This United States Army manual, Army Techniques Publication ATP 4-02.8 Force Health Protection Change 1 August 2020, encompasses all of the preventive aspects of the AHS. The AHS is a system of health which promotes the physiological and psychological wellbeing of Soldiers and their Families from their accession into the U. S. Army, throughout their careers, and into their retirement or separation from military service. Force health protection promotes healthy and positive lifestyle changes which result in healthy and fit Soldiers, facilitates and enhances resilience, and ensures a combat-ready force. The cornerstone of this philosophy is the performance triad—sleep, activity, and nutrition.
This publication addresses the preventive aspects of the various functions which comprise FHP. Although the design of this publication discusses each function separately, the reader must keep in mind the AHS is a system of systems that is interdependent and interrelated and requires continual planning, coordination, and synchronization to prevent and mitigate health risks to deployed Soldiers and to provide the highest quality of care to our wounded, injured, and ill Soldiers. This publication is organized as follows:
Chapter 1, Force Health Protection and the Performance Triad. This chapter provides an introduction to the performance triad and its importance to maintaining a healthy and fit combat- ready force.
Chapter 2, Preventive Medicine. The medical function of PVNTMED is described including all programs and services which are encompassed by this function. The chapter also discusses the levels of PVNTMED support and the PVNTMED assets as they are arrayed on the battlefield.
Chapter 3, Veterinary Services. The Defense Health Agency (DHA) exercises management responsibility for shared services, functions, and activities in the Military Health System and its common business and clinical processes. As such, veterinary support is provided to all Services with the exception of food inspection on United States Air Force installations by United States Army veterinary resources.
Chapter 4, Combat and Operational Stress Control. The medical function of COSC covers both the FHP aspects of behavioral health (BH) and the health service support (treatment) aspects of neuropsychiatric and BH support. For a discussion of the treatment aspects refer to ATP 4-02.5. This chapter discusses stress prevention and combat and operational stress reaction (COSR)management, resilience, and programs.
★Chapter 5, Preventive Dentistry. This chapter has been superseded by ATP 4-02.19.
Chapter 6, Area Medical Laboratory. Area medical laboratory services and support fall under the protection warfighting function and the FHP mission area because of its capability to identify chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) warfare agents. Although it is also capable of providing direct support to hospital clinical laboratories in support of medical diagnosis and treatment, it is the only laboratory in theater which can identify and confirm the presence of CBRN agents.
Appendix A, Determination of Eligibility for Care of Military Working Dogs and Other Government-Owned Animals. This appendix provides the considerations for determining the eligibility for care in a U.S. Army veterinary facility of military working dogs, contractor animals, government-owned animals, unit mascots if authorized by command, and personal pets.
