..Holiday Appeal for Walter Reed Hospital Soldiers - JOE GALLOWAY

JOE GALLOWAY ^ | 11/26/2003 | JOE GALLOWAY

[MJY1288]

I believe this is why Sgt. Santos is going to a VA hospital in Ohio, my sister-in-law said they get some of the outpatients from Walter Reed in order for them to evaluate their needs and get them the help they need. My sister-in-law goes to the homes of many veterans to make sure they get the help they need, she will evaluate their situation and make calls to outfits like the Red Cross and the United Way and she says they respond immediately. I think it's time to write a few of our elected officials and see what can be done to speed up the hiring of these desperately needed social workers our injured soldiers need to assist them until they fully recover

[MJY1288]

"So, what happens to all the stuff sent to the RC if they don't have any help to deliver it to the rooms and the GI's don't even know what's available?...it just sits there unused?...."

Nope, You or I could walk up and give them a list of things a soldier needs and if they have it they will gladly give it to you. My Sister-in-law is the head social worker and she said she will call someone she knows at Walter Reed to see what can be done. I also have a long time customer who is a Colonel at Walter Reed, I'm gonna try and get a hold of him and see what he might be able to do.

He helped me once before when my mother was at Walter reed and was forced out to make room for the possible arrival of casualties just before the Gulf War. Walter Reed would not release my Mothers hospital records to Washington Adventist Hospital because of a major mistake they made during Radiation treatments for my mothers cancer, they were concerned she would sue them, which was the last thing on our minds. Anyway, Colonel, Tom Brewer got them for me. I will try and contact him

[mystery-ak]

Im glad you have a few contacts, that is exactly what is needed.

[Joy Angela]

Many Thanks for the reminder.

God Bless all the Brave American Soldiers!

[MJY1288]

I'm a letter writing MoFo when it comes to things like this, I sent out three yesterday, one via email and two by snail mail. I wrote Liddy Dole because she used to be the head of the Red Cross, I wrote another to the head of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, and I emailed the Red Cross.

[TruthNtegrity]

I just sent them a return email suggesting that they at least post a list of available items for the asking on the bulletin boards at the nursing stations of every ward in Walter Reed at least once a week. I will let you know if they respond to my suggestion.

BRAVO ZULU!!!

Thanks, Mike. What a great idea. I'm sorry the office was closed by the time I got there on Friday and I wonder what my response would have been had they said that to my face. I have this impression that I would have stood their sputtering - "But there are guys with broken backs who can't walk, guys with missing limbs who are just healing; guys with head injuries who don't even know to ask someone to go get something for them."

I guess they feel NO obligation to let people know WHAT is available. Man, this doubles my effort to go in more often. Doesn't look like volunteering will do much good - they won't let me take items TO the troops for fear of being accused of favortism or discrimination.

So, I'll continue to take items to them.

Check in a minute - you'll have FReepmail.

[TruthNtegrity]

This pisses me off...what about the poor guy who has no family and no way to get to the Red Cross office.....if they make a list and post it, will the RC take it to their room if the GI request something on that list?

This is exactly the state that Ric Diaz was in. No family or friends nearby, and apparently for most of his stay, immobile. I've sent some of the prepaid phonecards to him at the VA Hospital where he's been sent - which is NOT near his home.

This is so insane. They don't even let the social workers know what is available because certainly THEY could go to the RC and pick up items and take them to the rooms? Or are they not allowed, because it would somehow be unfair?

Man, they have this thing wired every which to Sunday to make it difficult for the recipients to get what we've sent there.

I've said it above but I'll say it again. I now resolve to make more trips to Walter Reed - until all the items I've been sent, given or money sent to me to purchase, have been handed out PERSONALLY by me!

M-A, I wish you were here to help me - we would have so much fun. Egads, I think I've fallen in love with 40 guys!

[TruthNtegrity]

M-A, that's exactly what somebody wrote on this thread - above - that checks sent to Oklahoma City for a specific family were put into a general fund. No one was passed the money directly!

They had more details about the RC and OKC but I had to stop reading. My Bp was climbing.

All I know is that I can do what I can do, to correct the situation at Walter Reed.

And I have put out a call on a Naval Intelligence Professionals and a Marine Intelligence Association board for the name of a Marine at Bethesda. The drill is that you need the name of a soldier/sailor/airmen to get onto the grounds and into the Hospital. Security is tight.

I would love to be able to share some of the largesse of FReepers with those at Bethesda, and it is where the Marines would be sent.

[MJY1288]

Bethesda Naval Hospital has very few Marines (if any at all)in their care, I have already been there. Since May 1st we have lost one Marine and very few wounded Marines. A whole bunch of Marines are being deployed to Iraq in the coming rotation in March. Lets hope and pray none of the Marines that go to Iraq get injured and therefore Bethesda Naval Hospital will not need our support. I do believe we are getting control of the situation in Iraq, and hopefully the casualties will cease all together. I pray for this to happen every night. When I see the Iraqi's protesting the terrorist in the streets of Baghdad I can't help but think better days are just ahead.

