Overstimulated

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and stanch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket molds in his hands.

Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there

--Little Boy Blue, Eugene Fields

___________

The Independent Review Group issued a report on the Walter Reed situation April 11, citing a failure of leadership at the hospital, and calling for an overhaul of the Army's arcane disability ratings system. Responding to this,

''On April 24, President Bush ordered the Pentagon and VA to come up with a joint solution. Additionally the report noted, a ''center of excellence'' should be created for treatment, training and research on traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (VFW Magazine, June/July 2007.)''

Ranger is getting whiplash tracking the rapidity in which the Department of Defense is fashioning this ''center of excellence'' at the former mildew depot. I can not fathom the munificence of the efforts to research, treat, and train professionals for handling the burgeoning war industry of traumatic brain injury treatment and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Of course, I should contain my cheeriness, as PTSD has been a DSM condition since 1979, and these bold attentions do seem a bit tardy. And of course, soldiers have been incurring traumatic brain injuries since Christ was a corporal.

The breakneck speed of these actions has Ranger worried he will end up in one of those Elizabethan collars like he sees around the little chihuahua's necks to keep him from overstimulation on this issue.