Bob Woodruff's recovery images

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/popup?id=2887730&content=&page=1

Not too graphic but it does show the extent of his originial injuries and the slow recovery after several surgeries.

I think he is one lucky guy, sadly many injured soldiers have not faired as well.

Bob is a consumate reporter, and - IMHO - now one of ABC's greatest assets. His experience will provide a unique perspective to a nation struggling to come to grips with the experience of divisive and malingering war.

I haven't had the opportunity to see him back in action on the air. Clearly, his appearance is much the same as it was prior to the injuries. How is his neurological status - his speech and movement?

From what the Washington post and Reuters are reporting he got much better treatment than most of the wounded GIs. :(

xoxoxoBruce;317874 wrote:

From what the Washington post and Reuters are reporting he got much better treatment than most of the wounded GIs. :(

Sad but true. You just can't compare Bob's healthcare provided by a major network to that the grunts get from the VA. Some military wives and parents are having to quit their jobs to provide physical therapy and other post hospitalcare for the wounded that the VA doesn't (or can't) provide.

It's hard to believe, but the VA as a whole, seems to be even worse now than it was in the 60's when..........well, 'nuff said.:smashfrea

I just finished TBI Hell by Geo Gosling. It tells the tale of his traumatic brain injury. I don't know how many TBI's are coming home but I know the VA isn't up to it.

xoxoxoBruce;317874 wrote:

From what the Washington post and Reuters are reporting he got much better treatment than most of the wounded GIs.

That is a major understatement. Even Rumsfeld's wife (brought in discretely by other volunteers) discovered how bad things were in Walter Reed - and could not get Rumsfeld to solve it. Once the stories about the contempt for soldier in Walter Reed were leaked, even volunteers were suddenly attacked by the Walter Reed bureaucracy.

The story about Woodruff is not the story. The real story is what was peripheral - the contempt for soldiers even in Walter Reed Hospital.

How much contempt have we for our troops? Interesting last night was the NC governor on Charlie Rose. 5,000 National Guard from NC being deployed ... without any radios. So the Governor took state money to buy them 50 radios.

Well what happened to Woodruff also demonstrates another fact. American troops even since 2003 have been attacked 1500 to 3000 times .... per day. So the Cheney administration had this number classified as a secret. Woodruff is only typical of what comes back from Iraq every day. Mission Accomplished. We even put those soldiers in Walter Reed where patients are told where their room is and were left to find that building - then that room - on their own.

One Congressman and his wife stopped going to Walter Reed about a year ago. A soldier was found lying in his bed in his own urine. Even the Congressman was stalemated to get assistance for wounded American soldiers. But clearly Saddam was the greater threat.

BTW, deja vue Vietnam. Woodruff's and other's wounds - not the extraorindary care Woodruff got - is the real story.

tw;319463 wrote:

One Congressman and his wife stopped going to Walter Reed about a year ago. A soldier was found lying in his bed in his own urine. Even the Congressman was stalemated to get assistance for wounded American soldiers. But clearly Saddam was the greater threat.

The story was from 2004 which would be about 3 years ago.


"In 2004, Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.) and his wife stopped visiting the wounded at Walter Reed out of frustration. Young said he voiced concerns to commanders over troubling incidents he witnessed but was rebuffed or ignored. "When Bev or I would bring problems to the attention of authorities of Walter Reed, we were made to feel very uncomfortable," said Young, who began visiting the wounded recuperating at other facilities.

Beverly Young said she complained to Kiley several times. She once visited a soldier who was lying in urine on his mattress pad in the hospital. When a nurse ignored her, Young said, "I went flying down to Kevin Kiley's office again, and got nowhere. He has skirted this stuff for five years and blamed everyone else.""

And if true and she let this go for 3 years she is partly culpable.

here is the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/28/AR2007022801954.html

simian;319279 wrote:

Sad but true. You just can't compare Bob's healthcare provided by a major network to that the grunts get from the VA. Some military wives and parents are having to quit their jobs to provide physical therapy and other post hospitalcare for the wounded that the VA doesn't (or can't) provide.

