Greetings society members and happy New Year!  It is an honor to address you in this forum.  I hope that 2008 will be a great year for you personally and professionally.  There are many exciting things already in the works for AF Pharmacy.  Before we discuss these events, I would like to recognize two people who have dedicated themselves to the profession of AF Pharmacy.

This past October at the 2007 Jerry Ross Annual Awards Banquet we were very excited to announce the first winners of the SAFP Career Sustained Achievement Award.  This award is the highest award that we can bestow on “senior” Air Force Pharmacy individuals.   Several years ago the Society Board recognized a gap in the award system.  There was no mechanism to appropriately acknowledge the outstanding achievements of individuals who dedicated their lives and careers to the support and betterment of Air Force Pharmacy and had significant impact on the practice of AF Pharmacy.  The existing senior Air Force Pharmacy Awards recognized “annual” performance and were targeted to Majors/Lt Colonels and MSgt/SMSgts.  The Society Board decided to create an officer and technician “senior” award that would recognize sustained superior performance spanning an entire career.   The winners of these awards are selected by a subcommittee of current and retired BSC Colonels for the officer category and current and retired CMSgts for the technician award.  It is important to note that the award is not an annual award but is awarded at the discretion of the Society Board of Directors based on the merit of any nominations received.  Specific details on award criteria are included later in this issue.  The award is also acknowledged with a trophy and $500 educational grant.  The distinguished first time winners of this prestigious career award are:

Col Phil Samples - SAFP Career Sustained Achievement Award – Officer Category

SMSgt Maurice James SAFP Career Sustained Achievement Award – Technician Category  

On behalf of the Society of Air Force Pharmacy it is my privilege to congratulate our first two winners and also to encourage future nominations that would truly be representative of the highest honor that we can bestow on “senior ranking members” of our Air Force Pharmacy profession.

Plans for the 2008 regional pharmacy meeting are well under way.  The meeting is scheduled for 30 April – 3 May at Wright-Patterson AFB. The theme this year is “Heritage of Innovation, Pharmacy Technology for The Future-Today”.  There will be over 20 hours of CE provided including required law CE for pharmacists and technicians.  Early registration ends 1 Apr 08.  Information is available at the SAFP webpage: http://af-pharmacists.org/safp/meetings.htm. 

Finally, please visit the Society web page.  It is an incredible repository of information.  If you have any ideas to improve the Society, please send them to me @ timothy.garten@barksdale.af.mil or call DSN 781-6234.