Walter Reed patients told to hush

Late last week, Defense Secretary said he was “grateful” to reporters for exposing the problems facing outpatients at Walter Reed Medical Center. Gates said he is “very disappointed we did not identify it ourselves,” but praised media reports for exposing a problem in need of attention.

To its credit, the Defense Department is responding quickly in the face of national outrage. To its detriment, part of the response includes ordering rehabilitating troops to shut up.

Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Medical Hold Unit say they have been told they will wake up at 6 a.m. every morning and have their rooms ready for inspection at 7 a.m., and that they must not speak to the media.

“Some soldiers believe this is a form of punishment for the trouble soldiers caused by talking to the media,” one Medical Hold Unit soldier said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
It is unusual for soldiers to have daily inspections after Basic Training.

Soldiers say their sergeant major gathered troops at 6 p.m. Monday to tell them they must follow their chain of command when asking for help with their medical evaluation paperwork, or when they spot mold, mice or other problems in their quarters.