German military medicine: Missions and innovations

The German military medical service's foremost task in peacetime is to trai n and prepare medical personnel for their tasks in wartime, To this end, si x medical subservices have been formed. They provide inpatient and outpatie nt care for the assigned military formations. Medical support for the react ion forces follows the principles of "operational medicine," which is provi ded in three qualitatively coordinated medical support levels. These suppor t levels form the "lifesaving chain" for Bundeswehr soldiers deployed abroa d, who are entitled to receive medical care that corresponds to the medical standard in Germany.