From the original document stored at: http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/policy/fromsea/ftsunmsc.txt
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Department of the Navy Policy Paper
"...From the Sea" Update
NAVY MEDICINE - "SHAPING THE CHANGE"
Spring 1994
The Navy - Marine Corps white paper "... From the Sea" set a
new course for U. S. naval policy. It foretold a fundamental
shift away from global war and open ocean warfare to a focus on
regional conflicts and joint operations conducted in littoral
regions, from the sea. Today's naval forces must prepare for
unique operations including humanitarian assistance, disaster
relief and peacekeeping as well as conventional wartime
contingencies. This change affects the entire Navy, including
Navy medicine.
"... From the Sea" served as the foundation for significant
changes in doctrine, organization, operational requirements,
education, training, and acquisition involving the entire naval
force.
Navy medicine is prepared for the challenges of the post-
Cold War era and the special requirements of the Naval
Expeditionary Forces in particular. The following health care
initiatives will shape Navy Medicine's operational role into the
21st century.
HEADQUARTERS ORGANIZATION
Operations envisioned in ". . . From the Sea" require a
highly responsive, flexible, and well-trained Navy Medical
Department. As new joint military missions occur, the Navy must
adapt and size its health care delivery system to fit the
particular contingency. To improve organizational effectiveness,
three changes have been implemented at the headquarters level:
- At the Pentagon, the Medical Resources, Plans, and Policy
divisions on the Navy Staff have been consolidated into one
division to more effectively interface with the Office of the
Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and other agencies within
the Department of the Navy.
- At the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, the Plans Analysis
and Evaluation (MED-08) code was established to coordinate the
execution of operational health care planning initiatives with
the peacetime health care delivery system.
- In the fleet a Navy medical augmentation unit is being
planned. This initiative will create a "standing" health care
cell that can be activated to advise operational commanders on
health care issues, and provide Navy input at the Unified Command
headquarters.
OPERATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE SUPPORT
Responding to crises requires great flexibility and
innovative approaches to providing prompt access to quality
health care while limiting the drain on logistics, personnel and
other resources.
Anticipating the requirement for a lighter, more mobile
fleet hospital, Navy medicine has developed the concept for a
100-bed modular, self-contained unit. The modular design feature
will provide the Joint Task Force commander with a tremendous
degree of flexibility in tailoring the hospital's size and
capability to the requirements of the mission. Two 100-bed
fleet hospitals are planned; they will be assembled from the
existing fleet hospital inventory and pre-positioned on each
coast.
Navy medicine is evaluating the primary casualty receiving
and treatment capabilities on board existing and future
amphibious ships, to ensure quality health service support to our
operational Marine Corps forces ashore. Planning has begun to
develop incremental staffing packages for the hospital ships for
capacities ranging from 250 to 1,000 beds in support of both
wartime contingencies and unique peacetime tasking.
With the increased likelihood of providing health care for
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, Navy
Medicine continues to train it's fixed medical treatment facility
staff in the management of mass trauma. These training exercises
are designed to enhance the responsiveness of our health care
team in dealing with the wide range of medical and dental
problems our active duty force and local civilian communities may
encounter.
The relief effort following hurricanes Andrew and Hugo gave
Navy medicine the opportunity to quickly respond to emergent
health needs and provide support to civilian providers.
Additionally, humanitarian Mobile Medical Augmentation Readiness
Team (MMART) medical equipment and supply kits have been
developed to provide specialized health care required in remote
or isolated locations.
Navy medical research and development is focusing its
efforts on medical problems that constrain operational forces
involved in regional and littoral contingencies. The Joint
Forward Laboratory significantly enhanced the effectiveness of
preventive medicine in Somalia during Operation Restore Hope by
keeping the disease rates of our forces to an absolute minimum.
The many important research areas being explored include
advanced wound healing, cholera and malaria vaccines, and freeze-
dried blood. Navy medical research is on the cutting edge.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Education and training is an integral part of our ability to
meet all operational health service support requirements. Strong
graduate medical education programs ensure that the Navy will
have a sufficient number of needed specialists to support both
operational and peacetime health care missions.
Using Navy trained specialists, we can keep CHAMPUS costs
down in peacetime, minimizing the risk of paying for health care
benefits with readiness funds.
Navy medicine is continually re-evaluating every element of
the health care system, especially as new expeditionary warfare
concepts evolve. Innovative training approaches, such as
computer simulation technology, are being explored to maximize
training opportunities.
Joint operations are a key element of military missions.
Navy medicine is making a concerted effort to include a
sufficient number of medical department officers in the Joint
Staff Internship and other Joint Staff training courses.
Representatives from each of the Navy medical corps are being
enrolled in various Service Staff and War Colleges to gain
greater understanding of military science and help develop a more
balanced health care perspective.
Navy Hospital Corpsmen play an important role in Navy health
care support. Corpsmen are being provided with greater
opportunities for clinically supervised, hands-on training in
medical treatment facilities. This develops the proficiency and
personal confidence needed to provide the best care for sailors
and Marines in the fleet.
NAVAL RESERVE
Naval Reservists continue to play an important role in
providing enhanced health care for Naval Expeditionary Forces.
Medical and dental Reserve personnel contribute by:
- Providing active duty training back-fill, which improves
access to care, and further reduces CHAMPUS and supplemental care
costs.
- Supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
operations.
The Reserves accomplish this while maintaining a readiness
posture in support of mobilization requirements with the Fleet
Marine Force, in fixed medical and dental treatment facilities,
and in fleet hospital operations.
NAVAL MEDICAL DOCTRINE
In 1993 Navy medicine established the Naval Medical Doctrine
Center to develop guidelines to use medical and dental assets.
The center is scheduled to become part of the Naval Doctrine
Command and to work closely with the Marine Corps Combat
Development Command and the Joint Doctrine Center to optimize
joint mission capabilities of Naval Expeditionary Forces. Also,
the center is developing ways to effectively employ the fleet
hospitals and hospital ships to meet the needs of operational
commanders.
CONCLUSION
Navy Medicine is a key element in the strategic vision of
"... From the Sea".
The primary mission of providing health care to Navy and
Marine Corps forces has not changed. The environment and the
threat our forces face, is varied and constantly changing. Navy
medicine remains vigilant, keeping pace withforce requirements
and the needs of operational commanders.
As wartime requirements change, our mechanism for providing
health care must change. For example, we must be prepared to
respond to the use of weapons of mass destruction by our
adversaries.
Reserve health care professionals will continue to augment
our active duty forces in times of war and will provide maximum
contributory support during peacetime.
Navy medicine plays a vital role in naval warfare strategy.
Despite end strength reductions and challenging fiscal
restraints, Navy medicine will continue to provide quality health
care to our operational forces and their families back home.
Our warriors can fight with the peace of mind they need to
face the nation's mission head on. Navy medicine is assisting
now "... From the Sea."
For additional information or to arrange an interview with a
Navy expert on this issue, call CHINFO Media Operations, (703)
697-5342.
-USN-