Army Secretary Who Resigned Over Walter Reed Given Lavish Farewell Ceremony
Army Secretary Who Resigned Over Walter Reed Given Lavish Farewell Ceremony
Army Secretary Francis Harvey resigned last week after the neglect and squalor at Walter Reed military hospital was exposed by the Washington Post.
Harvey not only oversaw these conditions, but chose to place Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley — who had been personally aware for years about the problems and apparently done nothing — back in control of the hospital. That decision was reversed days later by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Despite the terms of his resignation, Harvey today was given a celebratory farewell ceremony at the large Conmy Hall in Virginia, pictured below. ThinkProgress obtained a media advisory promoting the event, which states that Army chief of staff Peter Schoomaker would be hosting the “farewell ceremony in honor” of Harvey.
In the text of his “Message to the Army,” Harvey says, “I am leaving your ranks saddened,” but claims that the “well-being” of “Soldiers and their families” has “always been my highest priority.”
Significant progress has also been made in force and business transformation, modernization, leader development, and the well-being of Soldiers and their families - your well-being has always been my highest priority.
The press advisory notes, “The Secretary of the Army will not conduct a media availability before or after the ceremony.”
Your tax dollars at work. (And how long until the Medal of Freedom?)
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The press advisory notes, “The Secretary of the Army will not conduct a media availability before or after the ceremony.â€
Such great lengths to shield themselves, God forbid someone asks them a tough question, why stop now?
March 9th, 2007 at 5:41 pmNext: Medal of Honor!
March 9th, 2007 at 5:51 pmGood riddance. Who’s paying for all this crap? Undoubtably, the American taxpayers, as usual. Harvey, don’t let the door hit ya, where the good Lord split ya.
March 9th, 2007 at 5:53 pmThe farewell ceremony was a nice touch - I know it doesn’t quite live up to Progressive PotLuck standards, but….
I was hoping you’d give Congressman Obey’s, remarks to a fed-up military mom some coverage. And what about the Left-wacks who have been arrested in his offices? Obey has been a consistent anti-war voice, but he is learning the realities of the new Congress. Maybe TP could help extend a olive branch or peace pipe between liberals and Leftards.
March 9th, 2007 at 5:59 pmof COURSE they won’t conduct a “media availability…” they didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, ya know…
And, yes, I DO take it personally
March 9th, 2007 at 6:08 pmViral Virus, you ignorant slut. Is there nothing this administration could do that you wouldn’t support? The Walter Reed issue should be so far beyond politics, we are talking about the level of treatment for our injured soldiers. Do you even realize in your pus-filled heart that supporting Harvey is the opposite of supporting the troops?
Could you please stfu? Go back to typing up today’s court transcripts, like you’re paid to do.
March 9th, 2007 at 6:25 pmattention all: I’ve posted comments at sistertoldjah only to be deleted and banished, BUT if you go to wwwrightvoices, the comments will stand. I posted there over the last few days under the names che, chairman mao, and hanoi jane with posts like ‘Jane Fonda/Hillary Clinton for pres/vp in 2008′, or ‘Coulter calls Edwards a fag at CPAC who then honors a real one’, or ‘the perfect couple; Trannie Coulter & O.J. Simpson.’
March 9th, 2007 at 6:28 pmThis man has devoted his life to this country’s military and Nico is complaining because he was given a farewell ceremony. I guess he should have been taken out back and shot.
March 9th, 2007 at 6:39 pmLavish?
March 9th, 2007 at 6:47 pmHow much does a bucket of tar and four or five down pillows cost?
Oh PULeeze. Guess our tax money is paying for this.
March 9th, 2007 at 6:50 pmmandolin,
I hear you brother, but I think you are a little over the top. All this guy did was ignore the injured soldiers he was in charge of. Like a dereliction of duty, not like he actually put those cockroaches there himself or anything.
So I think shooting the miserable f*ck is a little too harsh. How about maybe a simple castration?
I appreciate your obvious concern for our wounded though, you are a true Repugnicunt.
March 9th, 2007 at 6:50 pm“You did a heckuva job Harv.”
“Now kiss the ring and get lost.”
King George the Dumb
March 9th, 2007 at 6:56 pmwhat a frigging joke. just another example of how bankrupted the Republicans are.
March 9th, 2007 at 7:04 pmFire all the people who attended the party for starters.
March 9th, 2007 at 7:12 pmI like mandolin’s idea best. I bet she’d die in favor of capital punishment
March 9th, 2007 at 7:30 pmThe man should have been court marshalled for deriliction of duty. Contrary to the current trend in paying millions to failed CEOs and giving the MOFreedom to traitors and criminals, there should at least be a punishment for having something like that happen on his watch. I mean really!!!! Is there absolutely NO HONOR in these men???? Have they NO SHAME?????
