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Military Health System

Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene

Emergency procedures are in place in multiple states due to Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene. >>Learn More

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Civil Military Medicine

Supporting National Homeland Defense with Medical and Public Health Preparedness

Civil Military Medicine ensures the provision of the highest possible level and quality of health service support to military missions and domestic crisis that are outside the realm of major combat operations. Heavily involved with homeland disaster response, Civil Military Medicine works closely with groups at the federal, state, local, and tribal levels to ensure the safety and health of service members, beneficiaries, and the American people.  

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Civil Military Medicine ensures policies and programs are in place to enable the MHS to respond to disasters, public health emergencies, and mass casualty events that occur both on and off military installations.
  • Writes DOD guidance for Public Health Emergency Management 
  • Develops the training curriculum for Public Health Emergency Officers and emergency managers assigned to DOD medical treatment facilities.
  • Works with the Services, Combatant Commands, Joint Staff, and Interagency partners to ensure Public Health Emergency Management requirements are met within DOD.
  • Participates in the White House National Security Council, Interagency, and DOD pandemic influenza preparedness and response activities
  • Coordinates all Health Affairs and DHA pandemic influenza-related planning.
  • Learn More about the Pandemic Influenza Watchboard

Civil Support

Civil Military Medicine develops medical policies and procedures that facilitate MHS support to civilian authorities during naturally occurring or man-made disasters. We coordinate DOD support to the National Disaster Medical System and includes pandemic influenza/infectious disease preparedness.

The National Disaster Medical System combines Federal and non-Federal medical resources into a unified response to meet natural and man-made disaster needs, as well as support patient treatment requirements from military contingencies.

The National Disaster Medical System is an interagency partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, DOD and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. It’s based on the 2005 Memorandum of Agreement between these agencies. Components of the NDMS includes:

The National Response Framework utilizes the National Disaster Medical System, under Emergency Support Function #8, Health and Medical Services, to support Federal agencies in the management and coordination of the Federal medical response to major emergencies and federally declared disasters such as natural disasters, major transportation accidents, technological disasters, and acts of terrorism including weapons of mass destruction events.

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Last Updated: July 31, 2023
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