Page 10 - JSOM Fall 2018

from the

SOMA PRESIDENTOMA PRESIDENT

Greetings to the SOMA membership This has the simple intent to ensure
and JSOM readers, that everything SOMA and its com­
mittees undertake remains centered
I want to start off by thanking the around the Special Operations medic
SOMA membership for allowing me Harold Montgomery, MSG (Ret)arold Montgomery, MSG (Ret) and builds from that focal point.
H
to take the reins of SOMA for the next
couple of years. I can only hope to live To SOMA Members – Take action
up to expectations and maintain the high standards of those and be SOMA! We need SOMA members to be part of our
who came before me. many committees to progress SOMA initiatives. I don’t think
of these as traditional committees to talk about good ideas but
Speaking of those before me . . . I want to personally thank as working groups to make ideas into reality. We have several
Steve Viola for his leadership as the SOMA president for the standing committees as well as several brand­new ones that need
last 3 years. As the first SOF medic to be the SOMA presi­ members to take a role in the work. You can apply for member­
dent, he set an example for me and hopefully other SOF medic ship to be part of the education, international, communications,
leaders to follow. On a personal note, I thank Steve for his research, prolonged field care, SOMSA program, and many
friendship, guidance and counsel to me while he was presi­ other committees. Submit your committee application at: http://
dent and now as he continues work on the board as immedi­ www.specialoperationsmedicine.org/Pages/committees.aspx
ate­past­president. Thank you and salute – Steve Viola!
To Potential SOMA Members – Come be part of this effort!
In thanking others who went ahead of me, I want to thank We need more ideas, thoughts, and people resources to make
those SOMA founders from 30 years ago. The original found­ SOMA grow as an organization. If you want to be part of
ers Dale Hamilton, Bob Clayton, Jim Coy, and Craig Llewel­ change, then this is the place to be. From TCCC to PFC,
lyn had a vision and hope for what SOMA could become. I SOMA has been at the spearpoint of initiating change for its
think that over the years much of that vision has been achieved entire existence. So, whether you want to be up­to­date on
and we stand poised to take SOMA to even higher outlooks. what is changing or take a hand in the change—become a
SOMA member (and then read the paragraph above). Apply
SOMA has a simple mission statement that has complex ram­ for membership at: http://www.specialoperationsmedicine.org
ifications. Our mission is to advance the science, technology, /Pages/joinsoma.aspx
knowledge, and skills of unconventional medicine to improve
the survival, reduce the suffering, and speed recovery of those Partnering is another key initiative that SOMA will focus on
who become ill in SOF Operations and other tactical settings. in the next few years. There is the inherent partnering with the
That statement touches everything we do at all levels from Special Operations Commands and our civilian institutions
tactical­level training to operational­level employment of re­ that can never go away. We are also looking at how we can
sources to strategic­level research and development initiatives. partner with other medical and nonmedical organizations for
And yet, all of that focus stays grounded with the Special Op­ initiatives that suit both organizational mission profiles or to
erations medic. That is where the focus must always remain pool limited resources to make things happen. One part of
whether it is about medic training and equipping, organizing this initiative is the stand­up of the international committee to
higher­level medical assets to support the medic, or developing better develop SOMA’s international relationships. Hopefully,
new technology or concepts for the medic to employ. The only much more to follow on this.
entity more central to our focus than the medic should be the
patients and how we can build a better system to keep them All said, the fundamental questions we need to be asking is
alive and get them back to their families. where do we want to see SOMA in 2020, 2030, and beyond?
What initiatives do we need to get rolling to meeting the future
For SOMA to accomplish its mission, it needs people. An asso­ needs of Special Operations medicine? We must be preparing
ciation does absolutely nothing for its own cause unless there for the next generation of Special Operations medical leaders
are people willing to step up and take on the tasks of making and action agents. We must prepare both SOMA and Special
things happen. No problems have ever been solved by sim­ Operations medicine for the next generation and hand it over
ply identifying them or complaining. Problems get solved by to them. That work starts now!
people willing to fix them. That said, consider this a call to
arms for SOMA members and potential members to be part SOMSA Abstracts
of the solution. It should be noted that a new presidential ac­
tion I have undertaken is to appoint a SOF medic advisor to Special Operations medicine must be an ever­changing en­
every SOMA committee that did not have a medic as its lead. tity to meet the needs of our evolving battlefields, whether in

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