Abstract
The discipline of military medicine is dedicated to keeping our uniformed services "fit to fight." With an extensive historical, academic, and technical knowledge base of its own, it is responsible for maintaining the medical hygiene of deploying forces, as well as treatment of the unique diseases and injuries associated with combat operations. This is generally done while utilizing procedures and "ground rules" not directly adaptable from peacetime practices. Military history provides many lessons that confirm the validity of the precepts of military medicine. Unfortunately, many of these principles have lain fallow between conflicts, requiring that they be relearned at great human expense during subsequent engagements.
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