March 9th, 2007 at 7:33 pmTHe party should have consisted of cockroach laden tables covered with rotting food served in a rat infested partly demolished room.
March 9th, 2007 at 7:42 pmHey, if he’d worked for a Fortune 500 company, he’d have gotten the ceremony, and a $40 million severance bonus. We should consider ourselves lucky.
Nick Kasoff
March 9th, 2007 at 7:55 pmThe Thug Report
Lucky. He should consider himself lucky we don’t take him out horsewhip him and then send him to the stockades for a sojourn in the sun. That is if the american people developed some guts.
March 9th, 2007 at 8:00 pmEvery day there is something!
It literally made me feel nauseous to hear this. One thing after another, they have no clue that this is insane. Fire somebody for being responsible for soldiers dying due to neglect and then celebrate that person. The adminstration has no shame.
Barbro
March 9th, 2007 at 8:29 pmHAS ANYONE TRIED TO DEBATE WITH THE RIGHT WINGNUTS OVER AT TOWNHALL LATELY?!?!
March 9th, 2007 at 8:30 pmYou can cite facts from REPUBLICANS to them and they will deny them if it suits their daily need to smear a Progressive or Democrat! It is futility manifest to try and convince them that cronyism such as that evidenced here with the Harvey piece is what their Fascist Reaganite States of America runs on these days.
The Republican Hoiploi Philosophy: only Democrats/Liberals conspire, lie and commit crime. All Republicans are sacrosanct and Ronnie the Gipper is a God.
The entire right-wing edifice is crumbling and revealing the corrupt putrid pile of crap it is. The only thing keeping the stink afloat is the billions of taxpayer dollars siphoned off by BushCo.
They trade our childrens blood for buckets of oil. Buckets of blood for buckets of oil.
March 9th, 2007 at 8:38 pmShirley; have some fun at http://www.rightvoices.com It’s a reichwing blog, but I posted there with ‘Jane Fonda/Hillary Clinton for pres/vp in 2008′, and ‘the perfect couple; Trannie Coulter & O.J. Simpson. under the names of che, chairman mao, and hanoi jane. I have not been deleted/banned over the last few days. : )
March 9th, 2007 at 8:40 pmuhm… i am sometimes embarrassed of how little my fellow liberals know about how the military works. First of all, this is the military, which is 100% supported by the government, so of course are tax dollars are paying for it. But it isn’t really costing anything extra. All of the people involved are already payed by the military, they own the venue, etc. Maybe the sprung for some cookies and punch or something, but sheesh, the guy has probably served in the military for 25 years at least to get to this rank and while he may or may not be to blame fully or partially for anything going on at Walter Reed, this should grant him some credibility. It appears to me that he has been offered up as a scapegoat and sadly my fellow liberals have bought it hook line and sinker. The problem is not some mold, mice and roaches, it his how the government handles veterans of OIF and other conflicts such as myself.
Some of you sound like you are frothing at the mouth and that is frankly embarrassing.
March 9th, 2007 at 9:16 pmWe need to get rid of these welfare recipients. Talk about wasteful government. All these people lining up to shake this creep’s hand should be removed from the public largesse. Give the money to the vets.
Then get rid of the standing army. We didn’t have a standing army until WWII.
Your defense of people living off the taxpayer dollar, while they vote Republican to eviscerate the very government they’re sucking off of constitutes frothing.
You are doing the frothing.
March 9th, 2007 at 9:23 pmHey Mandolin,
This man has devoted his life to this country’s military??? Did you make that up as you typed your moronic post?
The majority of Harvey’s career has been spent with corporations that provided products and services to the federal government, particularly the United States Department of Defense.
Devoted to making money off our tax dollars.
March 9th, 2007 at 9:57 pmBen…Francis Harvey didn’t serve any time in the military at all…he’s just an overpaid party functionary who met Bush on an oilfield somewhere and parlayed it into a government job…like the rest of the Bush appointees (Brown, Chertoff, ad nauseum) he forgot he actually had to show up for work now and again…He should have had to spend a month on Walter Reed’s amputee ward, then maybe he’d deserve a parade.
March 9th, 2007 at 10:00 pmHey Ben,
You should be embarrassed. Harvey didn’t serve in the military and was appointed as secretary.
Prior to his appointment as the Secretary of the Army, Harvey held various professional, management and executive positions within the Westinghouse Corporation from 1969 to 1997, including President of the Electronics Systems Group, President of the Government and Environmental Services Company, and Chief Operating Officer of the multi billion dollar Industries and Technology Group. Most recently Harvey was a Director and Vice Chairman of Duratek, a company specializing in treating radioactive, hazardous, and other wastes, as well as a member of the board of several other corporations.