It's hard to believe, but the VA as a whole, seems to be even worse now than it was in the 60's when..........well, 'nuff said.:smashfrea

It is worse than you think.

TheMercenary;321826 wrote:

It is worse than you think.

Back in February when all those stories of contempt for the American soldier were published, top management then began taking revenge on volunteers and other who were suspected of blowing the whistle. Not only would a soldier lie in his own urine. Those who tried to change things even 3 years ago where instead attacked as the enemy. But then this is the kind of government that would also lie about Saddam's WMDs, define an axis of evil, and ... well where was the scumbag president when he knew a category five hurricane was bearing down on New Orleans? He flew to CA for a campaign fund raiser.

Contempt for the American soldier? That was obvious years ago when he was declaring "Mission Accomplished".

It was almost impossible for little people to affect change. Too many Americans so hated this country as to instead believe crap from Rush Limbaugh. Therefore attacking whistle blowers even in 2004 was situation normal for George Jr's dictatorship. Yes it is that much worse. Walter Reed is only how much of the iceberg? How much deeper does the contempt lie?

Well it must be your opinion that this is all Bush's fault. That is a simplistic view at the minimum. The problems have gone back a long way.

:corn:

Stop being so greedy and hand me some of that popcorn. It's just getting good. :D

Kevin Kiley court-marshall, it just sounds good. Keep repeating it everywhere you go.

Griff;321906 wrote:

Kevin Kiley court-marshall, it just sounds good. Keep repeating it everywhere you go.

I have met him and I think he is generally (no pun intended) an asshole.

TheMercenary;321839 wrote:

Well it must be your opinion that this is all Bush's fault. That is a simplistic view at the minimum. The problems have gone back a long way.

Problems start when one makes wild assumptions. I never said that. In this and previous posts, you have assumed. Don't for one minute make a single emotional assumption of who I am and post replies according to your emotions. Emotions are irrelevant (... and resistance is futile... sorry wrong discussion group). Notice, each post is bluntly addressing only one thing - facts.

If your assumptions arrive without supporting facts - the necessary and required 'whys' - then challenges will be blunt. For example, why do you assume I post opinions? Why do you assume I have an opinion (instead of conclusions) on this subject that blames George Jr (an assumption which can be justified in general; but not in this unique topic)? Why do you post and not provide any supporting facts for your post?

Multiple damning questions, Mercenary. And that is the common factor in my each post. You have assumed; therefore posted contempt for American soldiers in Walter Reed. To not know after almost one month and then deny events in Walter Reed meets a definition for contempt. How does one justify being so badly misinformed? You automatically assumed those reports were somehow false. How could you after all this time have not heard about the administration’s contempt for the American soldier? Contempt or were you stuck all this time in someplace like Antarctica? (In a quick sampling of a few 20 and young 30 year olds, a majority also did not know.)

Bottom line point again. You have assumed. Facts as provided point an suspicious finger at top management - Rumsfeld. (and its not my ring finger). Notice how the Army is being blamed for what happened at Walter Reed just as CIA was blamed for perverted intelligence on Saddam's WMDs. There is no smoking gun evidence pointing at George Jr. But there is substancial evidence pointing directly at Rumsfeld - including history of same micromanagement (even blaming enlisted men for the dog collars) during Abu Ghriad. Let's not forget all that Iraqi looting that 'did not happen'. Does it sound like soldiers in Walter Reed were not happening even after his own wife saw it? Damning facts that point directly at top management with a history of outrightly denying reality for a political agenda. That is contempt for the American soldier.

Let's not forget the long list of American generals who ended up on the White House 'person non-grata' list only because they stood up for US Army, well proven military doctrine, and American interests rather then the politically inspired administration decrees. Is Walter Reed just another isolated incident? How many times must this administration demonstrate so much contempt for the military and the American people before one says, "Wait a minute. I've been robbed."

Nowhere (this time) did I cite George Jr as the problem. He may be. But you have made assumptions rather than carefully read what was posted. Rumsfeld was even stated by name. So why then did Mercenary jump to conclusions - misrepresent what I posted? Why did Mercenary post what cannot be justified by the facts? Without supporting facts, why this assumption?

