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37 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, December 16, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 19, 2004 Since You Asked Yep, we got that figure wrong You had an awfully fishy figure on the front page of Monday’s paper and it looks like you just didn’t bother to check it for accuracy, which bothers me this close to the election. Your story on Barbara Allen’s help for our war wounded claims there are "nearly 3,700 amputees recuperating at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C." I know Walter Reed is a big hospital, but are you sure they have 3,700 beds? And 3,700 amputees? Please check this out because the checking I’ve done says you are WAY off. —Janie P., Medford You are right, Janie, we should have checked that figure out. It is way off and we have egg all over our faces here. We’ll attempt to make good by telling you what we found out making a few calls. Walter Reed spokesman Bill Swisher said most soldier amputees are treated there — 98 to 99 percent of all amputees get treatment at the distinguished Army hospital. Allen said a source in the family assistance section at Walter Reed told her last month that the hospital had treated 3,610 patients since the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq began. Of course, they’re not all amputees. The military defines "amputees" as those who have lost a limb or major part of a limb. In other words, people who lose fingers or toes are not defined as amputees. For the number of amputees, we go back to Swisher, who says the hospital has treated a total of approximately 160 amputees — there are 20 to 30 there right now. The Department of Defense reported Monday morning on their Web site ( www.defenselink.mil ) that the total number of wounded from both conflicts was 8,256. The total number killed was 1,243, with 902 of those dying in hostile action (as opposed to accidents). Thanks for questioning that figure — we hope all our readers consider everything they read (or watch on television or hear on the radio) with skeptical eyes and ears. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities