Walter Reed Official Returned To Full Duty

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Washington Post
May 26, 2007
Pg. 4
By Steve Vogel, Washington Post Staff Writer
A senior commander at Walter Reed Army Medical Center who was placed on administrative leave earlier this month has been returned to full duty after an internal investigation cleared him of responsibility for leadership failures at the facility, a hospital official said yesterday.
Col. Virgil T. Deal, who as the health-care system's commander oversaw much of the hospital's operations, was removed from the post on May 3 by Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, the hospital commander.
"Schoomaker's intent at that time was to relieve Deal of command," Steve Sanderson, a spokesman for Walter Reed, said yesterday.
But while on administrative leave, Deal's response "to the identified leadership shortcomings convinced Schoomaker to return the colonel to full duties as the commander of the Walter Reed health-care system," Sanderson said. "Deal has since responded in detail to all of the concerns, and Schoomaker is satisfied, having full trust and confidence in Deal's abilities to command this health-care network."
However, Deal, who returned to his job on Monday, was there only long enough to turn over command to his replacement, Col. Patricia Horoho, Walter Reed's former deputy commander for nursing, who took over health-care systems in a ceremony Thursday morning. Horoho commanded the DeWitt Health Care Network at Fort Belvoir from 2004 to 2006.
Deal had been scheduled to turn over command before he was placed on leave, officials said. "Yesterday's change of command had been scheduled for the past six months," Sanderson said. "The change of command is the only reason he departed for his next assignment."
Deal's new assignment is at Fort Bragg, N.C. He still faces administrative procedures in connection with the problems in long-term health care at Walter Reed. "Deal's performance has not been flawless, and Schoomaker will take administrative action to address these shortcomings," Sanderson said.
 
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