The military surgeon and the war on terrorism: a Zollinger legacy

Background One of Dr. Robert Zollingerʹs greatest contributions during his time in the Army Medical Corps was the development and utilization of mobile surgical units during World War II. After September 11, 2001, the medical services of the United States Air Force and Army were deployed to support combat casualties incurred during the war on terrorism. Methods Information is based on the authorsʹ recent experiences in Operation Enduring Freedom. Results Over an 8-month period, nearly ninety combat casualties, resulting primarily from blasts and penetrating injuries, received surgical care in medical facilities in Southwest Asia provided by the joint efforts of Air Force and Army mobile surgical teams. Conclusions The importance of lessons learned from this experience and from history, as well as the joint efforts of military medical services, should be applied to the future care of combat casualties.