The senior research leadership is retiring and few young investigators are taking their place. The Society believes the military's six overseas laboratories deserve special mention. These labs are strategically located in regions particularly threatened by existing and emerging infectious and tropical diseases. The labs alert military and public health agencies to dangerous disease outbreaks and to increasing microbial resistance. Personnel from these labs can be mobilized quickly to respond to public health crises.
Overseas labs collaborate with academic, industrial, and government institutions.
The labs provide hands-on training for students, investigators, and local health authorities. Conclusion The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene requests that you make DoD infectious disease research a priority in Fiscal Year 2000. Our efforts in this area will protect American military forces and improve global health and the economic stability of developing nations. Failure to act now will result in increased disease, higher health care costs, and compromise the well-being of our troops and their deployment. Thank you for the opportunity to present our views and for your consideration of these requests.