A Message from the Surgeon General Australian Defence Force
It is with great pleasure that I note the launch of the AMMA Newsletter. The publication of the Newsletter marks another step in the evolution of the AMMA towards the goals envisaged by the originators of the concept. In the case of the Newsletter the ultimate goal is that it will become a fully fledged journal of military medicine.
The practice of military medicine is, I beleive, becoming a much more well defined form of medical practice than it has been in the past. While many of the facets of military medicine have their civilian counterparts, for example occupational medicine, public health medicine and, of course clinical practice it is the application of these disciplines to military operational circumtances which requires the special skills and knowledge of the military medicine practitioner and which distinguishes the practice of military medicine from civilian practice. Notwithstanding the distinction I have drawn above, there are sufficient common areas in military and civilian practice for the military medical practitioners’ activities to be considered suitable and appropriate training for certain civilian qualifications. I find this extremely gratifying and acknowledge our indebtedness to those bodies who have seen fit to provide the military medical practitioners with these privileges.
I have doubt that the Newsletter will serve as an important forum to spread the concept of military medicine as a discrete form of practice as well as a means of conveying specialised information relevant to the practice of military medicine to those engaged in that practice. I offer the Editor adn those involved in its production my best wishes for a successful enterprise.
Air Vice Marshall M. Miller A.O.
Surgeon General
Australian Defence Force
