Page 8 - JSOM Summer 2024

fromthe

SOMA PRESIDENT

SOMA Members and JSOM Readers, Lt Col Regan Lyon’s service on SOMA’s
Board and as the Secretary/Treasurer
riends and colleagues, I would like to has been invaluable. She has been instru-
thank all of you for your support. It J Jo h n D om i i n gu e z, MS G (R et t ) mental in building relationships and de-
John Dominguez, MSG (Ret)
h
D
MS
G
(R
Fhas truly been an honor to serve as veloping partnerships that will not only
SOMA’s President. SOMSA 2024 had record attendance with benefit SOMA’s members but secure SOMA’s future. Regan
1,642 attendees and 806 representatives from 165 exhibitors, has rotated out of the Secretary/Treasurer position, and SGM
for a combined total of 2,448 people on site. The 1,642 attend- (German Special Operations Forces [SOF]) Sandro “Rabbit”
ees represented 30 countries. SOMSA’s success and progress Heinrich is now SOMA’s Secretary/Treasurer. I couldn’t have
are a direct result of all the long hours that SOMA Commit- asked for a better Board to serve with during my term as Pres-
tees, Track Leaders, Kellen’s Staff, and SOMA’s Board have ident. Their ownership of projects and initiatives and attention
invested in advancing the Association’s mission and goals and to detail on contracts and partnerships has been nothing short
in maintaining a quality association and program for its mem- of exceptional. I would like to thank each of them for their
bers and SOMSA attendees. I have been fortunate throughout counsel and friendship.
my career to have had great mentors, leaders, and friends in-
vest their time and effort in teaching and providing guidance. I The call for abstracts and labs will open in mid-September
continue to rely on them today. I hope that each of you choose of 2024 for SOMSA 2025. Please make sure that you plan
to invest your time and effort in identifying, developing, and on meeting the submission deadlines. SOMA will not be able
mentoring our future leaders. to accept late abstracts, lab submissions, or speaker requests.
SOMA will consider co-presenters on a case-by-case basis not
SOMA had the privilege of being the venue selected for the to exceed two presenters in accordance with SOMA’s policies.
inaugural induction ceremony for the United States Spe- All travel and registration guidance will be followed in accor-
cial Operations Command (USSOCOM) Medical Hall of dance with SOMA’s travel policies. SOMA will compensate
Honor (MHoH). The inductees are as follows: F. Bowling, MHoH inductees and Medic of the Year recipients. SOMA
Frank Butler, Steve Delellis, William “Doc” Donovan, Warner does not sponsor people to simply attend SOMSA. SOMA
“Rocky” Farr (represented by his son, Timothy Farr), James works directly with those who submitted abstracts and labs
Fisher (represented by his grand-niece, Marianna Franck), and does not work through third party intermediaries or
Russ Kotwal, Robert “Bob” Mabry, and Harold “Monty” representatives of speakers or attendees. SOMA also doesn’t
Montgomery. The USSOCOM MHoH is awarded to medical compensate for the travel or attendance of interpreters, aides,
Servicemembers who have spent their careers dedicating hours or assistants for speakers. All of SOMA’s policies and bylaws
of time and effort and have changed or advanced Special Op- can be accessed on SOMA’s website or requested by emailing
erations medicine for the whole of the USSCOM enterprise. info@specialoperationsmedicine.org.
They gained this honor through either heroic effort or years
serving on committees and working groups, improving special Moving forward, we must prepare for the conflicts and en-
warfare medical training centers, practicing medicine, institu- gagements of tomorrow, but we can’t lose sight of the gaps
tionalizing innovating standards that have had impact across we face today. Many of us are looking at technological ad-
each service. We are looking forward to next year’s cohort and vancements, past data, current practices, and future tactics and
the history that the inductees bring to light. techniques as predictable measures of what is needed for the
future. The access to immediate answers and communication
As of 17 May 2024, I assumed the position of Immediate Past through technology has left us dependent upon it. Most of us
President, and COL (Ret) Sean Keenan, MD, is now SOMA’s have lost our ability to prepare for extended periods of time
President. Sean has served in 1st Special Forces Group (SFG), 3rd out of contact with loved ones and higher commands, as well
SFG, 10th SFG, Joint Medical Unit (JMU), and Joint Special Op- as our comfort in operating independently.
erations Task Force – Philippines (JSOTF-P) as Medical Director/
Surgeon. He continues to contribute and advocate for the ad- “The best tool for extended field care is education.”
vancement of prehospital medicine and prolonged casualty —CPT Alex Villahermosa, MD, former 18D
care. MAJ (Ret) Paul Allen, DSc, PA-C, is now SOMA’s Military
Vice President. Paul served in 10th SFG, 7th SFG, and a Special Essentially, our pioneering skills and willingness to listen to the
Mission Unit as an 18D/18F prior to becoming and a physician people on the ground have atrophied. The biggest challenge we
assistant (PA). As a PA, he continued to serve in the JMU. COL will face is trying not to fall into an institutionalized sense that
(Ret) Russ Kotwal will join the esteemed list of SOMA’s past we must employ a massive armada of people, aircraft, missiles,
presidents who continue to advise and assist SOMA. and bases. Our resolve must consider a light and agile footprint.

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