Military Officer - October 2007 - (Page 10)

fromtheeditor Clearing the Fog With the attention surrounding the sub-standard treatment of soldiers at Walter Reed, MOAA’s Government Relations team examines the proposals and priorities to ﬁx the problem. I f you’ve glanced at this month’s cover (it’s hard to ignore), you should have no question about the thrust of our lead story. You should have no doubt about where MOAA stands on this issue. We might come across a bit emotional about the subject, but it’s something we strongly believe in. The shoddy treatment of our nation’s wounded warriors came to public attention in February with revelations about poor conditions recovering servicemembers were experiencing at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Washington, D.C. MOAA went on the record at the time saying that our military forces need more resources to help avoid such circumstances. At the same time, we made it clear that 99.9 percent of military medical providers are doing a superb job and should not be tarred by this incident. In the intervening months, you’ve heard a lot about the subject, as the WRAMC incident proved to be just the tip of the iceberg. The good news is that the plight of servicemembers at WRAMC focused attention on the need to ﬁx a host of problems, both local and systemic. The not-so-good news is that although there have been dozens of recommendations and reams of draft legislation aimed at ﬁxing the problems, the proper corrective course still is not clear to many legislators, federal administrators, or average citizens. With this thought in mind, members of MOAA’s Government Relations team are working to clear the fog. They are the folks 10 MILITARY OFFICER OCTOBER 2007 who deal with military health care issues day in and day out. Their story, “A Hero’s Welcome?,” page 46, is intended to sort out the multiple, overlapping proposals and offer a clear set of priorities. MOAA thinks the key to success will be to stay focused on these top priorities and recognize that the government must bear responsibility for the long-term costs of war. How can you help? Read the story, of course, for an understanding of the issues. And stay tuned to MOAA’s print and electronic communications for information about speciﬁc actions you might be asked to take, such as contacting legislators to support important bills. You also might lend a hand to our nation’s servicemembers in other ways. The story “Partners in Patriotism,” page 50, examines how MOAA chapter members are helping troops through the USO. Did you know the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, corporations, and associations such as MOAA to support its activities? Check out our story to see how MOAA chapters are pitching in to serve America’s active duty troops. — Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - October 2007

Military Officer - October 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: A Hero's Welcome? Partners in Patriotism Tales from Beyond the Battlefield Financial Results of MOAA Pages of History Information Exchange Faces of MOAA Member Books MOAA Scholarship Donors Advertising Index MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - October 2007

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