A quarter of the population of the United States is in or has a job related to the armed services. These uniformed service people number over 9 million in active and reserve duties. They are made up of military families, service members, retirees, the families of soldiers, veterans and survivors of those who have perished. To serve the medical needs of all these people, the Military Health System employs over 150,000 personnel, both civilians and military medical, who provide services both in combat zones and wherever military people serve in the world. Over 400 clinics and 70 hospitals are operated throughout the world. These medical personnel assist aeromedical evacuations, work aboard ships and under the sea. They deliver aid to those in crisis and are trained in emergency response capabilities. They conduct medical research through Department of Defense research organizations that might save lives in battle or treat cancer, PTSD, clinical problems or traumatic brain injuries. This is all done through a network of health care providers that offer complete health benefits to men and women and is worth over $45 billion worth of service to both the uniformed service people and the civilians that it serves.
             The major components and partners of the U.S. Military Health System are (1) Health Affairs, (2) Army Medicine, (3) Navy Medicine, (4) Air Force Medicine, (5) U.S. Coast Guard Medicine, (6) the Tri-Care System, (7) the Uniformed Services University Health Sciences, (8) the Public Health Service, (9) the Veterans' Administration and (10) the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) (USDD, p. 1).
             The Army Medical Department (AMEDD) is made up of the Office of the Army Surgeon General and the U.S. Army Medical Command Headquarters. Its mission is to "project and sustain a healthy and medically protected force, to deploy a trained and equipped medical force that supports Army and Department of Defense future forces ...