Just today the leader of the major Terrorist group "MILF" in the Philippines has released a statement announcing the end of their terrorist activities and calling for dialog and negotiations to settle their political differences, and said they accept the conditions set forth by President George W. Bush to end the hostilities and that they will work with the Philippine authorities for a peaceful end to hostilities.

Looks like the MILF has figured out that GWB and our Military means business

[TruthNtegrity]

Well, that explains why I haven't been given the name of anyone to visit at Bethesda. That's such good news though, isn't it?

Thanks for the information about being able to take lists to the RC - I'm going to start doing that. I always carry a little notebook so I can easily make up a list of what a soldier needs and truck right on down to the RC office and get it from them. They are going to get sick of seeing my face!

I bought some playing cards and a couple of sets of UNO today - don't know whether to take them to WR or send them to 1SGT Mike to give to his guys. It didn't appear to me that there was much socializing in the rooms, even with 4 of them to a room.

Once again, thank you and calawah98 for the privilege of giving these goodies to the troops.

And I'm a real letter writer, too. I've just been so busy with my business and the trips to WR, I haven't written any. Thank you for doing that and providing me with the solution for getting items to the wards. Thank your SIL for me, too.

Now to bed - alarm goes off way to early for Church.

God bless you, Mike.

[VOA]

Given all the emotion of the struggle to understand the bottleneck in the delivery
of donations to our recoverying military personnel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
I can't help myself from posting the following thought.
If it's insensitive or over-the-top, I apologize in advance. Please give me some
grace because of the emotion of the moment with the capture of the butcher of Baghdad,
no, of Iraq and the region.

As an civilian American taxpayer and indirect employer of our military personnel...
I give unconditional permission to my employees to proudly tell family and friends
(and eventually, your grandkids) when they ask you what you did while helping
win the war on terrorism:

"I gave this (fill in limb lost in combat) while hunting down,
smoking out and bringing that coward Saddam to JUSTICE!"


As a never-served civilian, I apologize for the bravado...but I applaud and just
pray that our best-and-brightest can see beyond their loss and realize why
they left a part of themselves in Iraq or another part of the globe.

[VOA]

A lot of commentary will be written about the "boots on the ground" that actually made this successful capture of Saddam. Peggy Noonan does a good job on this thread:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1040197/posts

But I'm gonna' let a fellow Okie capture the real spirit of the moment (that would be "zeitgeist" for you Germans who were missing in action):


Well a man come on 6 o'clock news
Said somebody been shot
Somebody's been abused
somebody blew up a building
somebody stole a car
somebody got away
somebody didn't get too far
Yeah, they didn't get too far

Grand pappy told my pappy back in my day
Son a man had to answer for the wicked that he'd done
Take all the rope in Texas
Find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys
Hang them high in the street
For all the people to see

That
Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we'll sing a victory tune
And we'll all meet back at the local saloon
And we'll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing
whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds
too much corruption and crime in the streets
It's time the long arm of the law put a few more in the ground
Send 'em all to their maker and he'll settle 'em down
You can bet he'll set 'em down

Cause
Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we'll sing a victory tune
And we'll all meet back at the local saloon
And we'll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing
whiskey for my men, beer for my horses
whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

He knew
Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys,
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we'll sing a victory tune
And we'll all meet back at the local saloon
And we'll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singin' whiskey for my men, beer for my horses
Singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

[Howlin]

FYI.

[sarasmom]

BTTT

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

  

If anyone wants to send phone cards and small items to the DC Chapter's post office box, we will see that they are delivered to the soldiers at Walter Reed.

The DC Chapter of Free Republic
Post Office Box 65165
Washington, DC 20035-5165 

 God Bless Our Troops and America!

 

41 posted on 12/16/2003 2:53:26 PM EST by Angelwood (FReepers are Everywhere! We Support Our Troops! (Hillary's Vast Rt Wg Conspiracy))

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you, Angelwood and the rest of our awesome DC Freepers.

To all Red Cross workers at WR who put anything ahead of the welfare of our wounded troops, please find another place to work.

TruthNtegrity, looking forward to seeing your Friday report posted here today. Thank you!

[mystery-ak]

What a great idea....bypass the RC and let the DC Freepers hand out the goodies.

bump

[VOA]

bump for publicity...post 275

[TruthNtegrity]

First, Baseballmom, did you post your trip report here on the Galloway thread, or only on Wednesday's (?I think?) Dose?

Okay, okay, RC, here's the report from "A Day in the Life of President Bush (photos) 12.12.03.


To: mystery-ak; MJY1288; baseballmom; ALOHA RONNIE; Ragtime Cowgirl; VOA; Fred Mertz; risk; sport; ...

I "only" handed out 24 cards in Orthopedics, and then a restricted ward but they cheerfully let me in when I showed them what I had - I just couldn't touch anything, and 16 in Neuroscience.

