Employing the Army Health System Outside the Main Gate
Abstract
In the aftermath of large natural disasters inside the United States, the survivors of the affected area historically suffer for a protracted amount of time until outside help reaches the region. The Department of Defense and specifically the Army Medical Department is the only federal agency proven to possess the capacity to respond and alleviate the suffering of the injured, sick, and dying in the mangled remains of the devastated area. Within the ravaged area, a gap of pain develops in the time that elapses between the natural disaster and the arrival of external assistance. Historical examples such as Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Katrina expose the appallingly slow, ad hoc, untrained, and ill-equipped initial response of Army Medical Department units. Active duty medical units require timely notification, integrated joint and civilian training, and specialized equipment to minimize the duration of suffering. This research seeks to determine the most effective way to employ the Army Health System s unique capabilities to assist the citizens of the United States in the aftermath of a natural disaster to reduce the gap of pain.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 22, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA612015
Entities
People
- John W. Taylor Iii
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College