Mark Benjamin reported in Salon this week about developments at Ft. Benning, Ga., where he found the military “deploying troops [to Iraq] with serious injuries and other medical problems, including GIs who doctors have said are medically unfit for battle. Some are too injured to wear their body armor, according to medical records.” It had all the makings of yet another breathtaking scandal. Indeed, it combined some of the worst elements of the administration’s military policy — neglecting injured troops and sending unprepared soldiers into Iraq.
Regrettably, the story was largely ignored by the traditional media. Fortunately, it did not escape the attention of House Democrats. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton and Military Personnel Subcommittee Chairman Vic Snyder have asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to undertake an immediate review of allegations that wounded and injured soldiers are being sent to Iraq. Their letter to the Comptroller General explained:
The concerns at Walter Reed have raised the attention and awareness of the challenges that wounded and injured service members face. The committee has received a number of phone calls and letters from concerned service members and their families, including similar allegations that injured and wounded service members are being deployed into combat despite their injuries. It would help the committee to understand whether members with profiles that limit their physical ability are actually placed into positions that recognize their physical limitations or whether, due to the demands of the conflict, are being required to work outside of their physical profiles and the extent to which this is happening.
The continued high operational tempo and the President’s recent decision to surge the force in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom is placing a heavy stress on the force. However, we cannot let these demanding deployments drive the force to send unfit wounded and injured service members into combat.
Salon.com’s Benjamin also continues to follow-up on his story.
ThinkProgress reported:
Also yesterday, Benjamin appeared on Hardball, one of the few mainstream media organizations to cover the scoop. Benjamin noted that the Army does not dispute the central claim of his report. “When I interviewed the brigade commander here, he is not disputing that he is sending people back to Iraq with some of these problems. What he’s saying is that I’ll put them behind a desk and they’ll be safe,” Benjamin said. “The soldiers frankly just don’t buy it. I mean, they’ve been to Iraq before and there’s just not that many safe places.”
Benjamin appeared with Army Sgr. Ronald Jenkins, who was ordered to Iraq despite having spinal fusion surgery that made it extremely difficult for him to wear body armor. Jenkins admitted he was “concerned about reprisal” for speaking out, but said, “this is about taking care of soldiers. And, you know, this is what I’ve done my whole career … and a lot of soldiers, like I said, they can’t speak out.” Jenkins said that since the story was published, he was informed he was no longer being sent to Iraq.
Funny how that works out, isn’t it? Jenkins told Benjamin that he agreed to speak to Salon because he hoped public attention will help wounded soldiers from being sent to Iraq. “I can’t sit back and let this happen to me or other soldiers in my position.” And sure enough, Jenkins is no longer being deployed.
Whaddaya know, public humiliation can affect the administration’s decisions.