Leahy Sends Aide To Georgia Army Base
To Investigate Treatment Of Ill U.S. Veterans Of Iraq War
WASHINGTON (Tuesday, Oct. 21) -- Sen. Patrick
Leahy (D-Vt.), co-chair of the 83-member U.S. Senate National Guard
Caucus, has dispatched a member of his staff to investigate reports
that hundreds of wounded or sick Guard and Reserve soldiers – many,
who have returned from service in Iraq -- are living in inadequate
barracks and facing poor medical conditions. All are on “medical
hold” while their medical conditions are assessed. The majority of
the reservists reportedly have returned from service in Iraq; others
were not sent to Iraq while their conditions are evaluated.
According to print and broadcast reports, the
Army is housing more than 600 members of the National Guard and
Reserve, who are on active duty with the 3rd Infantry
Division, in extremely austere conditions at their base in Fort
Stewart, Ga. The New York Times Tuesday reported that they are
housed in cinderblock training barracks that lack indoor sanitary
facilities and showers, air-conditioning, and even window screens.
The news stories also reported that the veterans have received
inadequate medical attention despite their “medical hold” status.
“These news accounts are troubling, and if they
are accurate, the treatment given to these troops is inexcusable,”
said Leahy. “We need to find the facts and correct any problems
that we find.”
The co-leader (with Leahy) of the National
Guard Caucus, Sen. Chris Bond (R-Mo.), also sent a staff aide to
assess the situation at the Georgia base. Bond and Leahy intend to
release a joint statement of their findings on Thursday.
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