Retired AF Medic on McCain/Obama Flap

Military physicians are usually not afforded “spotlight” treatment by the media; that accord is usually reserved for operational (ie, Line) officers, and usually flag officers at that. But recently retired (2006) Air Force physician Colonel Katherine Scheirman has made some headlines lately by being an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, and most recently regarding the political hay over Senator Obama’s trip to Germany:

“In Germany, Senator Obama made the right decision to respect wounded troops, and the doctors and nurses doing crucial and time-sensitive work, by not making a visit that was characterized as a campaign event by the Pentagon. Senator Obama should be thanked for putting our military above politics. And, I would hope that John McCain would think in those same terms, the next time he is put in a similar situation. Senator Obama has voted for the troops when John McCain has not, most recently on the new GI Bill. I am happy that Senator Obama puts the welfare of our troops above politics.”

I hate to bring up “politics” here on Air Force Medics, but seriously — her role as Chief of Medical Operations for USAFE/SG has virtually nothing to do with what occurred (or didn’t) last week with the Obama & McCain camps. As a physician, she may have been concerned about troop welfare, but political visits by high-ranking officials are pretty routine. If a sitting Senator wants to visit troops, then he can and will. Her “expert” opinion as USAFE/SGO means very little, in this context.
And I say that as someone who worked with Dr Scheirman (very briefly) during our respective active-duty careers and found her to be a very nice, professional lady. It’s just that, in this instance, her comments are irrelevant, no matter what the Daily Kos kids and Democratic Underground wackos think.
Unrelated - but possibly of interest - Col Scheirman is also a graduate of the Baylor MHA program.

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