I discovered that these guys are desperate for some company - someone to talk to, someone to pray for and with them, someone to just BE there. When I would walk into their room, they would have this dour look on their face; when I left, they were smiling. This takes time - so I didn't get to anywhere but Wards 57 and 58 on the 5th floor.

I'm going back tonight and tomorrow afternoon (in the case of Sunday, if the weather lets me.)

I was sort of unprepared for the weight of what Mike had to give me - the pads of paper, pens, pencils and Christmas cards!!! Yesterday, I made it my mission to hand out as many phone cards as I could - and I tell you - the guys in Orthopedics would have done handstands if they could have, they were overjoyed.

I have made it a point at every Nurse's station to emphasize how much is waiting for the guys down in the Red Cross office. I get a pretty blank look, and something like "that's nice to know". - I just didn't know what to do with their response. I think this is why I really need to volunteer at the RC office - but it was closed by the time I made my way to it. I considered visiting with the guys and handing out phone cards my priority yesterday.

As I arrived, I saw Sgt. Santos in a wheelchair being pushed by his wife; they were heading for physical therapy. He told me he's leaving on Monday, 12/16. He's headed for a VA Hospital in Ohio, closer to his home for continued therapy. He's back to thinking he wants to stay in - KEEP PRAYING!

I had missed Ricardo Diaz, (a passenger on the Chinook that was shot down on Nov. 2. He was on his way home for R&R and now has major hurdles in health ahead of him.) but got his address at the VA Hospital where he is now and will send him some of the phonecards that Mike gave me - courtesy of an anonymous FReeper.

I was unprepared for the weight of the items that Mike handed me - and I can't carry a heavy box like that, without risking back damage. When I go back, I'll be prepared with a thick cloth bag and one of those plastic grocery bags, to carry the items in, and make more like an elf again. They are going to love these items as well. And I'll try to get in and out faster, but golly, when they seem so eager to have someone to talk to, it's hard to just give them the stuff and split!

Whoever the anonymous donor is, I would like to thank them for giving me the joy of being able to do what I did yesterday. And to Mike, for buying more pads, pens and cards because he discovered what a hit they were - thank you. I have had the privilege of seeing these faces, with joy and gratitude written all over them.

Mike, I have a suggestion. I don't have a color printer but if you'd care to print out some of the Canteens, especially from Vet's Day and Thanksgiving, and take them to show them who we are, they love it. I had printed out some of the Galloway thread by way of explaining "who we are", and some of the posts on the Dose. They don't know about us and they sure don't know how much Americans support them. I guess all of them must have been only able to see CNN - and think most Americans are against this war and THEM. That's the important part - we must make it clear that we support their efforts, of eliminating one tyrant at a time, and of THEM.

Snip..
[A paragraph on weather concerns for the weekend deleted, for brevity.]

Time to leave.

I have the biggest grin on my face, thinking about how thrilled those guys were to get the phonecards yesterday. Everyone of the them in Orthopedics were from somewhere else than this area, and they desperately needed those cards to keep in touch with family.

Goal? Hits floors 3,4, and 6 this weekend.



259 posted on 12/13/2003 10:24:01 AM PST by TruthNtegrity (God bless America, God bless President George W. Bush and God bless our Military!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 257 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]


Update, today, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2003 -

With the additional security of Sec. of State Colin Powell being hospitalized at WRAMC and then today, the announced visit of the President, scheduled for tomorrow, I probably won't be able to get in again until later on Thursday. Security has been tight and will be even tighter.

I have purchased more Christmas cards and assorted note cards, and assorted "occasion" (Birthday, Anniversay, etc.) to take to the guys because like MJY1288, I discovered how much they appreciate them. I've run out of pads of paper, and replenished this supply as well.

I have prepared my "book carrier", a canvas bag on wheels, for my next trip, probably not to occur until late-afternoon Thursday, for reasons stated above.

I'd also like to add that I talked with MJY1288 a few minutes ago, and he told me that he'd sent 4 rolls (those are 100-stamp rolls!) to WRAMC with his sister-in-law who is a social worker at a VA Hospital in DC. Having a DoD sticker on your vehicle really helps! He told me he asked her to take them to wards 57 and 58 (Orthopedics and Neuroscience, respectively) and to pick two other wards to give them to.

Now I need to get back in there so they have more cards and envelopes to put those stamps on!

Thanks so much, Mike.

I want to reiterate that most of the items I've given away, are from FReepers. I have added some small donations of Hostess pastry, candy and magazines that I have purchased.

God bless the generosity of FReepers, and God bless our wounded warriors.

[baseballmom]

First, Baseballmom, did you post your trip report here on the Galloway thread, or only on Wednesday's (?I think?) Dose?

No, TNt, I didn't. Just posted on the Dose thread. I'll see if I can find it. Thanks to you and Mike and the DC Freepers for your thoughtfulness in visiting these guys.

[Angelwood]

Thanks for the reports and for getting to Walter Reed to see the soldiers and pass out contributed items to them. I am going to try to get over there on Friday -- not sure if I can, but it is on my agenda for the day.