March 9th, 2007 at 10:03 pm“Lavish? How much does a bucket of tar and four or five down pillows cost?”
RUCerious, you just tickled my funny bone.
March 9th, 2007 at 10:12 pmBrownie should demand equal treatment,
March 9th, 2007 at 11:00 pmThe Bush Regime has gone insane, because that fool needs a prison term for criminally neglecting wounded soldiers.
March 9th, 2007 at 11:21 pmComment by ChildrenofLir — March 9, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
Can you show me one time in the history of the US that we did not have a standing army? I do not mean Army, as in the US Army, but army as in a standing military force in readiness.
March 9th, 2007 at 11:23 pmAndrew at 28, thanks for setting the record straight so accurately.
I had the unfortunate experience of interacting with the former Secretary in several of his jobs. He rose to prominence within Westinghouse closing contracts with the US military. He got them good prices, they gave him repeat contracts, and as he rose higher and higher in the corporate ranks he became ruder and meaner and more vain-glorious. He was more condescending to his underlings than any business executive I have ever observed in a LONG lifetime of doing work for Fortune 500 companies. And his career is endemic of the military-industrial incestuousness that Eisenhower warned us about when he left public service.
When Harvey was appointed to his current post, I got many E-mails from colleagues who knew of my association with him. I told them all Fran would enjoy military life — all those rigid people forced to treat him with deference would be just his cup of tea. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if he planned his own going-away bash and ordered people to attend.
It’s also no surprise to me that he would fail in his responsibility to care for people in need. He’s definitely a “what’s in it for me?” guy and I’ve never seen a hint of a compassion gene. And now he has a government pension to go along with his corporate golden parachute. Ain’t life grand?
March 10th, 2007 at 12:01 amActually, he should be given a 21 gun salute by a firing squad.
March 10th, 2007 at 12:11 am#4 I was hoping you’d give Congressman Obey’s, remarks to a fed-up military mom some coverage.
Aphrolite. It is getting covered by TP. See, those of us on the left don’t cover for our own if they are out of line. It would be nice if you righties were the same way.
#24 uhm… i am sometimes embarrassed of how little my fellow liberals know about how the military works
Benji, since when are you a liberal, Halliburton boy?
March 10th, 2007 at 12:21 amThe Army in Europe has announced that there will be no officially sponsored “Welcome Home” celebrations for returning troops due to lack of funds. The Army further advised that ceremonies such as “Change of Commands”would not be affected as these were “Tradition”.
March 10th, 2007 at 4:56 amHis “contact us” page: http://gingrey.house.gov/
….. This is beyond sick.
Food? Like the fresh meat of an amputated limb? One of the horror stories had a rat gnawing on the bandaged leg of one of these poor guys. And what’s poison for cockroaches is probably poison for humans too. We treat cats and dogs far better than we treat our troops.
I can’t take much more of this.
….. Blaming the Victims
Just another case of the heartless right wing blaming the victims.
..Let more of them come forward and say stuff exactly like this. Bring it.”Supporting the troops,” my ass… Un-effin-believable.
Words cannot describe my revulsion at this man’s comments…..
Comparing Walter Reed to a motel? What a retard!….. RePuke sh*thead!……Why do these people hate America?
March 10th, 2007 at 5:24 amThe Secretary of the Army tends to be figure head.
The funding and priorities determined by the Congress.
Managing the institution means fighting externally DOD and the Congress for more money, and internally Generals who are protectors of their own turf.
Harvey tried to use management slogans to foster change and fell victim to a institution that condenses all issues down to power point slides and is afraid to rock the boat and is hugely under funded
March 10th, 2007 at 8:54 amI agree wholeheartedly with mandolina’s suggestion.
March 10th, 2007 at 9:05 amWHaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!! no medal of freedom Im agast I thought all incompetent worthless powerhungry ppl in the bushit admin got one but better yet they can put a boot up his ass when he leaves cause thats the american way atleast it use to be
March 10th, 2007 at 9:49 amDoes this mean we should start giving every criminal who is released from prison a Rolls Royce and Platnum Mastercard?
They are having a party - at our expense… Literally.
March 10th, 2007 at 10:28 amI was in and around the military for 20 years, both as a military brat and a participant in the fiasco in Vietnam as a door gunner/observer in the Army Air Cav. If you think our military gives a shit about the average soldier you are sadly mistaken. This is not to say that there is no comaraderie in the ranks, or commanders who care for their troops. But to the organization itself ordinary soldiers are just so much cannon fodder. Francis Harvey and Gen. Kiley are prime examples of that. Eisenhower was right, but I think the M/I complex monster is now too big and powerful to smite. Be afraid, be very afraid-but not of enemies from outside our borders.
