DC Steakhouse does what Bush doesn't: cares about wounded soldiers

[Loonman]

http://www.dcmilitary.com/army/stripe/8_50/features/26806-1.html

Working downtown at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Mayer, the executive director for leadership, met Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steakhouse co-owner, Hal Koster about three years ago and "instantly became friends," he said. "Probably because of our Vietnam service."

Familiar with Mayer's visits to see OIF patients, in September Koster told him to invite them down for a free steak dinner.

The idea was "if they need a place to get away from Walter Reed and have dinner, that's what we want to do for them," Koster said.

"We started with two patients. It grew to seven the next week," Mayer added, and they've had as many as 11 patients, three family members and three medical staff on one occasion.

"The guys always seem to enjoy the food. It's interesting and enjoyable to watch the young men come down, and see the difference from week to week. They usually make two, sometimes three weeks and then they rotate out," Koster said. "There seems to be dramatic improvements every week. I don't know that it had anything to do with the restaurant, but they seem to have fun down here."