about the loss of potential jobs, local and state tax revenue lost, citizens’ investment funds stolen, and retirement funds decimated. It’s about hedge fund managers building hockey rinks in their backyards while the rest of the country struggles just to make ends meet.
To read the rest of this article and find out how you can help go to:
http://www.faulkingtruth.com/Articles/Investing101/1073.html
From Walter Reed Chaplain-NOT A JOKE
from Chaplain John L. Kallerson:
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 10:43 AM
Subject: FROM THE CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS WRAMC
I have had enough and am going to give my perspective on the news about
Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Please understand that I am speaking for
myself and I am responsible for my thoughts alone. The news media and
politicians
are making it sound like Walter Reed is a terrible place and the staff here
has
been abusing our brave wounded soldiers; what a bunch of bull!
I am completing my 24th year of service in the Army next month so you
decide
for yourself if I have the experience to write about this topic. I have
been
the senior clinical chaplain at Walter Reed for four years and will leave
to go back to the infantry this summer. I
supervise the chaplain staff inside Walter Reed that cares for the 200
inpatients, the 650+ daily outpatients from the war who come to us for
medical care, the
4000+ staff, and over 3000 soldiers and their families that come for
clinical
appointments daily.
Walter Reed has cared for over 5500 wounded from the war. I cannot count
the number of sick and non-battle injured that have come through over that
timeframe. The staff at this facility has done an incredible job at the
largest
US military medical center with the worst injured of the war. We have cared
for over 400 amputees and their families. I am privileged to serve the
wounded,
their families, and our staff.
When the news about building 18 broke I was on leave. I was in shock when
the news broke. We in the chaplains office in Walter Reed, as well as the
majority of people at Walter Reed, did not know anyone was in building 18. I
didn't even know we had a building 18. How can that happen? Walter Reed is
over
100 acres of 66 buildings on two installations. Building 18 is not on the
installation of Walter Reed and was believed to be closed years ago by our
department.
The fact that some leaders in the medical brigade that is in charge of the
outpatients put soldiers in there is terrible. That is why the company
commander, first sergeant, and a group of platoon leaders and platoon
sergeants
were relieved immediately. They failed their soldiers and the Army. The
commanding general was later relieved (more about this) and his sergeant
major
has been told to move on--if he gets to. The brigade sergeant major was
relieved
and more relief's are sure to come and need to.
As any leader knows, if you do not take care of soldiers, lie, and then try
to cover it up, you are not worthy of the commission you hold and should be
sent packing. I have no issue, and am actually proud, that they did relieve
the leaders they found who knew of the terrible conditions some of our
outpatients were enduring. The media is making it sound like these
conditions
are rampant at Walter Reed and nothing could be further from the truth. We
need
improvements and will now get them. I hate it that it took this to make it
happen.
The Army and the media made MG Weightman, our CG, out to be the problem and
fired him. This was a great injustice. He was only here for six months, is
responsible for military medical care in the 20 Northeast states, wears
four
"hats" of responsibilities, and relies on his subordinate leaders to know
what
is happening in their areas of responsibilities. He has a co lonel that runs
the hospital (my hospital commander), a colonel that runs the medical
brigade
(where the outpatient wounded are assigned and supposedly cared for), and a
colonel that is responsible to run the garrison and installation.
What people don't know is that he was making many changes as he became
aware
of them and had requested money to fix other places on the installation.
The
Army did not come through until four months after he asked for the money,
remember that he was here only six months, which was only days before they
relieved him. His leaders responsible for outpatient care did not tell him
about conditions in building 18. He has been an incredible leader who
really cares
about the wounded, their families, and our staff. I cannot say the same
about
a former commander, who was my first commander here at Walter Reed, and
definitely knew about many problems and is in the position to fix them an d
he
did not.
MG Weightman also should not be held responsible for the military's unjust
and inefficient medical board system and the problems in the VA system. We
lost a great leader and passionate man who showed he had the guts to make
changes and was doing so when he was made the scapegoat for others.
What I am furious about is that the media is making it sound like all of
Walter Reed is like building 18. Nothing could be further from the truth.
No
system is perfect but the medical staff provides great care in this
hospital.
