About SOMA Special Operations Medical Association

The Special Operations Medical Association (SOMA) organization is directed toward the education and training of the Special Forces and Special Operations Combat Medic, who are often alone and unsupported, in perilous tactical or non-tactical circumstances, and are responsible for the health care of the team and surrounding indigenous population (including non-combatant civilians). By providing this forum for military and civilian medical personnel from around the world to meet and exchange ideas, SOMA advances the science, technology, and skills of unconventional medicine which increases survivability, against the odds, for the people under their care.

The Special Operations Medical Association is a community of military medics, civilian tactical emergency medical personnel, paramedics, doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, tactical medicine and public health experts. Each year we hold a symposium at the Tampa Convention Center where we conduct education and training awarding continued medical education units to attendees (Last year's symposium attendees earned up to 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™).
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  • The Special Operations Medical Association is a community of military medics, civilian tactical emergency medical personnel, paramedics, doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, tactical medicine and public health experts. Each year we hold a symposium at the Tampa Convention Center where we conduct education and training awarding continued medical education units to attendees (Last year's symposium attendees earned up to 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™).
  • A U.S. Special Forces medic helps an Afghan boy by splinting a broken arm in Uruzgan, Afghanistan.
  • SWAT Medic treats an injured teammate
  • The Special Operations Medical Association is a community of military medics, civilian tactical emergency medical personnel, paramedics, doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, tactical medicine and public health experts. Each year we hold a symposium at the Tampa Convention Center where we conduct education and training awarding continued medical education units to attendees (Last year's symposium attendees earned up to 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™).
  • First responders evacuate an injured woman in Norway
  • NATO training exercise in Odessa Ukraine
  • The Special Operations Medical Association is a community of military medics, civilian tactical emergency medical personnel, paramedics, doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, tactical medicine and public health experts. Each year we hold a symposium at the Tampa Convention Center where we conduct education and training awarding continued medical education units to attendees (Last year's symposium attendees earned up to 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™).
  • If you are interested in Special Operations/Tactical Medicine please create a community account by clicking on the SOMA Community tab.
  • The Special Operations Medical Association is a community of military medics, civilian tactical emergency medical personnel, paramedics, doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, tactical medicine and public health experts. Each year we hold a symposium at the Tampa Convention Center where we conduct education and training awarding continued medical education units to attendees (Last year's symposium attendees earned up to 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™).
  • Navy Corpsman in the Philippines
  • The Special Operations Medical Association is a community of military medics, civilian tactical emergency medical personnel, paramedics, doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, tactical medicine and public health experts. Each year we hold a symposium at the Tampa Convention Center where we conduct education and training awarding continued medical education units to attendees (Last year's symposium attendees earned up to 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™).

 

Benefits of joining SOMA Join soma at the conference registration desk

By providing a forum for Military and Civilian medical personnel from around the world to meet and exchange ideas, SOMA advances the science, technology, and skills of unconventional medicine which increases survivability, against the odds, for the people under the care of the Special Forces, Special Operations Combat Medic and Tactical Emergency Services Medic.

This organization is dedicated to the spirit of the Special Operations Medic, and is for those practitioners, educators, administrators, researchers and students who are either engaged or interested in medical practices within the realm of the unconventional medicine environment. This website is an essential SOF field medical tool for reference, exchange of new techniques, findings, and current events.

Continued Medical Education2011 Lectures

At our annual symposium members and attendees attend didactic and skill proficiency training and ...

  • Earn Continued Medical Education Credits.
  • Discover new and cutting edge techniques & technology.
  • Meet and collaborate with people from varied communities.
  • Membership gets you access to one of the premiere web sites about Special Operations & Tactical Medicine.
  • Members can meet, discuss, collaborate and learn from each other.

 

Joining SOMA

We maintain a collaborative community web site which contains e-learning and curriculum products which have been developed by the community.

 

Join SOMA

We would like your input (community site login required)

Once you can access the community area you can take advantage of the following features:

Suggest content or speakers for the symposium: Give us some suggestions about topics or speakers you would like to see at the SOMA symposium. You can also volunteer for one of the four SOMA committees listed here. Please: Suggest a speaker for the symposium -:|:- Suggest a topic for the symposium -:|:- and/or Volunteer for a SOMA Committee (Finance, 2012 Program, E-Learning, Future initiatives)

  • Current TCCC curriculum: You can download a training package approved by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care
  • Collaborate with others in the SOMA community: Subject matter experts maintain areas of content on the community site, ask them a question or make a suggestion
  • Read the latest unclassified RSS feeds: Small Wars journal, CDC alerts and trends, Journal of Special Operations Medicine (JSOM) issues
  • Drive future curriculum projects: Make suggestions for courses you would like to see developed
  • Obtain CME and CEU credits for attending the symposium: Last year's symposium attendees earned up to 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Our Symposium

Our annual symposium will be held December 14th through December 17th, 2013 at the Tampa Covention Center.

