Skip subpage navigation
The Defense Health Agency is the nation’s medical Combat Support Agency, providing or augmenting medical capabilities of the Combatant Commands, the military services, federal partners and partners and allies around the world. As one of the Defense Department’s combat support agencies, DHA works to provide combat forces with capabilities they do not possess, or possess in insufficient quantity. In cooperation with the Joint Staff Surgeon and Military Department medical organizations, DHA leads the Department of Defense integrated system of readiness and health through a global health care network of military and civilian medical professionals, including military hospitals and clinics around the world, to improve and sustain operational medical force readiness and the medical readiness of the Armed Forces.
Enhancing Military Readiness through Combat Support Capabilities
The DHA provides support for operating forces engaged in planning for, or conducting, military operations, including support during conflict or in the conduct of other military activities related to countering threats to U.S. national security. Among DHA’s most important combat support responsibilities is its work to increase readiness of U.S. forces to carry out their deployed missions.
The DHA fulfills its combat support responsibilities through capabilities including several components that provide crucial expertise and support to the Combatant Commands. Liaison officers within Combatant Commands enable direct contact with DHA, help the DHA better understand Combatant Command needs, and give the Combatant Commands better understanding of DHA capabilities.
The DHA is a critical enabler, working with the Military Departments to advance the health and readiness of U.S. forces and to manage the medical readiness platforms that keep the medical force ready to support operations worldwide. Working in close coordination with the Joint Staff Surgeon, the DHA provides medical-related combat support capabilities that apply across all phases of military operations, including:
You also may be interested in...
Report
Jan 1, 2007
.PDF |
583.03 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Mental health encounters and diagnoses following deployment to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, U.S. Armed Forces, 2001-2006; Hormonal contraceptive use among female service members, active components, U.S. Armed ...
Report
Jan 1, 2007
.PDF |
567.38 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: "Healthy deployers":Nature and Trends of Health Care Utilization during the Year prior to Deployment to OEF/OIF, Active Components, U.S. Armed Forces, January 2002-December 2006; Update:Deployment Health ...
Report
Jan 1, 2007
.PDF |
649.71 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Routine screening and referrals for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005, U.S. Armed Forces; Relationship between influenza vaccination and subsequent ...
Policy
Oct 31, 2006
.PDF |
1.59 MB
Joint Publication 4-02, Health Service Support
- Identification #: 4-02
- Type: Guideline
Policy
May 1, 2006
.PDF |
30.34 KB
Uniform Policy for Meeting Mobilization-Related Medical Care Needs at Military Installations
- Identification #: 06-012
- Type: Memorandum
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
233.07 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Heat-related injuries, U.S. Army, 2005; Hyponatremia/overhydration, active duty, U.S. Army, 1999-2006; Hepatitis B immunity among U.S. Army basic trainees, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo, July 2005-December 2005; ARD ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
361.14 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Body Mass Index (BMI) among 18-year old Civilian Applicants for U.S. Military Service 1996-2005; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, U.S. Armed Forces, January 1998-September 2006; Incident Abnormal Findings Within 30 ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
276.76 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Medical experiences within six months of redeployment in relation to changes in self-rated health from pre- to post-deployment, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, January 2002-June 2006; First-time episodes ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
232.71 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Medical experiences of service members within one year after returning from deployments in central Asia/Middle East, active components, U.S. Armed Forces; Numbers, rates, and patterns of hospital readmissions, ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
737.13 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Post-deployment health reassessment (PDHRA) program, U.S. Armed Forces: responses by service and component, September 2005-August 2006; Cold weather injuries, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2001-June 2006; Hepatitis ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
201.92 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Malaria, U.S. Army, 2005; Pneumonia and influenza among non-military beneficiaries of the U.S. military health system, January 2001 - December 2004; ARD surveillance update; Update: pre- and post-deployment ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
440.78 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Hospitalizations among active component members, U.S. Armed Forces, 2005 Ambulatory visits among active component members, U.S. Armed Forces, 2005; Numbers, rates, and patterns of hospital readmissions, U.S. ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
275.01 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Update: Screening for HIV-1 among soldiers in active and Reserve components, U.S. Army, and civilian applicants for military service, January 1990-June 2006; Seroprevalences and incidence rates of HIV-1 in ...
Report
Jan 1, 2006
.PDF |
231.59 KB
A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Cellulitis and abscess, active components, U.S. Armed Forces, 2002-2005; ARD surveillance update; Pre- and post-deployment health assessments, U.S. Armed Forces, January 2004-April 2006; Sentinel reportable events.
Fact Sheet
May 4, 2005
.PDF |
160.05 KB
The Medical Countermeasures (MCM) Directorate assists in protecting U.S. forces that are globally engaged and at potentially increased risk to being exposed to naturally occurring substances or encountering manufactured chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) agents that adversaries may seek to use against them.
You are leaving Health.mil
The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense of non-U.S. Government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the Defense Health Agency may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for Department of Defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.
You are leaving Health.mil
View the external links disclaimer.
Last Updated: February 08, 2024