Birds of a Feather: Advancing US Active Duty, Reservist, and Veteran Medical Research, Together

Abstract

Medical research involving US active duty, reservist, and veteran populations can and should improve. Because the US healthcare system is accountable to active duty personnel, reservists, and veterans (ADRV), the US healthcare system must partner to improve healthcare and medical research. Aiming to summarize current issues and opportunities for ADRV research infrastructure alongside healthcare, an exploratory literature review was conducted. Additionally, a broad analysis of search utilizing Cochrane, Google Scholar, and PubMed from the years 2001 to 2021 was undertaken. There are opportunities to refine biomedical, social-behavioral, health service research (HSR), and other research portfolios involving ADRV. There are urgent and serious opportunities to improve the rigor and quality of research. Additionally, there is a clear need for coordinated implementation and translation of research. In this attention to research involving ADRV, the US government, public health, non-profit organizations, private industry, and individuals are birds of a feather. Advancing efforts for research improvement should be handled together.

Keywords:

• Active duty
• military medical research
• veteran health
• veteran research

Acknowledgments

This work is dedicated to the past, present and future US service members, and this work is dedicated to Steve.

Author contributions

The author is the sole author of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.