Photo By Otis Toussaint | CACO Visits Capitol Hill read more read more
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Washington, D.C. — July 29, 2025
This week, Army Medicine leaders participating in the Medical Service Liaison Program (MSLP) visited Capitol Hill for a full day of engagement with congressional staff and policymakers. Their itinerary included meaningful stops at the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, anchoring the modern conversation in the founding ideals and historic legacy of the Republic.
The MSLP is a strategic initiative designed to strengthen congressional understanding of Army Medicine's priorities, challenges, and capabilities. It enables Army leaders to communicate directly with those shaping legislation that affects readiness, healthcare delivery, and support for Soldiers and their families.
As one participant emphasized, “The MSLP exists to humanize policy. When congressional staffers can put faces to our mission and hear real stories from real Soldiers, it changes the way they think about legislation and funding.”
A centerpiece of the visit was a candid briefing with Max Berry, the Legislative Director for Congressman Rich McCormick from Georgia’s 7th District. The session offered practical insights into how Army Medicine can engage more effectively with Capitol Hill.
“It’s always meant the most when I could tell people were being honest about a difficult subject,” Berry remarked. “Even when details don’t reflect perfectly on the organization, honesty builds real trust. That’s when real progress happens.”
On the need to avoid jargon and simplify the message, Berry advised:
“Unless you know someone really knows how to speak ‘joint,’ just break it all down. Disambiguate all the acronyms from the start. Speak like we’re folks—because we are.”
These candid insights reflect the broader purpose of MSLP—ensuring policy influencers don’t just hear about Army Medicine, but truly understand it.
During the reflective memorial visits, the delegation drew inspiration and meaning. Standing before the Lincoln Memorial, they considered President Lincoln’s enduring legacy of leadership and healing during national crisis. At the Jefferson Memorial, they were reminded of the founding ideals of democracy and civic duty—ideals that resonate deeply with the mission of Army Medicine.
“Programs like MSLP are not about optics—they’re about outcomes,” said a senior officer. “It’s about ensuring members of Congress and their staff understand what readiness looks like from the medical perspective. When they see the human cost of war, and the human excellence of our military medical professionals, it sticks.”
The Capitol Hill meetings included substantive discussions with health policy and defense advisors, highlighting topics such as global health partnerships, traumatic brain injury research, behavioral health advancements, and expeditionary medical readiness.
“Today wasn’t just a visit,” one participant said. “It was a mission to build trust, educate our national leaders, and inspire confidence in the care our Soldiers receive—both at home and on the battlefield.”
In a rapidly evolving legislative environment, the Army’s MSLP continues to serve as a vital bridge between military medicine and national leadership—ensuring Soldiers, leaders, and families receive informed advocacy on Capitol Hill.
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2025 11:07 |
| Story ID: | 545170 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Building Trust and Telling the Army Medicine Story: The Value of the Medical Service Liaison Program, by Otis Toussaint, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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