What needs to be addressed, and finally will, is the bureaucratic garbage
that
all soldiers are put through going into medical boards and medical
retirements. Congress is finally giving the money that people have asked
for at
Walter Reed for years to fix places on the installations and address
shortcomings.
What they don't want you to know is Congress caused many problems by the
BRAC
process saying they were closing Walter Reed.
We cannot keep nor attract all the quality people we need at Walter Reed
when they know this place will close in several years and they are not
promised
a job at the new hospital. Then they did this thing call A76 where they
fired
many of the workers here for a company of contractors, IAP, to get a
contract to provide care outside the hospital proper. The company, which is
responsible for maintenance, only hired half the number of people as there
were
originally assigned to maintenance areas to save money. Walter Reed
leadership
fought the A76 and BRAC process for years, but lost. Congress instituted
the
BRAC and A76 process; not the leadership of Walter Reed.
What I wish everyone would also hear is that for every horror story we are
now hearing about in the media that truly needs to be addressed, you are
not
hearing about the hundreds of ot her wounded and injured soldiers who tell a
story of great care they received. You are not hearing about the incredibly
high morale of our troops and the fact that most of them want to go back,
be
with their teammates, and finish the job properly. You should be very proud
of
the wounded troopers we have at Walter Reed. They make me so proud to be in
the Army and I will fight to get their story out.
I want you to hear the whole story because our wounded, their families, our
Army, and the nation need to know that many in the media and select
politicians have an agenda. Forget agendas and make the changes that have
been
needed for years to fix problems in every military hospital and the VA
system. The
poor leaders will be identified and sent packing and good riddance to them.
I
wish the same could be said for the politicians and media personalities who
are also responsible but now want it to look like they are ver y concerned.
Where have they been for the last four years? I am ashamed of what they all
did
and the pain it has caused many to think that everyone is like that.
Please know that you are not hearing the whole story. Please know that
there
are thousands of dedicated soldiers and civilian medical staff caring for
your soldiers and their families. When I leave here I will end up
deploying.
When soldiers in my division have to go to Walter Reed from the
battlefield, I
know they will get great medical care. I pray that you know the same thing.
God bless all our troops and their families wherever they may be.
God bless you all,
+Chaplain John L. Kallerson
Senior Chaplain Clinician
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
"If It Weren't For The United States Military"
"There Would Be NO United States of America"
"Home of The Free, Because of the Brave"
Not a Joke-From Walter Reed Chaplain
from Chaplain John L. Kallerson:
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 10:43 AM
Subject: FROM THE CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS WRAMC
I have had enough and am going to give my perspective on the news about
Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Please understand that I am speaking for
myself and I am responsible for my thoughts alone. The news media and
politicians
are making it sound like Walter Reed is a terrible place and the staff here
has
been abusing our brave wounded soldiers; what a bunch of bull!
I am completing my 24th year of service in the Army next month so you
decide
for yourself if I have the experience to write about this topic. I have
been
the senior clinical chaplain at Walter Reed for four years and will leave
to go back to the infantry this summer. I
supervise the chaplain staff inside Walter Reed that cares for the 200
inpatients, the 650+ daily outpatients from the war who come to us for
medical care, the
4000+ staff, and over 3000 soldiers and their families that come for
clinical
appointments daily.
Walter Reed has cared for over 5500 wounded from the war. I cannot count
the number of sick and non-battle injured that have come through over that
timeframe. The staff at this facility has done an incredible job at the
largest
US military medical center with the worst injured of the war. We have cared
for over 400 amputees and their families. I am privileged to serve the
wounded,
their families, and our staff.
When the news about building 18 broke I was on leave. I was in shock when
the news broke. We in the chaplains office in Walter Reed, as well as the
majority of people at Walter Reed, did not know anyone was in building 18. I
didn't even know we had a building 18. How can that happen? Walter Reed is
over
100 acres of 66 buildings on two installations. Building 18 is not on the
installation of Walter Reed and was believed to be closed years ago by our
department.
The fact that some leaders in the medical brigade that is in charge of the
outpatients put soldiers in there is terrible. That is why the company
commander, first sergeant, and a group of platoon leaders and platoon
sergeants
were relieved immediately. They failed their soldiers and the Army. The
commanding general was later relieved (more about this) and his sergeant
major
has been told to move on--if he gets to. The brigade sergeant major was
relieved
and more relief's are sure to come and need to.