March 10th, 2007 at 10:56 amSurely, our wonderful president should award the former Sec of the Army
March 10th, 2007 at 11:06 amthe Medal of Freedom. He has already awarded the Medal to several
who failed the nation.
“Some of you sound like you are frothing at the mouth and that is frankly embarrassing.”
What is embarassing is that the military would honor someone who cared so little about the people he was supposed to protect.
It’s the same with Rumsfield - he gets “honored” for getting us into the worst military mess I have seen in my lifetime.
What the Bushies and the Republics honor is anyone who contributes to the military industrial complex. Funny thing about that term, it was Eisenhower who coined the phrase. I’ll bet he is turning over in his grave every day seeing how his warnings were ignored.
March 10th, 2007 at 3:12 pm“LAVISH FAREWELL”? ALL I WOULD HAVE GIVEN Harvey WOULD HAVE BEEN A MOLDY APPLE WITH A WORM IN IT, A GLASS OF SPOILED MILK(both in keeping with current Walter Reed HIGH standards), AND A GOOD KICK IN HIS DECREPIT ASS AND A HARD PUNCH IN HIS SMIRKING FACE–AND DITTO TO Kiley, WHY THE F*UCK IS Kiley STILL THERE?????
March 10th, 2007 at 6:07 pm[…] Secretary Francis Harvey resigned last week after the neglect and squalor at Walter Reed military hospital was exposed by the Washington […]
March 10th, 2007 at 6:24 pmAt least he’s not a hypocrite like Chuck Schumer
http://www.macsmind.com/ wordpress/ 2007/ 03/ 10/ imus-nukes-schumer-on-his-hypocrisy/
March 10th, 2007 at 6:39 pm[…] Army Secretary Who Resigned Over Walter Reed Given Lavish Farewell Ceremony […]
March 10th, 2007 at 11:40 pm[…] Lavish Going Away For Army Sec. Disgraced In Walter Reed Scandal […]
March 11th, 2007 at 12:34 amGreat comments here. As a retired Colonel with multiple combat tours including Iraq and with two sons in the service, I get to talk from the been there done that side. This administration has cut care for our wounded soldiers, denied care for our Veterans, allowed almost every military base to deteroriate so the family members live on bases that should be condemed, moved almost every Army Unit to a new location so the families are forced to move multiple times, sent troops to combat without the proper gear and the list goes on and on. Funny you do not hear this from the Navy, Marine Corps or Air Force. We all said six years ago that Rumsfeld would be bad for the Army, in fact that he hated the Army. He proved us right. The Army and especially this administration DOES NOT SUPPORT THE TROOPS.
I am ashamed of the leaders of the Army and their elected leader, our President. My sons will soon leave the service for good. I will never let another family member serve in the Army. I am sorry I did.
For all of you who believe that this administration is full of caring and good people, wake up.
Colonel
March 11th, 2007 at 2:46 pmNo suprise here. We had a First Sergeant get caught threatening defense witnesses in a court martial case. So rather than charge him with committing a crime that violated the US Constitution he was sworn to uphold, they gave him a retirement ceremony.
Fuck the troops. Kill ‘em all and let God sort out the ones worth keeping.
March 12th, 2007 at 3:32 pmIt is embarrasing to say that this man was a graduate of my local High School. Not all of the graduates are like that.
March 12th, 2007 at 7:34 pmThe thing about this is, I’ll bet that nearly every one of you guys that is indignant about the conditions at Walter Reed are the EXACT SAME PEOPLE that WANT to hand ALL HEALTHCARE to GOVERNMENT. I am willing to bet that none of you know how to learn a lesson… and that you for some unfathomable reason think it is a good idea for government to provide our health care for us… under whatever name you wish to use: “socilaized medicine” or “single payer” or whatever else.
The blatant stupidity of people to read these stories of government incopetence over and over and over again, and STILL want to put government in charg of important things… just blows my mind. PEOPLE WAKE UP. GOVERNMENT IS INCOMPETENT and CORRUPT. This has been known for centuries, literally. The founding fathers knew this explicitly.
People, this is NOT unusual. This is NOT unexpected. Wake up. Do NOT give your health care over to government where you will have NO CHOICE over conditions, where you will have to endure every hospital in America turning into Walter Reed or WORSE.
Ever been to the DMV? Imagine a visit to your doctors looking like that. Prove you are worth your large human brians. Learn from today’s events. Understand that government healthcare is about the most stupid choice you could ever make in your life, or the lives of your children, or grandchildren, for once private healthcare is lost, is is GONE FOREVER. IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO GET IT BACK.
March 19th, 2007 at 4:02 pm