Editor-in-Chief, Chester 'Trip' Buckenmaier III
MD, COL, MC, USA
This past year is notable for its anniversaries and milestones. We marked the 10^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which literally changed the lives of countless Americans forever. Like many in federal medicine, I can recall details of my life on that day like few other days, such as graduation, my wedding or the birth of a child.

By Robert A. Petzel, MD, VA Under Secretary for Health
VHA provides excellent healthcare to six million veterans – some say the best care anywhere. Not only have we earned higher marks in patient satisfaction than the private sector, we also lead the nation in measures of quality.

By Victoria J. Davey, PhD, MPH
VA Chief Officer of Public Health
The Office of Public Health within the Veterans Health Administration serves as the authority on public health issues for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

By Jonathan Woodson, MD, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
The MHS enters 2012 and its second decade of combat operations with confidence in our ability to sustain and expand the excellence we have exhibited in military medicine.

By Rear Adm. Thomas McGinnis, RPh, chief, Pharmaceutical Operations Directorate,
TRICARE Management Activity
The DoD pharmacy program dispenses close to 2.8 million prescriptions each week at a cost of $6.7 billion in 2011, about 14% of the department’s total healthcare costs. The overall DoD health budget remains an issue of concern, as healthcare costs have greatly increased since 2001.