As any leader knows, if you do not take care of soldiers, lie, and then try
to cover it up, you are not worthy of the commission you hold and should be
sent packing. I have no issue, and am actually proud, that they did relieve
the leaders they found who knew of the terrible conditions some of our
outpatients were enduring. The media is making it sound like these
conditions
are rampant at Walter Reed and nothing could be further from the truth. We
need
improvements and will now get them. I hate it that it took this to make it
happen.
The Army and the media made MG Weightman, our CG, out to be the problem and
fired him. This was a great injustice. He was only here for six months, is
responsible for military medical care in the 20 Northeast states, wears
four
"hats" of responsibilities, and relies on his subordinate leaders to know
what
is happening in their areas of responsibilities. He has a co lonel that runs
the hospital (my hospital commander), a colonel that runs the medical
brigade
(where the outpatient wounded are assigned and supposedly cared for), and a
colonel that is responsible to run the garrison and installation.
What people don't know is that he was making many changes as he became
aware
of them and had requested money to fix other places on the installation.
The
Army did not come through until four months after he asked for the money,
remember that he was here only six months, which was only days before they
relieved him. His leaders responsible for outpatient care did not tell him
about conditions in building 18. He has been an incredible leader who
really cares
about the wounded, their families, and our staff. I cannot say the same
about
a former commander, who was my first commander here at Walter Reed, and
definitely knew about many problems and is in the position to fix them an d
he
did not.
MG Weightman also should not be held responsible for the military's unjust
and inefficient medical board system and the problems in the VA system. We
lost a great leader and passionate man who showed he had the guts to make
changes and was doing so when he was made the scapegoat for others.
What I am furious about is that the media is making it sound like all of
Walter Reed is like building 18. Nothing could be further from the truth.
No
system is perfect but the medical staff provides great care in this
hospital.
What needs to be addressed, and finally will, is the bureaucratic garbage
that
all soldiers are put through going into medical boards and medical
retirements. Congress is finally giving the money that people have asked
for at
Walter Reed for years to fix places on the installations and address
shortcomings.
What they don't want you to know is Congress caused many problems by the
BRAC
process saying they were closing Walter Reed.
We cannot keep nor attract all the quality people we need at Walter Reed
when they know this place will close in several years and they are not
promised
a job at the new hospital. Then they did this thing call A76 where they
fired
many of the workers here for a company of contractors, IAP, to get a
contract to provide care outside the hospital proper. The company, which is
responsible for maintenance, only hired half the number of people as there
were
originally assigned to maintenance areas to save money. Walter Reed
leadership
fought the A76 and BRAC process for years, but lost. Congress instituted
the
BRAC and A76 process; not the leadership of Walter Reed.
What I wish everyone would also hear is that for every horror story we are
now hearing about in the media that truly needs to be addressed, you are
not
hearing about the hundreds of ot her wounded and injured soldiers who tell a
story of great care they received. You are not hearing about the incredibly
high morale of our troops and the fact that most of them want to go back,
be
with their teammates, and finish the job properly. You should be very proud
of
the wounded troopers we have at Walter Reed. They make me so proud to be in
the Army and I will fight to get their story out.
I want you to hear the whole story because our wounded, their families, our
Army, and the nation need to know that many in the media and select
politicians have an agenda. Forget agendas and make the changes that have
been
needed for years to fix problems in every military hospital and the VA
system. The
poor leaders will be identified and sent packing and good riddance to them.
I
wish the same could be said for the politicians and media personalities who
are also responsible but now want it to look like they are ver y concerned.
Where have they been for the last four years? I am ashamed of what they all
did
and the pain it has caused many to think that everyone is like that.
Please know that you are not hearing the whole story. Please know that
there
are thousands of dedicated soldiers and civilian medical staff caring for
your soldiers and their families. When I leave here I will end up
deploying.
When soldiers in my division have to go to Walter Reed from the
battlefield, I
know they will get great medical care. I pray that you know the same thing.
God bless all our troops and their families wherever they may be.
God bless you all,
+Chaplain John L. Kallerson
Senior Chaplain Clinician
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
"If It Weren't For The United States Military"
"There Would Be NO United States of America"
"Home of The Free, Because of the Brave"