As I boarded a plane to head home from three separate orthopedic meetings in Chicago and a trip to DC to discuss the new CMMI initiative ACCESS, I happily waited for 50 or so Navy sailors to board the plane. They were likely headed from Great Lakes boot camp to the METC (Medical Education and Training Campus) at SAMMC to begin their medical specialty training. What don’t they know? That our government recently voted to cut the tools they will need to save lives on the battlefield and back home. Earlier this year massive cuts were made to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRPs) under the Continuing Resolution budget for FY2025. Over $600M in research funding was removed overnight and completely removed funding for PRORP (Peer-Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program). PRORP research has been around since 2009 and funds military-relevant, peer reviewed orthopaedic research. This is particularly impactful in the treatment of fractures, blast injuries, amputations, soft-tissue injuries, infections, nerve injuries, prosthetics, rehabilitation, and so many other critical issues. Some key items that have been funded under PRORP include: 1. Topical antibiotic prophylaxis for traumatic fractures 2. Development of new sockets for transfemoral amputees 3. Peripheral nerve stimulation for opioid sparing care in amputees 4. Targeted muscle reinnervation for nerve-related pain 5. Biological insights into osteoarthritis onset 6. Cartilage repair, Bone regeneration, and other tissue engineering 7. Rehabilitation and return to duty protocols The loss of this funding has a real impact on all patients, whether military personnel, veterans, or civilians. The return on this investment is immense. Join me in demanding Congress reintroduce this critical research so that we can give back to those who have given so much to our nation. These young sailors I saw today deserve to have the best tools at their disposal. Call your Member of Congress and demand that PRORP is funded fully at the $30 Million annual mark orthopaedic researchers have received for over a decade. If you want to help, reach out to me and I will make sure that we find ways to engage with patients, physicians, researchers, and interested citizens.