Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Photo of the Day: 14th and Dahlia Street

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
WRAIR*
Washington, DC
1989

*pronounced 'rare.' This building is vacant now. Walter Reed Army Hospital, or WRAMC (pronounced ramsee) is not a part of the same command as WRAIR, though at one time, they were on the same grounds. For several years, WRAIR has been located in Silver Spring, MD. WRAIR falls under the command of Research and Development at Ft. Detrick, MD.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't know a whole lot about the building itself, or history; but the pic is extremely beautiful...

De'on Miller said...

It was such a beautiful place, and is very old, which is why they had to move. I hated to hear that, but they talked about it for years before they finally did it.

I went to see this building for my one and only time since I left it in '89 in Sept. 2006.

They do research on anything to do with the soldier; from disease to stress levels during the E-5 boards.

I supported 5 overseas branches with medical supplies and equipment and it was and will always be, the best job I had in my life. I loved it and never tired of the work.

Steven Solomon said...

Bloggers might be interested to know that the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in NW Washington D.C. hosts 16 “tenant” organizations, which have buildings or offices on the grounds, but don’t directly belong to the organization. The largest of these tenants is the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR). It shares Walter Reed’s name, but it actually belongs to the U.S. Army Medical Research and Matériel Command. WRAIR is the largest military medical research laboratory in the Department of Defense, with more than 1,200 active-duty service members, Army civilian employees, and contract personnel. Among their many accomplishments, scientists at WRAIR discovered the German measles virus in the 1960s. More recently, their work led to the first vaccines against typhoid, rubella, and hepatitis-a. In 1999 the research institute moved into a new $147 million building in the Forest Glen section of Silver Spring, Md. They share the facility with the Navy Medical Research Center. Also on the grounds at WRAMC is the National Museum of Health and Medicine, the nation's repository of medical history since 1862. Anyone interested in the WRAIR Building so beautifully captured in the photograph, can see it by visiting the museum, because it is directly across the street. The museum is open every day except Dec. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free.

Steven Solomon
Public Affairs Officer
National Museum of Health and Medicine,
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology,
6900 Georgia Avenue at Elder Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307
www.nmhm.washingtondc.museum

De'on Miller said...

Wow! Thanks Mr. Soloman. I'm blown away by your comment, or the fact that you were even here at all.

My roommate worked at Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. My husband and I were at the museum this past September, and then wondered around the grounds for an hour or so. Greg, my husband, asked me if I didn't want to take photos, but I didn't.

Though everything is still so beautiful, such a different world, October 1988-Nov 1989 was the best year of my life. I've never been surrounded by so many people that I enjoyed working with, and as I mentioned, I loved my job. I will always treasure this time in my life, and I guess I wanted to keep the "picture" in my mind just the same as it was so many years ago; so many soldiers, lab coats, and a bustle of constant scientific activity.

Again, thank you for your comment. How did you find out about the photo?

Anonymous said...

I am truly impressed that we have someome like Mr. Solomon making a comment on our blog. I guess I shall have to be more careful in my drastic opinions, but then I guess they are really my opinions says Virgie Bell