Will the U.S. offer sufficient care as combat casualties climb?

Regarding the Oct. 31 front-page article "U.S. combat injuries rise sharply":

Readers of this superb piece on the resilience of gravely wounded soldiers and the world-class treatment being provided at Walter Reed Army Medical Center should be reminded that this facility is slated to close in 2011. As the war in Afghanistan escalates and the war in Iraq continues, it may be time to reevaluate the findings of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission.

Like many decisions the Pentagon made when Donald H. Rumsfeld was defense secretary, the 2005 BRAC process was driven by overly optimistic projections of cost savings and "doing more with less." As current events in Afghanistan and those in Iraq during 2006-07 demonstrate, national military decisions require constant reevaluation and, when necessary, adjustment. When we don't know how long U.S. forces will be fighting overseas, and how many will end up being deployed, it is curious that we are still closing military medical facilities and reducing overall capacity based on assumptions from 2005.

I know that the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda will reflect the state of the art. But it is still the merger of two existing facilities when demand for their services is rising.

Stephen K. Trynosky, Washington

The writer is a captain in the Individual Ready Reserve and a health services administration officer in the Army Medical Service Corps.

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"U.S. combat injuries rise sharply" again reminded us of the toll war takes on our courageous service members. Those who have lost limbs have especially difficult physical, psychological and emotional challenges. Missing from Ann Scott Tyson's vividly descriptive article were the roles played by military and civilian physical therapists and prosthetic specialists such as Michael Corcoran, who was mentioned only in the caption for a photo of him fitting a wounded officer with a prosthetic.

In 2008, I spent six months as an American Red Cross volunteer in Walter Reed's state-of-the-art Military Advanced Treatment Center and witnessed the impact these compassionate and professional caregivers have. From the day of our warriors' admission through months of care and rehabilitation, the caregivers do not forget their sacrifice. Their commitment to restoring a sense of pride among America's sons and daughters is outstanding. On Veterans Day, include them in your hall of heroes. I salute them all.

Arnie Daxe Jr., Burke