Well it must be your opinion that this is all Bush's fault.

[font=1]{Could someone pass the popcorn}[/font]

By the time I finish reading that, the popcorn was long gone.:cool:

xoxoxoBruce;322192 wrote:

By the time I finish reading that, the popcorn was long gone.:cool:

Me too.. sort of a waste.:3eye:

tw;321978 wrote:

Problems start when one makes wild assumptions. I never said that. In this and previous posts, you have assumed. Don't for one minute make a single emotional assumption of who I am and post replies according to your emotions. Emotions are irrelevant (... and resistance is futile... sorry wrong discussion group). Notice, each post is bluntly addressing only one thing - facts.

If your assumptions arrive without supporting facts - the necessary and required 'whys' - then challenges will be blunt. For example, why do you assume I post opinions? Why do you assume I have an opinion (instead of conclusions) on this subject that blames George Jr (an assumption which can be justified in general; but not in this unique topic)? Why do you post and not provide any supporting facts for your post?

Multiple damning questions, Mercenary. And that is the common factor in my each post. You have assumed; therefore posted contempt for American soldiers in Walter Reed. To not know after almost one month and then deny events in Walter Reed meets a definition for contempt. How does one justify being so badly misinformed? You automatically assumed those reports were somehow false. How could you after all this time have not heard about the administration’s contempt for the American soldier? Contempt or were you stuck all this time in someplace like Antarctica? (In a quick sampling of a few 20 and young 30 year olds, a majority also did not know.)

Bottom line point again. You have assumed. Facts as provided point an suspicious finger at top management - Rumsfeld. (and its not my ring finger). Notice how the Army is being blamed for what happened at Walter Reed just as CIA was blamed for perverted intelligence on Saddam's WMDs. There is no smoking gun evidence pointing at George Jr. But there is substancial evidence pointing directly at Rumsfeld - including history of same micromanagement (even blaming enlisted men for the dog collars) during Abu Ghriad. Let's not forget all that Iraqi looting that 'did not happen'. Does it sound like soldiers in Walter Reed were not happening even after his own wife saw it? Damning facts that point directly at top management with a history of outrightly denying reality for a political agenda. That is contempt for the American soldier.

Let's not forget the long list of American generals who ended up on the White House 'person non-grata' list only because they stood up for US Army, well proven military doctrine, and American interests rather then the politically inspired administration decrees. Is Walter Reed just another isolated incident? How many times must this administration demonstrate so much contempt for the military and the American people before one says, "Wait a minute. I've been robbed."

Nowhere (this time) did I cite George Jr as the problem. He may be. But you have made assumptions rather than carefully read what was posted. Rumsfeld was even stated by name. So why then did Mercenary jump to conclusions - misrepresent what I posted? Why did Mercenary post what cannot be justified by the facts? Without supporting facts, why this assumption? [font=1]{Could someone pass the popcorn}[/font]

My friend, you are the one jumping to conclusions and drawing out ass-u-mptions based on more left-wing talking points. I do believe that many fingers point at Cheney, Rove, Rumsfield, etc. The problem is that Bush is the target and the targe is misplaced. Bush is a figurehead.

"You have assumed; therefore posted contempt for American soldiers in Walter Reed." - How can I have contempt for something that I am??? Please explain that to me. My wife and I worked in that hospital for three years. One example that makes the press does not make a pattern of abuse. Everyone is hanging their hat on only one report. It has not been substantiated, well of course unless it serves your needs to bash the current administration and your political views.

Griff;319358 wrote:

I just finished TBI Hell by Geo Gosling. It tells the tale of his traumatic brain injury.
I don't know how many TBI's are coming home but I know the VA isn't up to it.

I just recently finished this as well as a few others on the subject.
I really need another subject. This one is too depressing
The care that people like Gabby Giffords and Bob Woodruff got is, BY FAR, the exception to the rule.
On top of that, its all on the short list of first thing to get cut.
Yep, Lets pick on the old and the disabled first. :mad2:

I posted in the graphs and charts thread before visiting this one. Basing my views only on the experiences of cellar veterans, it seems the VA is woefully underfunded and/or mismanaged.

Veterans deserve better.