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"
