Disaster Response
MHS responds rapidly and effectively to disasters, public health emergencies, and mass casualty events involving military personnel, DoD employees, and DoD beneficiaries, and provides support to civil authorities and the general public, when requested.
MHS is prepared for emergency operations, continuity of operations (COOP), and use of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) during contingencies affecting the homeland, and fully represented in related DoD and USG-sponsored tabletop exercises and simulations.
MHS is a leader in Pandemic Influenza planning and works closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure medications and vaccines are available from the Strategic National Stockpile for DoD’s beneficiaries.
MHS is prepared to provide health service support to the entire spectrum of Stability, Security, Transition and Reconstruction Operations. These operations include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, other civil-military and security cooperation initiatives, and support/coordination of MHS overseas laboratories.
MHS participates in international and global health initiatives, ensures representation on medical activities of NATO and the International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM), and meets with foreign dignitaries/delegations.
MHS provides access to health care to designated non-DoD beneficiaries. These include International Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RCHAs), the Secretary of Defense Designee Authority, the Emergency and Extraordinary Expense (EEE) Authority, the Exception to Transportation Policy, and Foreign Force Members assigned to the Coalition Village.