ABSTRACT

Contagion and catastrophic illnesses have affected the outcome of wars throughout history. Military officers have duties to protect their soldiers from becoming disease casualties, conserve their fighting strength, and ensure the success of the mission. Discharging those duties requires more than site sanitation and encouraging personal cleanliness. Armies need to have, and should have, at their disposal the best available vaccines and medicines directed against specific disease hazards. The ability to provide procedures, remedies, antidotes, and medical countermeasures has been almost as important as good military training and advanced weaponry in the success of military operations.