The Intelligence Research Of Combat Health Service Support Transformation And Development In U.S. Armed Forces

With the world war style developed from mechanization era into information ageas well as futher deepening of in china’s military reform，there are enormouschallenges in the process of construction of China’s health service support. How todeal with the challenges of information warfare, promote wartime health servicesupport of Chinese military and explore the theory and practice under the conditionsof information has become an important research topic in China’s preparations formilitary struggle. It was the U.S. army who first entered into the information age, andtheir health service support has been greatly changed with the transformation ofmilitary. In terms of theory development, they put forward “Force HealthProtection”(FHP). FHP has three interrelated pillars: a healthy and fit force,prevention and protection, medical and rehabilitative care. They developed andimplemented the joint theater trauma system and established an efficient and flexiblehealth service support (HSS) mechanism in order to improve combat casualty care.They established lighter, mobile, modular health units to meet the operationrequirements and adapt military transformation. They deployed the medical troops tothe front field, reduced the roles of medical care, established three-dimensional andfast medical evacuation system. They referred to ERP supply mode of modernenterprise, achieved accurate health supplies. The transformation of HSS in U.S. armyrepresents the direction and trends of HSS development under condition ofinformation.age. The advances in these key areas can provide us with valuableexperiences and enlightenments.Several research methods such as literature review，expert consultation，systemsanalysis， comprehensive analysis are integratively used in this research. Afteranalyzing the background and motivation of U.S. army HSS transformation, theresearch has systematically reviewed the theory and practice of U.S. HSS, exploredthe primary development and organization of U.S. HSS such as history, theory,command and control, focus areas, etc.. On the basis of these work, the researchrevealed the essence, characteristics and rules of U.S. HSS，improved our recognitionof U.S. HSS and explored useful experience in U.S. HSS construction. At last, theresearch made a contrast analysis of difficulties and problems in China’s HSSconstruction and proposed some suggestions to China’s HSS construction.The research consists of seven parts：The first part was the basic theory of U.S. HSS transformation. After reviewingthe basic process and basic theory of U.S. military transformation and militarylogistics transformation, we discussed and analyzed the concept, content, rules andregulations of U.S. HSS. The second part was the analysis of environment and motivation of U.S. HSStransformation. We analyzed the history context and reality of U.S HSStransformation, as well as influence of multifactor on wartime HSS. The end of ColdWar and the Gulf War were the historical event affecting U.S. HSS transformation. Inaddition, many factors influenced the transformation of U.S. HSS, such as peacefulenvironment for development, economic strength and technology development. Formof war, national military strategy, military transformation, science and technology, thepractice of war provided a main impetus in U.S. HSS transformation.The third part was the analysis of context of U.S. HSS transformation. Theprocess of U.S. HSS contains the “infancy stage”, the “theory and ideologicalpreparation stage” and “integrated development stage”. There were three main linesthrough the process of U.S. HSS transformation. The first line was the preparation,suggestion, interpretation and implementation of “Force Health Protection” theory.The second line was the constant revision of Joint publication“Health Service Support.The third line was the adjustment of HSS system following military system change.The fourth part focuses on the organizational support in wartime militarycommand structure and its adjustment, mainly represented by in-theatre militarymedical service organization and command system underwent modular transformationin adaption to the small and modular military forces. It deployed medical deploymentsupport command, medical brigades and multi-functional medical battalion in thetheater level and division level. According to the operational needs, deploy thecorresponding modular units and they grouped based on task. Modular decompositionand combination methods were adopted to form medical brigade and multi-functionalmedical battalion in line with the operational environment and combat demand.Organic health service units adjustment features include forward deployment,conformity of combat and medical support, modular organization design.The fifth part analyzes the characteristics and experience of joint operationshealth service support after military transformation, based on the latest U.S. jointpublication of Health Service Support, with emphasis on research organization andimplementation of joint operations in injury treatment, medical evacuation, medicallogistic support, dental service, mental health support, disease control and veterinaryservice, discussed the battlefield medical treatment roles, build a perfect casualtyevacuation system, to achieve accurate medical logistic support.The sixth part summarizes the essence, approaches and trends of the U.S. HSS inwartime transformation. the nature of transformation of the U.S. HSS in wartime isthe reform of “force health protection” concept and medical information supportmodel. Main ways of transformation include: the establishment of strong leadinginstitutions to promote transformation; publish document to guide transformation;develop key technologies to lead transformation. The trends of the transformation are:health service support functions transform from casualty treatment to healthpromotion; health support tends to the comprehensive protection and life-span health;medical command system from logistics management to combat-oriented; medicalsupport system from organic-led to the support-led; medical support method tends tonetwork support development. The seventh part put forward enlightment of U.S. HHS in wartime to us bycomparatively analyzing the current status and problems of Chinese army. Theproposes suggestions include:①understanding the U.S. HSS in wartime correctly;②learning from the U.S. experience, combined with the actual condition of Chinesearmy to implement wartime health service transformation;③grasping the rule,carefully plan the transformation of our wartime health service transformation.