Welcome to the latest edition of the Journal of Military and Veterans’ Health. In March, the AMMA council met for its biannual face to face meeting at the Crown Conference Centre for what was a very full agenda and I wish to share with you a number of important outcomes.
• The membership sub-committee investigated our membership structure with a view to encouraging junior ranks to the membership. In their deliberations, they found that the Association’s fees were low which left the council little room to manoeuvre. However, it did point out that many of the junior ranks could apply to be student members as a subsidised membership and that this needs to be publicised.
• As the association enters its 20th year, the council felt that it was an important to undergo a strategic review of our objectives for the future.
• On the Journal, the council is seeking further sponsorship and grants from government and commercial sources.
The organisation of the Annual Conference continues apace with Nader Abou-Seif and the secretariat working tirelessly to provide the membership with an interesting and informative program. They are very pleased to announce that we have secured as keynote speakers Professor James Ryan, former Joint Professor of Military Surgery at the Royal Army Medical College and Professor Patrick McGorry, Australian of the Year 2010. There also promises to be a spectacular dinner to be held in the Melbourne Town Hall with entertainment to put a smile on everyone’s face. Members are also reminded that the “Call for Papers” has gone out, so it is time to get those abstracts in to avoid disappointment.
It is pleasing to hear from our esteemed editor, Andy Robertson, that there has been a substantial increase in the number of paper submissions to the Journal. It is hoped that, with the introduction of an online submissions and peer reviewing system, the improved processes will encourage more submissions.
Finally, I would like to congratulate, on behalf of the membership, Commodore Robyn Walker CSC and Air Commodore Hugh Bartholomeusz OAM and their promotion and appointment as the Surgeons General.
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