THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT

Question 1

THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT

REGIMENT

Answer 1

THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT WAS FORMED ON 27 JULY 177S.
WHEN THE CONTINENT AL CONGRESS AUTHORIZED A MEDICAL SERVICE
FOR AN ARMY OF 20,000 MEN. IT CREATED THE HOSPITAL
DEPARTMENT AND NAMED DR. BENJAMIN CHURCH OF BOSTON AS
DIRECTOR GENERAL AND CHIEF PHYSICIAN. ON 14 APRIL, 1818 THE
CONGRESS PASSED AN ACT WHICH REORGANIZED THE STAFF
DEPARTMENTS OF THE ARMY. THE ACT PROVIDED FOR A MEDICAL
DEPARTMENT TO BE HEADED BY A SURGEON GENERAL DR. JOSEPH
LOVELL APPOINTED SURGEON GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY
IN APRIL 1818, WAS THE FIRST TO HOLD THIS POSITION IN THE NEW
ORGANIZATION. THE PASSAGE OF THIS LAW MARKS THE BEGINNING OF
THE MODERN MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
THROUGHOUT ITS EARLY HISTORY, THE SIZE AND MISSION OF THE U.S.
ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT WOULD WAX AND WANE IN RESPONSE
TO MILITARY EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD. THERE WAS HOWEVER, NO
FORMAL REGIMENTAL ORGANIZATION UNTIL WORLD WAR L THEN, IN
THE LATE 1950S, THE BRIGADE REPLACED THE REGIMENT AS A TACTICAL
UNIT. IN THE REORGANIZATION THAT FOLLOWED, SOME ARMY UNITS
LOST THEIR IDENTITY-THEIR LINEAGE-THEIR HISTORY. THIS LOSS DID
NOT GO UNNOTICED AND THE U.S. ARMY REGIMENT AL SYSTEM WAS
CREATED IN 1981 TO PROVIDE SOLDIERS WITH CONTINUOUS
IDENTIFICATION WITH A SINGLE REGIMENT. DEPARTMENT OF THE
ARMY REGULATION 600-82, THE U.S. ARMY REGIMENTAL SYSTEM.
ST ATES THE MISSION OF THE REGIMENT IS TO ENHANCE COMBAT
EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH A FRAMEWORK THAT PROVIDES THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR AFFILIATION, DEVELOPS LOY ALTY AND
COMMITMENT, FOSTERS A SENSE OF BELONGING, IMPROVES UNIT ESPRIT,
AND INSTITUTIONALIZES THEW AR-HGHTING ETHOS.
THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT REGIMENT WAS ACTIVATED ON
28JULY,1968, DURING CEREMONIES AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, IN SAN
ANTONIO, TEXAS, THE “HOME OF ARMY MEDICINE”. LIEUTENANT
GENERAL QUINN H. BECKER. THE U.S. ARMY SURGEON GENERAL AND
AMEDD REGIMENTAL COMMANDER, WAS THE REVIEWING OFHCER. HE
WAS JOINED BY GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE U.S. ARMY RESERVES AND
THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, REPRESENTING THE SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTIONS AND MAN POWER OF THE RESERVE FORCES IN THE
TOTAL ARMY CONCEPT.