Like many large organizations, the U.S. Army does a lousy job of public relations. When it makes a mistake, like embellishing tales of nonheroics, it backfires and gets splattered all over the news. And when it does something right, there's nary a peep. For instance, our research for the article on military medicine in this issue turned up dozens of impressive medical developments that will be useful to both wounded military personnel and later to victims of traffic accidents and gunshot wounds. Army medical inventions include numerous useful drugs and dozens of innovative devices. But can you name one? Clearly, this group needs a better PR firm.

To see why, lets start in 1962. Since then Army R&D has been pivotal in developing at least seven vaccines. Targets have included rubella (1969), hepatitis A and B (1995 and 1981), and oral typhoid (1989). On the device side, the military recently added a lightweight oxygen generator for bedside use and to refill cylinders. And a new battery-operated infusion pump the size of a deck of cards delivers IV fluids to restore blood pressure and intravascular volume. These items just scratch the surface of Army-inspired inventions.

But rather than shout about such developments, the Army prefers to let its technology-transfer office disseminate the information quietly. We'll pick on the Army because at least its R&D facilities were good enough to answer calls. Air Force, Navy, and Marines PR people are much better staying under cover.

Maybe that shyness is a lingering reaction from the Vietnam era, not exactly great for the military's morale. And the TV show “MASH” (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) reinforced the notion that Army doctors were not entirely serious people. But they are. They are also impatient. So much so that Army medical research institutes are not waiting for civilian institutions to invent what's needed for treating trauma from battlefield injuries. “Military research into trauma treatments began back in 1943,” says Tammy Neer, unit historian in the burn-care research facility at Fort Sam Houston in Houston.

She says her organization began studying burns, infections resulting from them, and treatments in the late 1940s. The effort includes research into penicillin and antibiotics. Her unit developed sulfamylon cream, a topical treatment for second-degree burns. And a chitosan-based hemostatic dressing that rapidly clots blood came out of work on shellfish extract at the Army's Institute of Surgical Research. These health-care products made the leap from military to civilian duty several years ago. “More significantly, doctors who studied here from the 1950s through 1970s went on to open other burn units at hospitals across the country,” she adds.

“Tissue regeneration — growing finger tips to just a couple centimeters — is another project,” says Neer. Lest this sound trivial, consider an accident to the hand that slices off the thumb. Without even a nub there, it's difficult to button a shirt or brush your teeth.

Neer has advice for firms having something to share with the military: Start by linking over to usaisr.army.mil. Under the Combat-casualty-care research tab, you will find contacts with phone numbers.

“We issued a press release on the tissue-growth work but a lot of news organizations did not pick it up,” she adds. If you'd like to read copy, she suggests, comb through the Website for the San Antonio Express.

So I ask: Anyone know a good PR firm?