Commander's Blog

Recently, we completed the Army Readiness Assessment Program, and I'm pleased to announce that USAMMDA has been recognized in the top 25 percent of Army organizations for safety and preparedness. This is a testament to our vigilance regarding safety throughout our group. Although Marvin Saunders serves as USAMMDA's safety officer, it's everyone's responsibility to be a safety officer whenever you see a potential hazard. All of us should be familiar with the phrase "see something, say something" in regard to anti-terrorism scenarios, but this concept should also be used daily as our team's mantra to ensure we remain safe at all times. We must immediately report all potential risks and hazards, regardless of how large or small the threat may seem. Nothing is trivial when it comes to saving someone from harm or injury, but leadership can't help to correct a problem unless we're made aware of it. Yes, we work in an older building that has its challenges, and we all have joked about this at times, but it's really no joking matter. Please be careful in the stairwells, on the walkways, and throughout the halls. We must live in a "culture of safety" each and every day!

Additionally, we should be safety-conscious during our off-duty activities as well. This weekend starts the Labor Day holiday, and there will be backyard barbeques, parties, and many travelers on the roads to celebrate the end of the summer season, so please stay safe. And with the end of summer comes the beginning of another school year, and this will bring more buses, more rush-hour congestion and more children on the streets walking, and biking, to and from school. Without question, the commute will quickly ramp up again, so please be careful during the busier times of the day. Our leadership team uses every opportunity to communicate our safety messages to the group, and Mr. Saunders does a great job in reinforcing this frequently. So please heed our call and do your part to keep our organization accident- and incident-free. We continually must be "on the ball" when it comes to our safety, and fumbling is not an option.

Speaking of being "on the ball," the college football season kicked off this past weekend, and I'm sure that many fans are excited about this. Personally, I'm really looking forward to the start of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) schedule that begins in a few days, as this is truly the best conference in all of college football – well, at least in my humble opinion. Regardless of who you happen to favor, I know there will be many great matchups over the next few months, and I'll make sure to keep everyone up to date on the standings throughout the fall (especially with regard to the SEC!).

And finally, last week's Department of Defense Military Health System Research Symposium in Florida was a great success, and a number of our USAMMDA team members presented very engaging presentations and posters to those in attendance. Needless to say, we also learned quite a bit from other researchers who presented, and I'm sure many great products and projects to support our Warfighters' health and safety will come from the information exchanged.

Let's always remember that we're saving lives with everything we do here at USAMMDA!

COL Ryan Bailey