Medical aspects of cold weather operations: a handbook for medical officers

Author:

U. S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine,

Title:

Medical aspects of cold weather operations: a handbook for medical officers

Periodical:

Report No. TN93-4

Year:

1993

Subject:

Cold weather operations (Military) Winter warfare

Summary:

Of all the natural environmental hazards soldiers confront in the course of their duties, cold is arguably the most difficult and dangerous. Every medical officer has heard of the catastrophic withdrawal of Napoleon’s Grand Army from Moscow in the winter of 1807 during which illness and injury due to cold caused the death of thousands of French troops. Casualties from cold exposure occur in all types of operations. Cold is an effective weapon on the side of a military force with initiative. Forces including the U.S. Cavalry, the Russians and the Finns used cold in this way by displacing their opponent from shelter and allowing the environment itself to force surrender. In the offense, rapid paced operations can outrun supply trains and expose leading elements to unexpected cold weather bivouacs and risk of cold injury. It should not be surprising that the U.S. Army suffered cold weather casualties in almost all of our conflicts from the American Revolution to Korea. Cold injuries remain a problem in military operations and training exercises today (Barat, A. K., Puri, H.C., Ray, N., 1978; Marsh. A.R., 1983; Orr, K.D. and Fainer, D., 1952; Tek, D. and Mackey, S., 1993). Because the U.S. Army is evolving into a CONUS-based rapid deployment force, U. S. ARMY Medical Department officers must be prepared to assist commanders to deal with any deployment contingency. Many cold regions throughout the world are potential deployment destinations for the U.S. Army. This handbook was written to help medical officers prepare for, and manage the medical needs of units confronted by deployment and operations in cold environments.

URL:

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA263559

Collection:

Monographs