Why are US military nurses being moved from Walter Reed to Iraq?

[donsu]

http://www.margieburns.com/blog/_archives/2005/2/14/324283.html


Bad news, it looks like: about 35 nurses from different branches of the service now working at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, are being told they have 30 days to get their affairs in order. Next stop, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for about 5 weeks. Then it’s on to Iraq.

The exact destination in Iraq is not stated, but they’re being assigned to field hospitals. Whatever the destination, it’s serious enough that female nurses are getting buzz cuts.

The 35 or so nurses being shipped out are the equivalent of “one floor” of round-the-clock shifts at Walter Reed, all of whom have heavy-duty experience in the shock trauma unit or the burns ward. Apparently all or most of them, in other words, are experienced in trauma. However, some at least are civilian nurses who joined the military for the steady job and were guaranteed four full years at Walter Reed, who still have most of that time left to serve. The need for nurses in the service is dire. A number of the nurses previously serving in Germany had their stints involuntarily extended and consequently decided not to re-up when their time to sign came back around.

-snip-

The more sinister possibility is that this is one early warning sign of some new deviltry planned for Iraq by the White House. The quietness and abruptness of the move do not inspire confidence, though admittedly the quietness and abruptness could be a political response to a worsening combat situation that the White House will not acknowledge.
-snip-
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what kool aid will be fed them during the 5 wks. in La.?
5 wks.?

[cthrumatrix]

1. well the 14 army bases need nurses ---- we aren't going anywhere

lie # 1045 this year

[thinkingwoman]

2. because the U.S. is going to go into Iran

and the casualties are going to be high.

[caligirl]

3. La. for issuing flak vests, training in some skills to defend themselves

They could be going for some combat self defense trainng. Like what do you do if your attacked? Prep for going into a combat zone.

[InfluenzB]

4. It happens during every war