Health Service Support Operations

Health Service Support Operations, disseminates information on the mission, functions, structure, and concept of employment of HSS units. This publication provides overarching doctrine and establishes a practical approach to HSS from the perspective of the commander or staff officer who can apply it without any significant medical background. This publication establishes general guidance that requires judgment in application. Lower-level tactics, techniques, and procedures for specific application will be published in Marine Corps Reference Publication 4-11.1E, Health Service Support Field Reference Guide. This MCWP pertains equally to senior commanders and small-unit leaders. This publication supersedes MCWP 4-11.1, Health Service Support Operations, dated 10 March 1998.

This publication disseminates information on the mission, functions, structure, and concept of employment of HSS units.

Marine Corps Techniques Publication MCTP 3-40A (Formerly MCWP 4-11.1) Health Service Support Operations May 2016 "Corpsman Up!" echoes across battlefields and in answering this call, medical personnel assigned to Marine Corps forces must be knowledgeable and prepared point men and women of a responsive health service support (HSS) capability. Commanders and their staffs must be aware of HSS capabilities and requirements and their contributions to mission accomplishment. Marine Corps Warfighting Publication (MCWP) 4-11.1, Health Service Support Operations, disseminates information on the mission, functions, structure, and concept of employment of HSS units. This publication provides overarching doctrine and establishes a practical approach to HSS from the perspective of the commander or staff officer who can apply it without any significant medical background. This publication establishes general guidance that requires judgment in application. Lower-level tactics, techniques, and procedures for specific application will be published in Marine Corps Reference Publication 4-11.1E, Health Service Support Field Reference Guide. This MCWP pertains equally to senior commanders and small-unit leaders. This publication supersedes MCWP 4-11.1, Health Service Support Operations, dated 10 March 1998.

This field manual (FM), “Combat Health Support in Stability Operations and Support Operations,” establishes the combat health support (CHS) doctrine and provides the principles for providing CHS in stability operations and support operations. It is designed for use by personnel involved in CHS planning for stability operations and support operations and command surgeons (at all levels of command) and their staffs. Although the Army's primary focus is to fight and win our nation's wars, it is often employed in stability and support operations. In stability and support operations, the Army executes missions in both peace and conflict: what combat does occur is limited to the minimum necessary to support the political objectives. The primary recipients of combat service support (CSS) in stability and support operations are likely to be civilians (US or foreign), rather than US combat forces as in war. THE CHS planner must be capable of adapting traditional methods of health care delivery, leveraging technology, and establishing new procedures to meet the challenges presented.