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Posted by: S. Ward Casscells, M.D. Our work in Africa is not new. Historically, DoD has worked in Africa through either Central Command or through European Command, and only recently have we better aligned our efforts to the needs of the African nations by forming Africa Command. This new venture marks an opportunity to change the way we do business by sharing expertise with other U.S. governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations. In order to support the new command surgeon, I am hosting an important conference called U.S. Africa Command: Health as a Bridge to Peace and Stability, January 8 and 9 at the Institute of Medicine here in Washington D.C.

Maj. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, RN, the new chief of the Army Nurse Corps, has ambitious plans to transform Army nursing using lessons learneD.from the wars in Iraq anD.Afghanistan, the best of military nursing research, anD.the latest aD.ances in the nursing profession.

Working together toward the same end-strengthening the health care capacity and crisis response capabilities of African nations to ultimately empower Africans to improve their health and security-was the theme of a conference in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Military Health System that introduced the new U.S. Africa Command surgeon to an array of partners from the military, Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the African Union.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. S. Ward Casscells speaks about global health and national security. (Speech given at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., January 7, 2009.)

S. Ward Casscells, M.D. , Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, talks about his visit with British Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Louis Lillywhite with regards to combat care, care in UK, and PTSD.

Michael Kilpatrick, M.D. , D.rector of Strategic Communications for the Military Health System visits NNMC BethesD. "As we left BethesD. from a visit that was anticipateD.to be for "giving," I realizeD.that once again I haD."receiveD." The fortituD. anD.D.termination of a young Marine haD.rekinD.eD.my resolve to make certain the Military Health System always D.livers on this obligation. The energy anD.enthusiasm of the hospital staff assureD.me the MHS has skills anD.compassion to D. "the right thing."

With more and more veterans coming back from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder, North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson is trying to make sure they get the help they need. Thompson and Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., introduced legislation Thursday in the House that would require every soldier to have face-to-face mental health screening before being deployed on a combat mission, again upon their return and then every six months for the next two years. The bill is companion legislation to a measure introduced in the Senate by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.

The Defense Department is launching a new program soon that's designed to assist transitioning service members in accessing help for mental health issues, a U.S. Public Health Service officer announced in Washington, D.C., Mar. 23. The Transitional Support Program is "designed to bridge potential gaps in psychological health services that can occur during periods of transfer," when service members complete military service and re-enter civilian life, according to Cmdr. Guy Mahoney, who is detailed to work with the Defense Department.