(2) Generally, the division commander charges the surgeon with full
responsibility for staff supervision, to include technical control of all medical service
activity in the command. He also serves the commander in an advisory capacity as a
special staff officer. The surgeon recommends what should be done regarding health
and hygiene; the commander enforces the health and hygiene measures. The division
surgeon is required to:
(a)
Plan, recommend, and supervise training and activities for
disease prevention, personal hygiene, and first aid.
(b)
Supervise and make recommendations on the health aspects of
campsites, water supplies, food and its preparation, waste disposal, bathing facilities,
housing, clothing, chemoprophylaxis, and insect and rodent control.
(c)
Prepare the medical annex to the division standing operating
procedures. He also prepares the medical portion of personnel estimates, operation
plans, operation orders, and administrative logistics plans and orders. The division
directives for preventive medicine are based on policies from higher headquarters.
b. The Division Preventive Medicine Section. The division preventive
medicine section was established to assist the division surgeon carry out an effective
preventive medicine program. The division preventive medicine section consists of a
Medical Corps officer, a preventive medicine officer; a Medical Service Corps officer, an
environmental science officer and several enlisted preventive medicine specialists.
Division preventive medicine personnel act in a staff capacity. They assist the surgeon
and commander to design a preventive medicine program, to prepare preventive
medicine directives and policies, and to survey the command preventive medicine
program. The specific functions of division preventive medicine personnel are to:
(1) Visit division units to identify actual and potential health hazards, and
recommend corrective measures.
(2) Assist in training unit field sanitation teams in disease prevention
programs. This includes monitoring the immunization program.
(3) Recommend proper types of pesticides, repellents, water purification,
chemicals, and other supplies and equipment necessary to preserve health.
(4)
Assist the division surgeon to prepare the command health report.
(5) Assist division brigade surgeons and battalion physician assistants with
preventive medicine problems.
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