Army Secretary Resigns in Walter Reed Scandal

March 3, 2007
Army Secretary Resigns inWalter Reed Scandal

WASHINGTON Mar 3, 2007 (AP)— It began with reports of mice and moldy plaster, but after two weeks of outrage, the scandal over poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center has claimed several careers including the secretary of the Army's.

Secretary Francis J. Harvey's abrupt dismissal Friday came under withering criticism from Pentagon chief Robert Gates, who said the Army's response to the substandard conditions for the war-wounded was defensive, and not aggressive enough.

And it left the door open for more personnel changes, as investigations continue and Congress prepares for hearings next week.

Harvey's departure was the most dramatic move during two weeks of furor over the treatment of soldiers at one of the military's highest-profile and busiest medical facilities.