Forward Surgical Team Support Available to a Digitized Division in Total Army Analysis 05: Is It Enough?

Abstract

Traditionally, the United States has downsized its armed forces after periods of military success. These periods are generally accompanied by times of reduced defense budgets and military spending. Along with the Army, the Medical Department has experienced a significant reduction in its force structure over the last ten years. The assumption that future battlefields will be more survivable due to the Army's technological superiority has driven a reduction of the division casualty rates that are used to establish the force structure of the future. This assumption is not consistent with historical data. Using the employment of the 4th Armored Division during the reduction of Nancy, France, in September 1944 as a historical example, it is clear that casualties are not incurred at a standard rate over time and space. Based on this example and the similarities between the World War II era 4th Armored Division and the Force XXI division, has the reduction in medical force structure negatively affected the ability to provide far forward surgical care?

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADA417584

Entities

People

  • Mark A. Gifford

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Attrition
  • Combat Operations
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Employment
  • Health Services
  • Medical Evacuation
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military History
  • Military Hospitals
  • Military Medicine
  • Military Science
  • Patient Care
  • Personnel Management
  • Second World War
  • Therapy
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Military Science

Technology Areas

  • Space