One Year after Walter Reed: An Independent Assessment of the Care, Support, and Disability Evaluation for Wounded Soldiers

On February 27, 2008, the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled, “One Year after Walter Reed: An Independent Assessment of the Care, Support, and Disability Evaluation for Wounded Soldiers.”

The Subcommittee heard from top officials from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) who provided their extensive, independent assessment – one year after the Subcommittee’s initial Walter Reed hearing – into the progress by the executive branch in reforming the health care system for wounded soldiers. The GAO also highlighted remaining challenges, particularly with respect to efforts in reforming the disability evaluation system. Key officials from the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs also testified. This hearing marked the Subcommittee’s fourth oversight hearing into the executive branch’s actions and plans to reform the military health care system.

Witness List:

Mr. John Pendleton, Acting Director, Health Care, U.S. Government Accountability Office

Mr. Daniel Bertoni, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, U.S. Government Accountability Office

Lieutenant General Eric Schoomaker, Surgeon General/Commander U.S. Army Medical Command

Honorable Michael L. Dominguez, Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense(Personnel and Readiness), U.S. Department of Defense

Honorable Patrick W. Dunne (RADM ret.), Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs