Force Health Protection: The Strategic Challenges of Protecting the 'Total Force' in U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)
Abstract
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is scheduled to be a functional Unified Command by 30 September 2008. AFRICOM will be regionally oriented with non-kinetic operations as its primary mission to include sustainability and security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, training and support to the African military, and military operations as determined. The U.S. military must address the issue of force health protection while conducting stability operations in Africa. AFRICOM's missions will include joint operations that are smaller in size than in the past, more frequent, and in remote areas of the continent. The continent of Africa has a plethora of natural and environmental health threats for which limited countermeasures exist. To ensure force health protection in AFRICOM, a comprehensive force health protection strategy plan must be identified and adopted. Force health protection is more than military medical personnel caring for military personnel; it is about sustaining the force to ensure mission accomplishment. This paper will identify the U.S. military's force health protection vision and offer recommendations for a force health protection strategy in AFRICOM.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 14, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA493835
Entities
People
- Patricia L. Wood
Organizations
- United States Army War College