Another resignation in health scandal By Pat Reber

dpa German Press Agency Published: Friday March 2, 2007

Washington- One of the country's top civilian military
officials, Francis Harvey, abruptly stepped down Friday as secretary
of the US Army amidst a widening scandal over health care management
for soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
While Harvey's resignation appeared to be connected to an
immediate crisis over care at the Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in
the nation's capital, US President George W Bush ordered a system-
wide investigation into possible problems at other facilities.

In an unusual move, Bush released his weekly radio address nearly
a day early to announce the probe and lament the "bureaucratic delays
and living conditions" that have been uncovered at Walter Reed.

The facility came under intense scrutiny after a series of
articles in the Washington Post newspaper showed decrepit
conditions such as mold and holes in the walls at a building that
houses outpatients and detailed the problems of some soldiers seeking
treatment.

"This is unacceptable to me, it is unacceptable to our country,
and it's not going to continue," Bush said. "This country has a moral
obligation to provide our servicemen and women with the best possible
care and treatment."

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates announced Harvey's resignation,
then expressed his disappointment in the leadership at Walter Reed,
one of the country's main health care centers for the military.

"I am disappointed that some in the army have not" maintained
proper levels of care at the hospital, Gates said. "From what I have
learned, the problems at Walter Reed appear to be problems of
leadership."

On Thursday, the man in command of the North Atlantic Regional
Medical Command that includes Walter Reed, Major General George W
Weightman, was relieved of his duties.

A replacement was then named who has been implicated even more in
the scandal, Lieutenant General Kevin C Kiley, who as Weightman's
predecessor at the facility had been the target of years-long
complaints about conditions at the hospital. It was not clear if
Harvey was involved in naming Kiley to the post.

Since the US invaded Iraq four years ago, nearly 24,000 soldiers
have been wounded. More than half returned to duty within 72 hours,
but the remaining 10,500 had more serious injuries.

The death toll stands at 3,160.

Due to improved battlefield medical practice, survival chances
despite loss of limb and severe head injuries have grown, but many
veterans face long uphill battles to recover former lives.

Gates has also established an independent panel to investigate
conditions at the US military hospitals and deliver a report in 45
days. It was not clear if that panel's work would be included in the
commission Bush announced.

Bush said his panel would "find out whether similar problems have
occurred at other military and veterans hospitals."

Harvey was appointed by US President George W Bush in 2004 to
oversee the army's one-million-strong manpower, personnel, Reserve
affairs, installations, environmental issues, weapons systems and
equipment acquisition, communications, and financial management.

Walter Reed hospital has been in business since 1909, and was
named after a leading army surgeon who tackled such infectious
diseases as typhoid and yellow fever that had taken such a large toll
in the US Civil War of the 1860s.

A special commission has agreed with the Pentagon's proposal to
close Walter Reed as part of modernization moves, but US Congress has
not yet approved shutting the storied facility.

In 2003, doctors at Walter Reed successfully operated on then-
secretary of state of state and former Army general Colin Powell, who
had been diagnosed with prostrate cancer.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

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