What a difference seven months could have made.

In February, The Washington Post ran a series of articles revealing the dismal living conditions for outpatient solders at the Walter Reed Medical Center, and uncovered a backlogged system that prevented many troops from getting adequate medical care.

The public was rightly outraged, and for a while there was hope the necessary changes in the system would be made, as federal focus and funding increased.

But a recent report by the General Accountability Office has found "many challenges remain and critical questions remain unanswered."

Among the problems cited: The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have yet to create a system where medical records can be shared, and nearly half of wounded Army troops have yet to be assigned to special units, allowing them to bypass red tape.

This ongoing neglect of our veterans is inexcusable. In July, hundreds of thousands of injured Iraq veterans united in a lawsuit against the VA demanding immediate changes in the system. They charged the VA violated their rights by failing to provide prompt disability benefits.

In an e-mailed response, Sen. Daniel Akaka, who chairs the Veterans Affairs Committee, said: "Progress has been slow, but there are many complex problems involved."

Akaka added that the VA recently hired "100 Wounded Warrior Patient Advocates" to help in the transition for wounded and ill soldiers between the Department of Defense and the VA.

He also has scheduled an oversight hearing on Oct. 17 to hear from various entities that have been working on these issues.

These are all positive steps, but our wounded soldiers are in need of help now and have been patient long enough. Expedited medical care is the least they deserve.

And seven months was more than enough time to ensure that they got it.