Military Nutrition Research in Historical Perspective
COL Eldon W. Askew, Grant Officer Representative for the Army for the FNB's Committee on Military Nutrition Research (CMNR) program, in May, 1993 requested the assistance of the CMNR in documenting the contributions of the U.S. Army Medical Department to national nutrition knowledge and progress over the past century. This request was prompted by an initiative suggested by representatives of the American Institute of Nutrition (AIN) to develop a series of symposia and publications on the history of nutrition research. The CMNR was more specifically tasked to provide the structure for a brief meeting of military and academic scientists with a subcommittee of the CMNR to evaluate the concept of developing a symposium and publication on military nutrition history.
A small planning group consisting of Gilbert Leveille, John Vanderveen, Robert Nesheim (chair), and Bernadette Marriott (FNB Program Director) from the CMNR, COL (retired) David Schnakenberg from the USAMRDALC(PROV), and John Canham met in June, 1993. COL Eldon W. Askew, Elsworth Buskirk, and Allan Forbes had participated in correspondence prior to the meeting but were unable to attend. The task of the group was to list in sequential manner the research of the U.S. Army Medical Department that had been recognized for its contributions to nutrition knowledge not only for the military but also for the nation in general. John Vanderveen provided extensive bibliographies of military nutrition and health publications for staff review prior to the meeting. During the meeting the group reviewed the
literature, and discussed their own collective experiences with various military medical laboratories throughout the country over the years. A draft chronology of events and research findings was prepared.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The group concluded that the contributions of military medical research to national nutrition in terms of landmark publications, highly recognized scientists, and specific contributions to general nutrition knowledge of national significance was extensive. The development of a chronology of publishable quality and a symposium format would require extensive additional research, financial support and a commitment of time by individuals in preparing the symposium and its publications. It was decided that the CMNR would continue to pursue with the AIN the possibility of a symposium in the late 1990s.