Davis Calls Kiley Resignation A 'Step Forward'
'No Way to Treat Our Heroes,' Congressman Says

March 12, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, called the resignation of Army Surgeon General Kevin Kiley "a step forward" toward addressing problems at Walter Reed Medical Center and other military hospitals and hailed a new era of accountability for the brass who run these facilities.

"Gen. Kiley did not seem to understand the scope of his job," said Davis, whose efforts to address problems at Walter Reed pre-dated by years the highly acclaimed stories in The Washington Post that have led to hearings and, now, the general's resignation. "He said (at a hearing on March 5) that he doesn't inspect barracks. If he had paid more attention to such details, he wouldn't be in this position right now. This was no way to treat American heroes."

The Post series highlighted a variety of problems at Walter Reed, including barracks infested by mold, improper classification of injured and wounded soldiers, lapses in care and other shortcomings. Rep. Davis and his staff have been helping soldiers and their families work through the unresponsive and too-often-uncaring system at Walter Reed for years now. Kiley's testimony at the March 5 hearing was widely regarded as out of touch and inappropriate.

"It is appropriate that Gen. Kiley step down," Davis said. "But we must remember that one more political scalp on the wall won't fix Walter Reed or the system-wide problems that plague care for wounded soldiers. Everyone involved, from the Secretary of Defense to the maintenance worker, should redouble efforts to meet the standard of care returning heroes deserve. That means streamlined systems, responsive case managers, fair disability reviews and compassionate counseling. A new surgeon general is a good start, but that's all it is."