The Army will take a look at its Warrior Transition Units, which take care of soldiers with psychological trauma and physical injuries, after a Page One story where The New York Times blasted the centers as mere “warehousing” of these combat veterans. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/us/04warrior.html?ref=us
Gen. Peter Chiarelli, vice chief of staff of the Army, paid a visit earlier this week to the warrior unit at Fort Carson, Colo., which The Times had discussed in its story.
“WTUs are really, really new units, and we learn every day,” the general said at a press conference, The Times reported. “I think you all know that the article that was in The Times pointed to some things we want to make sure we are looking at not only here in this WTU, but all our WTUs.”
In The Times first story, soldiers in WTUs complained that they were being given, and becoming addicted to, prescription drugs rather than receiving psychological therapy. Others charged that noncommissioned officers baited the soldiers in the units, accusing them of faking their injuries and mental problems.
In response, the Army has countered that 80 percent of those who go through the units have said they were satisfied with their treatment.
General Chariella said that the issues raised about Fort Carson have been raised about other WTUs, and articles outlining the problems could have been written about those units, as well.
While we’re glad that the Army quickly sent not only the general but also Brig. Gen. Gary Cheek, head of the Warrior Transition Command, to Fort Carson. They had meetings with soldiers, their family members and staff at the WTU to address the charges made by The Times.
