[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 45 (Monday, November 12, 2007)]
[Pages 1477-1479]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Visit With Wounded Troops at Brooke Army Medical 
Center in San Antonio, Texas

November 8, 2007

    Thank you all very much for having me here today. If anybody were to 
come to this center, they would have to leave inspired and thankful, 
inspired by the service men and women who are recovering from wounds 
with such courage; thankful that there are instructors and preachers and 
volunteers who are helping these people get back on their feet and 
getting their lives together.
    This center was funded entirely by contributions of more than 
600,000 Americans through what's called the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. 
This center is a tribute to the generosity of the American people. Make 
no mistake about it, the American people support the men and women who 
wear our Nation's uniform. This center is a testament to our deep belief 
that someone wounded in the defense of America needs all the help he or 
she can get. The service men and women here have borne the burdens of 
battle. They have kept our country safe. We honor them and their 
families by helping them with all we can.
    I am here to highlight one of the world's top rehabilitation 
facilities, right here in my home State of San Antonio, Texas. It's a 
partnership between the private sector and the Federal Government. The 
Center for the Intrepid makes use of the best available technologies to 
give severely injured service members and amputees the opportunity to 
lead full and productive lives. That's the mission. The mission is to 
take a good man who I've met before and help him live a full and 
productive life.
    This facilities include a pool, a--where's my man; there he is--a 
wave runner--by the way, this guy from Oklahoma handled those waves 
pretty well--an indoor running track, a two-story climbing wall, a 
prosthesis center, a virtual driving program that teaches patients how 
to control an automobile--that was my driver, right there--a fully 
furnished apartment that helps patients learn to adjust to disabilities 
in the real-life world.
    This center also provides compassionate support for the families. 
The Fisher House Program--and I want to thank the Fishers for joining us 
today--provides onsite housing for up to 57 families, who--they're here 
to visit their injured loved ones. The Fisher family, that has supported 
the Fisher Houses, is a remarkable family, and these good folks 
represent the true spirit of America, people coming forth to help a 
neighbor in need. Real proud you both are here.
    Medical advances have enabled facilities such as this one to provide 
wounded warriors with care that would have been unimaginable just a 
decade ago. The technology that's being used here is state of the art. 
Our system for managing the care, however, has fallen behind. The 
technology has advanced; our system needs to be modernized.

[[Page 1478]]

    We have an outdated system that can bog down some of those 
recovering in a maze of bureaucracy. And that's what happened at Walter 
Reed Army Medical Center. The care at Walter Reed is fantastic. Our 
military doctors and nurses are some of the best in the world. The 
United States owes a huge debt of gratitude to the care providers at 
Walter Reed and at rehabilitation facilities like this one. However, 
there were serious problems caused by bureaucratic delays and 
administrative failures. And that is unacceptable. It's unacceptable to 
me as the Commander in Chief; it's unacceptable to the families of those 
who deserve the best care; and it's unacceptable to the American people.
    And so at my request, I asked Senator Bob Dole, former Secretary of 
Health and Human Services Donna Shalala to analyze the issue, to look at 
the problem, and to come up with specific recommendations for 
modernizing and improving our system of care. They came up with 
recommendations, and I strongly support them, and so should the United 
States Congress.
    Now, many of the recommendations require administrative action, and 
that's precisely what this administration is doing. For example, over 
the next few weeks, the first Federal recovery coordinators will be 
hired. These coordinators will guide seriously wounded service members 
through their recuperation. We don't want people to fall through the 
cracks of care. We don't want people to be confused by the system. We 
want people's families to be comfortable with the care that their loved 
one is receiving, and therefore, we'll have these specially trained 
people to stay with a person throughout their rehabilitation.
    A pilot program to establish a single comprehensive disability exam 
is underway. This replaces the two difficult--two different, difficult 
exams that service members must currently undergo through the Defense 
and Veterans Affairs Departments separately. It makes no sense. Somebody 
gets hurt, there ought to be one exam, not two. The whole purpose is to 
analyze somebody to make sure that they get that which they're entitled 
to as quickly as possible, without confusion.
    We're working to aggressively prevent and treat Posttraumatic Stress 
Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. A new National Center for 
Excellence for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury has just hired its first 
staff members and moved into temporary offices. The purpose is to 
develop best practices. The real purpose is to make sure we help those 
coming out of combat to be able to adjust to real life as a civilian.
    The Defense Department is working to ensure that the best health 
professionals are kept on duty at Walter Reed. There's some concern that 
since Walter Reed will be shut down, that Walter Reed is not going to 
have the best there is. They don't have to worry about it. We'll make 
sure that those at Walter Reed are incented to stay there until there's 
a new facility opened in Washington, DC.
    And tomorrow the Department of Veterans Affairs will initiate two 
studies that will help provide the information necessary to modernize 
the veterans' disability system. The system needs to be modernized, and 
I want to make sure our men and women coming out of combat in 
Afghanistan and Iraq have a modern disability system. And that's what 
the studies are going to do.
    Now, some of the recommendations put forward by Dole-Shalala 
Commission require legislative action. And we're working with the 
Congress. I look forward to having quick action by the Congress on the 
Dole-Shalala Commission recommendations, just like I expect the United 
States Congress to get the Veterans Affairs appropriations bill to my 
desk. Now, look, there's obvious--some disagreements between me and the 
Congress, but there's no disagreement over the amount of money we're 
going to spend for veterans. And they need to get the bill--to do their 
job. They need to get the bill to the desk of the President as a stand-
alone piece of legislation, so the veterans of this country understand 
that we're going to support them.
    Congress needs to take prompt action on measures that will send a 
clear signal that we support our troops in the field, and we support 
them when they're coming off the field; that we support those in harm's 
way, and that we support those through the best possible care and 
rehabilitation facilities.
    Service members being treated here and at other veterans' facilities 
are focused on what they have left to give, rather than what

[[Page 1479]]

they have lost. And they have high hopes for their future.
    Our country is inspired by Americans that we find in facilities like 
this. Christian Bagge is a guy I met over here at the hospital. I'll 
never forget looking at Christian's eyes and wondering whether or not he 
was going to make it. See, both his legs were blown off, and he didn't 
look good. I knew he'd get the best possible care. I knew that this 
Government would do everything we could to help him heal. And after 
talking to him for a minute, I realized he had the courage necessary. He 
told me one thing--he looked at me, he said, ``Mr. President, you don't 
need to worry about me; someday I'm going to come to the White House and 
run with you on the South Lawn.'' I looked at him and said, ``Come on, 
Christian. I'll be ready when you are''--not sure whether or not this 
good man would really be able to do it; certain he wanted to, but 
unsure. And if you'd have been in my position, you would have too. After 
all, he'd just come off the battlefield and lost both his legs.
    Sure enough, the phone call came to the White House. Christian came. 
Guy who had both legs blown off, as a result of the care and compassion 
and as a result of the courage in his heart, came to run with the 
President at the White House. Plus, he outran me.
    The spirit of America is strong in facilities like this. Our country 
is a remarkable country that has produced men and women who volunteer to 
protect our Nation in the face of danger. And there's no better example 
of finding those type of citizens than right here, citizens who have 
shown incredible courage, citizens who love our country, and citizens 
whose resolve is inspiring.
    And so I appreciate you letting me come by. May God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 4:27 p.m. at the Center for the Intrepid. 
In his remarks, he referred to former Senator Bob Dole and former 
Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala, Cochairs, 
President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors.