The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: enhancing the Military Health System’s public health capabilities

Robert F Defraites

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-s2-s1

Abstract

Since its establishment in February 2008, the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC) has embarked on a number of initiatives and projects in collaboration with a variety of agencies in the Department of Defense (DoD), other organizations within the federal government, and non-governmental partners. In 2009, the outbreak of pandemic H1N1 influenza attracted the major focus of the center, although notable advances were accomplished in other areas of interest, such as deployment health, mental health and traumatic brain injury surveillance.

Highlights

The center was established by the Deputy Secretary of Defense in February 2008 [1]
Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC) combined the resources of the Army Medical Surveillance Activity (AMSA), the Department of Defense (DoD) Global Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response System (DoD-Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS)), and the Global Health Surveillance Activity supporting the Force Health Protection Directorate in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
As AFHSC matures, evolves and grows, the capabilities and support provided by its legacy agencies are expanding to meet DoD’s needs

Summary

Introduction

The center’s mission is to promote, maintain and enhance the health of United States (U.S.) military and military-associated populations by providing relevant, timely, actionable and comprehensive health surveillance information. The center is intended to become the central epidemiological resource for DoD. AFHSC combined the resources of the Army Medical Surveillance Activity (AMSA), the DoD Global Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response System (DoD-GEIS), and the Global Health Surveillance Activity supporting the Force Health Protection Directorate in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. As AFHSC matures, evolves and grows, the capabilities and support provided by its legacy agencies are expanding to meet DoD’s needs. The center plays a key role in the collective understanding of infectious disease threats throughout the world, and the impact of these threats on U.S uniformed and military-associated populations. More than ever, DoD has a more complete picture of the health of American men and women in uniform

Background

Deputy Secretary of Defense: Memorandum