Anyone unaware of the debacle at Walter Reed Hospital can read up on it here for a primer. Suffice to say, our men and women in uniform have not been getting the best treatment. And so one can take it as a good sign (or at least a sign that they realize what’s going on) that the current head of the hospital has been relieved of his duties.

Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, who was commanding general of the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command as well as Walter Reed hospital, was relieved of command by Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey.

The Army fired Weightman at the urging of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who met Thursday with a panel formed to investigate conditions at Walter Reed, reports CBS News correspondent Dave Martin.

“I don’t have very much patience with people who don’t step up to the plate in terms of addressing problems that are under their responsibility,” Gates said.

What’s encouraging to me is that this was, as said, at the behest of Gates. I have little to no doubts that had Rummy still been in charge, we would have gotten a non-denial answer like “war is messy, and we do the best we can!” and the problem as a whole would be swept under the rug to the best of his ability. What I like is what seems to me the indications of a new attitude, which would follow suit with his sober comments on the status of Iraq during the confirmation hearing.