Hegseth Failed To Ensure Proper Care For Soldiers Wounded In Iran War

Yes, what you saw in the headline is true. When Trump started his war with Iran there was no plan to beef up the ability of bases in the region to defend against an Iranian response. That lack of preparation was appalling but it gets worse. People were killed that night and dozens more were wounded – some quite seriously. Yet many didn’t receive proper medical care from the DOD then, and sometimes for weeks and even months afterwards. I guess Hegesth was as always more concerned with cosplaying Patton to our top militiary leaders, or making videos of him working out with RFK Jr. or small groups of troops.  Ensuring those wounded by enemy fire got prompt and world class care wasn’t a priority.

It’s difficult for me  to believe. However this article from The New Republic  notes that at a makeshift tactical operations center in Kuwait was targeted by Iran. Six of our troops were killed and more than 30 were injured..  Bluntly put the DOD failed (as we’ve since learned) to provide even basic means for defending themselves (blast walls, bunkers, etc.) much less missile defense.  Worse, multiple troops injured during that attack say the Pentagon failed in providing the kind of medical care we assume they would have, and should have gotten: their government also neglected them in the aftermath.  I can easily imagine Hegseth paraphrasing Trump and saying he only likes troops who don’t get themselves wounded. Even when he leaves the exposed and/or defenseless.

The linked article states at least nine of the wounded spoke to the Associated Press about how our military’s medical system failed them.  Crucially some were willing to do so on the record including career commissioned Officers:

Army Lieutenant Colonel Arturo Lincón, a veteran of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, suffered extensive injuries from shrapnel, including to his left vertebral artery, which put him at risk for a stroke. However, his injuries were not considered serious enough to get him admitted to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Instead, he was dismissed to the Army barracks and instructed to schedule outpatient appointments.

“I was just kind of on my own, at least it felt like that,” Lincón told the AP. He underwent weeks of specialized outpatient care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington. Months later, he is still struggling to receive Traumatic Injury benefits under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance.

Another servicemember, Major Stephen Ramsbottom, said he waited over four months to receive MRI results after he had shrapnel removed from his head. “I’ve had to build my own case for everything,” Ramsbottom told the outlet. “It’s very frustrating.”

The New Republic article goes on to say that although some of the wounded were evacuated from Kuwait within a couple of days more than a few had to wait. In some cases as much as a couple of weeks!  Granted before putting people on MedVac flights they have to be stable enough to survive the trip to Germany where first class care at our military hospital has long helped so many of our wounded troops.  This however wasn’t a case of critically wounded in front line ICUs being stabilized before transport.  We’re talking about sometimes seriously wounded but medically stable soldiers who should have been on their way to Germany (and then to the U.S.) within a day. Or two at most:

One group was not evacuated out of Kuwait for 10 days after the attack, including Chief Warrant Officer 4 Rodney Bearman, who had shrapnel embedded in his face and legs. When the soldiers were eventually evacuated, they were strapped to the floor of a cargo plane and taken to Germany. When the group arrived, Bearman said he learned that the military had not documented them as wounded in combat, so they would not receive medical treatment at Landstuhl. Bearman told the AP they were not documented as wounded in combat due to a coding error.

“Never did I think that if I was wounded that these things would happen,” said Bearman. “Some sacred trust that I thought would never be broken was broken.”

Color me skeptical but ‘coding error’ my ass! This is the Trump administration we’re talking about and in their rush to attack they simply didn’t properly prepare. Or even warn units at risk of being targeted by Iran with even a couple days notice to at least dig some ditches instead of being in non-reinforced buildings with no nearby blast walls when missiles might come raining down on them.  Self-styled Warrior Petey Boy got caught with his pants down as the damage and casualties Iran inflicted from the get-go prove.  I don’t think it takes any stretch of the imagination to think the likely reason to keep these wounded (some pretty seriously) troops in Kuwait that long was to keep the press from finding out how effective Iranian counterattacks had been.

‘Caring for those who bore the battle’ simply wasn’t a priority and perhaps even a nuisance for Hegseth.  We shouldn’t be surprised. Trump was dismissive of John McCain’s service and the resulting physical infirmities he suffered for the rest of his life, saying (on camera) ‘I like guys that didn’t get captured.’ Apparently Hegseth feels the same way about those wounded in this war. We’ve had a tough time getting an accurate number of those killed and an even tougher time finding out how many have been wounded. Now we are learning that from the early hours of the war proper medical care to some severely wounded wasn’t provided!  I guess ‘Warrior’ Petey BOY ‘only likes troops who don’t get injured.’

For all his pretend, and playing up having ‘served in war zones’ the fact is Hegseth was never a line infantry officer leading a platoon or company in combat.  Providing cover for field medics as they crawled to the wounded under fire, or medivac choppers in the heat of battle isn’t something he’s familiar with except in reading/hearing stories from others who’ve done so.  As a Marine (my active duty was more decades ago than I care to admit) and a ‘grunt’ in particular I held the Navy Corpsman types (the “Green Side, field/combat ones that live and train and go into combat with Marines) in awe.

Those who earned the title “Doc” were considered fellow Marines.  In war after war they have risked all to help the wounded, getting injured and even killed sometimes.  In the glossary of Green Side Out retired Major (he was a mustang) Gene Duncan defined them this way: Corpsman – usually a young, long-haired, bearded Marine-hatin sailor with certain medical skills, who would crawl through the very gates of hell to get to a wounded Marine.  In the Army the sentiment towards combat medics that serve in combat is the same because they too would go into hell to save the wounded.

This has been what grunts have seen countless times in many wars as I’ve already said. If some enlisted types are willing to risk and sacrifice that much to help the wounded, you’d think those higher up in relative, or often absolutely safety in MASH units, clinics and hospitals would do everything they can as fast as they can to provide the very best care that can be provided.  We used to be able to count on that. Not in Pete Hegseth’s military.  It’s not like his boss, the President gives a rat’s ass either.

Well, if journalists want to be worthy of respect they need to blow this up into a HUGE story starting right freaking now! This President and SecDef need to get raked over the coals.  Our troops, including and especially those who stand into harm’s way should know that if wounded in the line of duty they will get the best care available starting from the moment someone gets to them to treat them and get them to more advanced care. THIS administration has broken what had been counted on by troops as a sacred trust.  Trump and Hegseth CAN’T be allowed to get away with this

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