"To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports"
ABC News was not able to get a screener of “To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports” out in time to writers outside of New York, but they did send a copy of its script, and it’s powerful, absorbing and disturbing stuff. Woodruff retraces his steps and rehabilitation after his injury in Iraq in January 2007 when he absorbed the force of a bomb in his face and chest, and then explores the stories of soldiers similarly injured in the war.
Fragments were embedded in his skull, a portion of which caved in (and has been replaced). Woodruff was in a medically induced coma for 36 days. He still remembers nothing of what happened.
Selected quotes from the film, airing tonight at 10 on ABC:
SECRETARY JAMES NICHOLSON
You know, there's no, not enough money in the world really that you can give people to make up for the loss that these people are suffering, physically, uh, mentally, and emotionally.
*
PAUL REICKHOFF
Those of us who've served in Iraq face kind of a second fight coming home. The VA is coming apart at the seams. And everybody sees it who deals with the VA on a daily basis and the people within the VA are, are working hard, and they're doing a great job, and we've got a lot of people who are really devoted and, and, and working hard for veterans. But we need to give them all the tools at this country's disposal to be able to be able to take care of our veterans.
*
PAUL SULLIVAN
What you have are two sets of books. The Department Of Defense saying that there's 23,000 wounded from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the Department Of Veteran's Affairs is actually treating 205,000 veterans from these two wars.
*
DR. STEVEN SCOTT
I, I can’t give you an absolute number. But I think the 10 percent is a good, is a good estimate. But it could be higher based on the fact that the more times and the longer you are over there, the higher frequency, higher percentage that they will have these.
BOB WOODRUFF
THAT COULD MEAN THAT OF THE 1.5 MILLION WHO HAVE SERVED OR ARE NOW SERVING IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN – MORE THAN 150,000 PEOPLE -- COULD HAVE A BRAIN INJURY THAT MAY BE UNDIAGNOSED -- AND UNRECOGNIZED BY THE CASUALTY NUMBERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
*
BOB WOODRUFF
Why is it not being told, generally, officially by the government?
PAUL SULLIVAN
Sadly, Bob, what you have is the Department of Defense issuing gag orders.
BOB WOODRUFF
Gag orders?
You think as a nation we're ready to take care of all of our veterans that have come back?
PAUL REICKHOFF
No. Not even close. I don’t even think it’s on most people’s radar. I think that the willingness is there. I think inside the hearts of America's population we want to do the right thing. But they don't even know this is on their radar.
*
This dovetails neatly but sadly into last week’s story of abject conditions in sections of Walter Reed Hospital, where soldiers are being treated for injuries sustained in Iraq, which prompted this extraordinary exchange during a session with White House Press Secretary Tony Snow:
Q The White House doesn't want to be on record with a more emphatic expression of amazement and upset about this?
MR. SNOW: No.
Q Do you think the President is going to say something about this later?
MR. SNOW: No.
Here’s ABC’s online coverage of Woodruff’s remarkable story:
Woodruff’s wife Lee’s perspective
Cameraman Doug Vogt’s perspective
- “To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports:” 10 tonight, ABC Channel 7
About this blog
David Kronke was appointed Mayor of Television after a bloodless coup in 2000. Since then, he has improved infrastructure, championed greater educational opportunities and fought for reforms that have utterly erased corruption and incompetence from the television industry. Since Mr. Kronke has ascended to power, Television is a far better place.
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