Wounded Soldiers Will See Better Care

Press Release

Enzi shares Wyoming soldier experience

Wounded soldiers and their families will see less red tape and more cooperation from government agencies if recommendations from a presidential commission are implemented, according to U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.

"It is America's obligation to provide the best resources and medical treatment for our troops overseas and this treatment must extend to the care of our veterans right here at home," said Enzi. "This extensive look at the entire medical care system operated by the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs was needed to address and fix deficiencies in the system. We need to do whatever is necessary to correct them and I look forward to the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs plans for implementation."

The President's Commission on Care for America's Wounded Warriors focused on treating post-traumatic stress disorder, improving transferability of patient information between departments and four other recommendations it released in a report this week.

The Commission was established by an executive order from President Bush in March 2007 to look at the care for injured troops from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The Commission was charged with: conducting a comprehensive review of services America is providing to our wounded warriors and delivering recommendations to the President, Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Veterans Affairs on ways to improve treatment of soldiers.

Enzi Submits Wyoming Soldier Testimony

Enzi formally submitted, to the Commission, an experience from a Wyoming soldier who spent time at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital following a tour in Iraq. The soldier wanted to share his experience and suggestions to help the Commission compile its final report. In May Enzi solicited active duty personnel and veterans to take advantage of the opportunity to share their medical treatment experiences to help the Commission gain accurate assessments and improve the medical care for our active duty armed forces personnel and veterans.

The Commission's recommendations include: immediately creating comprehensive recovery plans to provide the right care and support at the right time and the right place, completely restructuring the disability and compensation systems, aggressively preventing and treating post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, significantly strengthening support for families, rapidly transferring patient information between the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs and strongly supporting Walter Reed Army Medical Center by recruiting and retaining first-rate professionals through 2011.

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