A MESSAGE FROM
THE COMMANDING OFFICER
Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center

Dear NMCPHC Conference Participant,

On behalf of the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) staff, I am pleased to welcome you to Hampton, Virginia and to the Forty-Ninth Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Conference.

The theme for this year's Conference, "Supporting Public Health Around the World" forms the framework for our multi-disciplinary program of outcome-focused public health programs in the areas of occupational health, industrial hygiene, preventive medicine, disease surveillance, health promotion, health risk assessment, risk communication, and operational medicine.

Public health is a key element of Force Health Protection - essential to maintaining a Healthy and Fit Force and minimizing casualties in both deployed and non-deployed environments. Given this direct link to the war fighter, we in the Public Health Community must continually seek innovative ways to monitor and protect the health of those we serve over the full range of current and future threats. I am confident that this conference will provide attendees with ideas and methods to enhance our Force Health Protection capability - both individually and collectively.

I am particularly pleased to offer you an opportunity to network with and learn from colleagues within your professional discipline as well as other public health professionals and academics attending the conference. I believe that the Plenary Sessions, community-specific presentations, multi- disciplinary tracks, poster sessions, a public health focused exhibit show, and social events will facilitate easy interaction and networking during the conference.

I encourage you to take this opportunity to share the latest and greatest innovations and ideas from our respective fields, renew old acquaintances, and meet new shipmates.

B. A. COHEN Captain,
Medical Corps
United States Navy Commanding Officer