WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) -- The exit of the U.S. Army's surgeon general hasn't satisfied a top Democrat in Congress.
The retirement of U.S. Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley Monday was necessary, but it was only a single step in the struggle to repair the U.S. military medical system following the Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal, Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, said in a statement Monday.
"Leaders must be held accountable for what happens under their command. The changes in leadership that have occurred since the situation at Walter Reed gained public attention are the first step. But this step alone will not fix the problems that our wounded and injured service members experience when they are in recovery," Skelton said.
"With the installation of new leaders, the real test will be making sure that the work fixing problems actually gets done," the congressman said.
"The House Armed Services Committee will be preparing legislation to improve administration, eliminate bureaucracy, and ease transition issues for our service members and their families, and I believe Congress is willing to help the Pentagon make the necessary changes to see this through," he said.
Skelton's statement indicated that the new Democratic leadership in the 110th Congress remained determined to push through legislation to force major changes and improvements in the function of the U.S. military health care system, and that the Democrats would not be satisfied simply with new leaders being appointed to operate it.
