During the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the media have called attention to post-traumatic stress syndrome, concussive injuries, and the development of improved prosthetic devices, but PTJ's special issue on military rehabilitation broadens our perspective to consider such topics as depression, sleep deprivation, transition back to community, and occupation. This issue also sheds light on the important role that physical therapists in the military play in diagnosing and treating a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.
Although this issue focuses on the armed services in North America, the guest co-editors, Lt Col John Childs and Dr Alice Aiken, and I believe that the findings are relevant to military personnel around the world—and to civilians as well. Several models of health care delivery presented in this issue may serve as models for effective accountable care organizations and medical homes and merit investigation. I thank Lt Col Childs and Dr Aiken for “joining forces” to create this issue. The idea began with a discussion with Dr Aiken at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy conference in June 2011; when you read their editorials, you will understand their passion and the timeliness of the topics.
In his editorial, Lt Col Childs remarks, “Regardless of your political leanings, war is the closest thing to hell on Earth….” This is a perfect opening for us to contemplate the life of someone who chose an alternate path to the military for his public service. As a Quaker, John “Jack” …
