Ex Walter Reed Major General Weightman Subpoenaed by Oversight Committee

    Its seems that part of the problem with Walter Reed may be that the place was well on its way to being privatized so far are services are concerned.

    The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform had invited Maj. Gen. George Weightman to come over to the committee and testify on some of the committee's concerns about the problem at the hospital but it turns out the Army would not let him testify.

 Chairman Henry Waxman and subcommittee Chairman John Tierney  wanted to ask George Weightman about a memo which said that privatization of Walter Reed services may put “patient care services… at risk of mission failure.”

    The Army brass would give the Oversight committee a good reason on why Weightman shouldn't testify before them so the committee subpoenaed him to speak to them.     Source

Army times

By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Mar 3, 2007

The committee wants to learn more about a letter written in September by Garrison Commander Peter Garibaldi to Weightman.

The memorandum “describes how the Army’s decision to privatize support services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was causing an exodus of ‘highly skilled and experienced personnel,’” the committee’s letter states. “According to multiple sources, the decision to privatize support services at Walter Reed led to a precipitous drop in support personnel at Walter Reed.”

The letter said Walter Reed also awarded a five-year, $120-million contract to IAP Worldwide Services, which is run by Al Neffgen, a former senior Halliburton official.

They also found that more than 300 federal employees providing facilities management services at Walter Reed had drooped to fewer than 60 by Feb. 3, 2007, the day before IAP took over facilities management. IAP replaced the remaining 60 employees with only 50 private workers.   Entire Article

 

Technorati tags: Technorati tags: George Weightman, Walter Reed, Oversight Committee, Henry Waxman, US Army