A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Bethesda, Maryland, today at the site of the new Walter Reed Medical Center. The new facility will combine the National Naval Medical Center with the current Walter Reed, offering more complete care to all members of the armed forces.
President Bush attended the ceremony and spoke about the many benefits that the new facility will provide Veterans, including increased access to medical specialists.
The construction of this new facility is particularly newsworthy because of the revelations two years ago about the terrible conditions at the current Walter Reed.
Although the facility was scheduled for closure before the reports surfaced, the news of substandard care prompted special investigations by the government and forced all Americans to take a hard look at the way Veterans were being treated upon returning from duty.
The project, which will cost $970 million, will be completed in 2011.
