Employment of a joint medical task force in a counterinsurgency operational environment

To understand the complexity of the medical task force mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, we must first understand the operational environment and its impact on the military healthcare system and the medical task force charged with its execution in theater. Historically the medical task force has focused almost exclusively on delivering a robust and accessible set of level II and III care and force health protection support since operations began in Iraq. Consequently, after 5 years of stable positioning, security, and infrastructure within our bases there were no discernable standardization of healthcare support, clinical quality, or medical equipment beyond what the units had chosen to adopt. Task Force 62 Medical Brigade has taken advantage of this unique time in history to place a concerted focus on institutionalizing our combat healthcare system and meeting the challenges of the counterinsurgency operational environment. Whereas our predecessors rightly focused on delivering combat health support during their tenure, we focused on the future, laying the foundation for the eventual transition to an environment similar to that in the Republic of Korea as the security situation improves. The foundation laid during Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09 can be the foundation for the Army and the military healthcare system's vision in creating and modifying the delivery of US standard healthcare in a combat theater.