Emerging roles of the US Army Veterinary Service.

When leaving office, Tommy Thompson, the former Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, indicated that the 2 things that concerned him most were avian influenza and the safety of the United States food supply: "I, for the life of me, I do not know why the terrorists have not, you know, attacked our food supply, because it is so easy to do." These are DoD and national concerns and are a direct focus of the US Army Veterinary Service as part of its emerging roles and responsibilities. While continuing its core missions of food safety, animal medicine, and research and development in support of the DoD, the US Army Veterinary Service must be able to meet its responsibilities in the new emerging arenas. In order to meet these requirements, additional resources in the form of authorizations, training, equipment, and funding will be required. In addition, innovative partnerships and collaboration within the AMEDD, DoD, and interagency partners will be critical.