This document summarizes health service support (HSS) operations in the Marine Corps. It outlines the mission of HSS units to minimize the effects of wounds and illness on readiness. The HSS system is established through preventive medicine programs and support networks at the Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Division, Marine Aircraft Wing, and Marine Logistics Group levels. Medical staff at each level are responsible for HSS requirements and support may come from casualty receiving ships, fleet hospitals, or other service medical facilities as needed.

1. HEALTH SERVICE SUPPORT
OPERATIONS
MCWP4-11.1
By: HMC(FMF/SW) GLASPIE

2. Health Services Support
Operations
Purpose:
Marine Corps War fighting Publication (MCWP) 4-11-1,
Health Service Support Operations, disseminates
information on the mission, functions, structure, and
concept of employment of HSS units

3. HSS Mission
• The HSS mission is to minimize the effects that wounds,
injuries, and disease have on units, effectiveness,
readiness and morale
• The mission is accomplished by a preventive medicine
program that safeguards personnel against potential health
risk and by establishing an HSS system
» MEF, MARDIV, MAW and MEDLOG

4. Marine Expeditionary Forces
• The MEF surgeon, medical planner, medical administrative
officer, preventive medicine officer, and hospital corpsman are
responsible for establishing HSS requirements
• HSS beyond the organic capabilities of the GCE and ACE are
normally provided by task-organized units of the medical and
dental battalions of the MLG
• Support may be needed from designated casualty receiving
and treatment ships (CRTS) e.g. LHA/LHD class ships, fleet
hospitals, hospitals ships, or medical treatment facilities
(MTFs) of other Services

5. Marine Division
• The medical staff of the division headquarters has a division
surgeon, medical planner/administrator, psychiatrist, and
hospital corpsmen
• Medical staff responsibilities are similar to the MEFs but are
more specifically related to the activities of the Ground
Combat Element (GCE)

6. Marine Aircraft Wing
• The medical staff of the Marine aircraft wing (MAW)
headquarters has a wing surgeon, medical
planner/administrative officer, and environmental health
officer, industrial hygienist, optometrist, and hospital
corpsmen
• A MAW has four Marine aircraft groups (MAGs)
• Each MAG has flight surgeon and several hospital corpsman
• Each MAG is supported by a Marine wing support squadron
(MWSS) of the Marine wing support group (MWSG)
• The flight surgeon is the squadron's commander’s special
staff officer responsible for the aeromedical safety and HSS
for the squadron

7. Marine Logistics Group
• The MLG surgeon advises the commander on the health of the
command and the adequacy of internal MLG HSS
• MLG has the majority of the MEF’s medical assets/capabilities
• It has a medical battalion with three surgical companies (Surg Co)
and eight shock trauma platoons (STPs) to provide intial
resuscitative care for casualties
• Dental Battalion provides field dentistry when deployed and also
advises on dental issues
• Medical Logistics Companies (MEDLOG) provides supply support
with regards to: authorized medical allowance list (AMAL) and
authorized dental allowance list (ADAL)

8. QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS