MILITARY SURGERY - CERTIFICATION IS LONG OVERDUE

Military surgery is a complex discipline that has progressed far beyon d triage and the debridement of battle wounds, The evolution of modern warfare now demands that the combat surgeon be knowledgable in milita ry tactics, logistics, transport of personnel, trauma surgery, tropica l medicine, public health, industrial medicine, and special weapons, a s well as have a familiarity with the organizational structure and cul ture of the military services. This complexity qualifies military surg ery as a subspecialty of surgery according to the criteria of the Accr editation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Accreditatio n of military surgery as a defined specialty should be sought because that recognition will produce better care for our troops, improve educ ation of military medical personnel, and stimulate research.