RT Journal
A1 Covey, Captain D.C.
T1 From the Frontlines to the Home FrontThe Crucial Role of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons*
JF The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
JO The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
YR 2009
FD April 1
VO 91
IS 4
SP 998
OP 1006
DO 10.2106/JBJS.G.01287
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.G.01287
AB 
Approximately 33,000 American service members have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan during the past six years1. Providing treatment as soon as possible after injury has saved lives and preserved optimal function for most of the personnel wounded in the conflicts. Forward surgical teams have performed this life and limb-saving work. Orthopaedic surgeons are essential members of these teams because the majority of service members who are wounded in action sustain musculoskeletal injuries2. From the onset of the military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, orthopaedic surgeons from the Army, Navy, and Air Force have served in the surgical units providing this care. These facilities range in size from two-surgeon resuscitative surgical teams near forward combat operations (Figs. 1-A and 1-B) to sophisticated field hospitals (Fig. 2)3. Continuously manning these battlefield surgical teams and caring for the large numbers of service members with musculoskeletal injuries have created many logistic and personnel challenges for the armed forces.