 

Tampa Convention Center

Subject Matter Experts from the all over the world attended and presented at the SOMA convention. If you have a specific request for topics to be covered next year please login to the SOMA community site and let us know.

Samples from our 2012 symposiumOur 2012 Educational Symposium

Here is an example from this year's symposium...we plan to have the complete lecture series available on our new community site which is launching soon.

SOMA 2012
TBI and pH Dr Grimes
TCCC Update
 
 

SOMA on Fort Bragg, NCSeptember 18th, 2012

The Mini-SOMA symposium had more than 300 attendees, look for the presentations to be posted in the SOMA community site by September 30th, 2012. If you attended and wish to get CME credits you must have a community account. CME credit instructions are located in the community site here (login required).

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Dr. Peter Benson briefing updates to TCCC
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  • Dr. Peter Benson briefing updates to TCCC
  • USASOC TCCC CASEVAC equipment and hand-on session
  • Mr. Kerr briefing the Special Operations Medical Skills Sustainment course, which is conducted at the JSOMTC, and sharing a riveting after action report
  • USASOC TCCC CASEVAC equipment and hand-on session

Login to the community site to obtain CME credits for attending this conference

 

FIRST ANNUAL MINI SOMA FINAL PROGRAM
0800-0810: Welcome - COL Robert Harrington SOMA President
0810-0820: Keynote Welcome - MG Paul LaCamera
0820-0845: CoTCCC Update - COL Peter Benson
0845-0900: Reducing Preventable Death - COL Russ Kotwal
0900-0925: Casualty Care Update - SGM F. Bowling
0925-0950: Head Trauma Cases and Treatment - MSG Jered Eldred
0950-1010: Gunshot Wounds in Multi-Purpose Canines - Maj . Baker
1010-1030: Break
1030-1055: SOF CA Medical Update - MSG Dennis Lyons
1055-1125: SOF Med Equipment Update - MSG Kyle Sims
1125-1150: SOCMSSC Update - Mr. Kerr
1200-1300: Free buffet for all attendees
1300-1320: SOCMSSC AAR
1320-1340: USASOC Mental Health Issues - Maj. Kim
1340-1410: Ultrasound Review for the Operator - CPT Bill Vasios
1410-1430: MARSOC Medical Update - CAPT Compeggie
1430-1500: Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Injuries in the Field - CPT. Calvano
1500-1520: SOF Dentistry - COL Bob Harrington
1520-1545: THOR-3 Update - Stephen Mannino
1545-1600: USASOC TCCC CASEVAC Program - David Spence. With hands-on demo of equipment

Tom Deal

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Retired Col. Virgil Thomas "Tom" Deal Jr.

Tom was a key component to the success and advancement within Special Operations Medicine and the Special Operations Medical Association. He will be surely missed.

Tom Deal

Retired Col. Virgil Thomas "Tom" Deal Jr. died when his small plane, a Piper PA-28 Cherokee, crashed in a wooded area off Parkton Tobermory Road on Sunday afternoon. He was alone in the aircraft, which departed from a Summerville, S.C., airport and was on final approach to Fayetteville Regional Airport. Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the crash site Monday to try to determine what caused the accident. The plane crashed about 5 miles southwest of the airport and was destroyed by fire.

Tom Deal had commanded hospitals in the field and in garrison, including Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, Wash., and Walter Reed in Washington. At one point, he served on a classified special operations medical contingency force conducting worldwide missions in support of U.S. counterterrorism operations. Those who knew Deal described him as a humble man who had found repeated success in life. He was an Eagle Scout and graduated near the top of his class at Madison High School in Madison, Tenn., they said. In medical school, Deal was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, a medical honor society.

 

In 1983, following the death of his mother, Deal left the Army and founded what would become the largest surgical practice in Clarksville, Tenn. For the next seven years, Deal would serve in the Tennessee National Guard but volunteered to return to active duty at the start of the first Gulf War, during which he earned a Bronze Star. Deal again volunteered on Sept. 11, 2001, according to someone close to him. While in New York City for a medical seminar, Deal performed triage on a Chelsea pier.

Deal graduated from Austin Peay State University in Tennessee in 1971 with a degree in chemistry and biology. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in 1974 and completed his residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in 1981. Deal's military education includes participation in Special Forces Officers Course, Military Free Fall School, AMEDD Officer Advances Course, Command and General Staff College, Army War College and Flight Surgeon's Course.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the U.S. Surgeon General's Medal for Exemplary Service and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

He was also a member of the American College of Surgeons, Association of Military Surgeons United States and Association of the United States Army.

 

 

Excerpted from the Fayetteville Observer article written by Drew Brooks