American Legion to Navy: 'Fix Walter Reed Barracks Now'

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Feb 07, 2022, 12:24 ET

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The head of the nation's largest veterans organization is demanding immediate action to fix unacceptable living conditions that reportedly exist in junior enlisted barracks at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

"If the reports in the Military Times and Reddit are accurate, the senior brass at Walter Reed and the Department of Defense have a lot of explaining to do," American Legion National Commander Paul E. Dillard said today about the lack of hot water, broken locks and broken air conditioners that have reportedly existed for several years. "I understand that certain hardships are to be expected in combat zones, but Walter Reed is located near our nation's capital. It is the flagship facility for our wounded, injured and ill servicemembers. By all accounts, their caregivers do an amazing job in treating our nation's heroes. The Navy corpsmen and Army medics deserve far better living conditions than this. If a private sector company ran a housing facility of this kind, the company would be labelled a 'slum lord.'"

Dillard said he was particularly moved by a source in the Military Times who reported, "They call Walter Reed the 'corpsman killer.' You come home after 10 to 12 hours and you can't take a shower after working in a hospital with constant germs, it doesn't feel like your getting clean, and we're in a pandemic."

Dillard noted that the names of the buildings are "Comfort" and "Sanctuary," yet the conditions reported there describe the opposite. "While a full investigation into these longtime deficiencies needs to be launched, priority one must be to immediately improve the conditions for those impacted. The military needs to provide quality billeting for these men and women, even if that means using hotels as a temporary measure. Comfort and sanctuary are not mere labels to put on buildings, but a mission statement for those entrusted to provide housing for our military. We expect this situation to be resolved post haste," Dillard said.

The American Legion is dedicated to the motto of "Veterans Strengthening America." Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to servicemembers and veterans. Nearly 1.8 million members in more than 12,000 posts across the nation and regions overseas serve their communities with a devotion to mutual helpfulness.

Media contact: John Raughter, [email protected], 317-630-1350.

SOURCE The American Legion