You would have to be dead on our the moon to not have heard about the appalling living conditions and Byzantine red tape that dogs wounded veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Two weeks ago, a two-part series in the Washington Post documented the plight of soldiers harmed in battle who, after discharge as inpatients, find themselves in a medical limbo, living in buildings plagued by mold, peeling paint and rodents, and waiting endlessly for medical appointments and for government paperwork that will help them get their lives back in order.  The series provoked huge coverage from other media outlets and prompted House hearings, and caused the firings of the top brass at the Medical Center, leading to the resignation of the Secretary of the Army.

The series has been hailed as a testament to the power of a free press.  And it does demonstrate what happens when a powerful newspaper like The Washington Post takes on an issue.