If you're a pet owner or have ever owned pets you're probably familiar with services provided by a veterinarian. However, a military veterinarian’s expertise goes beyond the local community caring for domestic pets. Their efforts can span throughout the world to increase livestock productivity, improve working animal performance, and decrease the transmission of zoonotic diseases to benefit societies at the local, regional and global level.

“Our purpose within global veterinary engagement is to partner with national civilian and military personnel to build trust and relationships,” said Brig. Gen. John Poppe, chief of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the United States annual meeting in Washington, D.C. 

Global veterinary engagement efforts can range from a large-scale refresher course on animal health work to a lower-scale demonstration on splint application for a de-mining working dog during a humanitarian operation. Efforts also encompass the relief, response and mitigation activity to deliver services and relief aid in the aftermath of disasters whether natural or manmade.

Poppe explained the importance of a health security model to identify threats of zoonotic disease along the human interface as well as health threats found between people and their environment.

Zoonotic diseases and trans-boundary diseases, such as SARS, MERS-CoV, Ebola and malaria, are known to threaten health, food and economic security. Healthy animals produce more food, fiber and fertilizer. They also generate power and income and serve as a savings and social status for many. However, increased productivity of livestock can lead to harder densities beyond what the environment can accommodate. For example, overgrazing can degrade soil leaving fields and pastures unable to support crops and livestock.

In 2013, the Department of Defense Veterinary Services added the fourth pillar of veterinary service support. The additional pillar extended the responsibility of veterinary coordination, manning and support to plan and conduct agricultural, veterinary public health and animal health activities across the range of military operations. Although this new responsibility was recognized in 2013, its history can be traced back to 1949 when six specially trained Veterinary Corps Officers were assigned to support civil affairs and military government actions in Europe. The tradition carried on through conflicts in the 1950s, 60s and 70s to support unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations and foreign internal defense. 

“We will continue to create capacity and enhance diplomacy within veterinary services on a global health platform,” said Poppe.