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News | July 30, 2024

High Quality Medical Care a Top DOD Readiness Priority

By David Vergun DOD News

Logistics In Action — Editor's note: article originally appeared on the Department of Defense website.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's top priority is caring for service members and their families.

People in military uniforms simulate patient care in a hospital emergency room a medical emergency exercise.
Wound Treatment
Airmen with the 2nd Medical Group simulate treatment for a gunshot wound at the Willis-Knighton Innovation Center, Bossier City, La., Feb. 14, 2023.
Photo By: Air Force Airman 1st Class Laiken King
VIRIN: 240214-F-PW635-1223B

The Defense Department takes caring for people very seriously, said Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, who spoke today at the Association of the United States Army. 

Taking care of people is also an important part of ensuring the medical readiness of the force, he said. 

Martinez-Lopez outlined how DOD is taking care of its people. 

In some austere locations, there's often a shortage of health care personnel and facilities. Martinez-Lopez said the department is trying to fill these gaps in care by hiring more civilian providers, using telemedicine and hoping to use circuit-rider doctors to visit these places regularly.

A health provider in sterile clothing examines the teeth of patient using a magnifier on his glasses.
Teeth Check
Navy Lt. Eric Samuels, assigned to the hospital ship USNS Comfort, examines a patient’s teeth at a medical site in Guatemala, Oct. 28, 2022.
Photo By: Navy Seaman Deven Fernandez
VIRIN: 221028-N-DF135-1076

More than 100,000 people are working in the Defense Health Agency worldwide, he said, noting that more are needed, and the salary has to be competitive to what is being paid in civilian hospitals and facilities.

DHA is responsible for treating casualties, as well as training medical providers at military treatment facilities and large medical centers. Delivery of care to these many places must be seamless and systematic, he said. 

"All parts of a system have to be ready to do their part to make sure your care is there," the doctor said. 

Martinez-Lopez turned to the battlefields of Ukraine, mentioning that Ukrainian medical providers are receiving U.S. training outside of Ukraine that advises them of the best way to take care of their casualties.

In turn, the Ukrainian medical providers are sharing lessons learned with the U.S. medical community, which may someday need to apply them to a major combatant, he said.

Soldiers with rifles transport simulated casualty.
Medical Evacuation
Army Lt. Col. Jesus Chavez and Army Staff Sgt. Jason J. Barajas, with the Baumholder Army Health Clinic, execute a medical evacuation of a simulated casualty at Smith Barracks, Baumholder, Germany, Sept. 2, 2022.
Photo By: Ruediger Hess, Army
VIRIN: 220902-A-MX671-0003

In such a future scenario where the U.S. might not have air superiority, evacuating the wounded would likely take longer than for more recent conflicts, he said. Additionally, troops could be widely dispersed on the battlefield, making logistics difficult for the distribution of available blood, drugs, equipment and personnel, he said. 

Investments in science and technology could help close this delivery gap, he said. 

"We're working hard. The goal is to not disappoint. … As I go around, the people we have, they're great. They're great people. They're committed,” he said, adding that it gives him hope that they'll "be able to not only succeed but excel in this enterprise."

In a medical evacuation exercise, soldiers carry simulated casualty on a stretcher to a helicopter.
Global Medic
U.S. and Canadian soldiers carry a simulated casualty to a waiting HH-60M Black Hawk while practicing medical evacuations during Global Medic at Tusi Army Heliport, Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., June 3, 2024.
Photo By: Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Hillman
VIRIN: 240603-A-OK315-1080B