About USACHPPM
The U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM)
lineage can be traced back over 50 years to the Army Industrial Hygiene Laboratory.
That organization was established at the beginning of World War II and was under
the direct jurisdiction of The Army Surgeon General. It was originally located
at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, with a staff of three
and an annual budget not to exceed three thousand dollars. Its mission was to
conduct occupational health surveys of Army-operated industrial plants, arsenals,
and depots. These surveys were aimed at identifying and eliminating occupational
health hazards within the Department of Defense's industrial production base
and proved to be of great benefit to the nation's war effort.
It was known both nationally and internationally as the U.S. Army Environmental
Hygiene Agency or USAEHA. Its mission was expanded to support the worldwide
preventive medicine programs of the Army, DOD, and other Federal agencies through
consultations and supportive services, investigations, and training.
In 1994, it was redesignated the USACHPPM. Its mission is to provide
worldwide technical support for implementing preventive medicine,
public health, and health promotion/wellness services into all aspects
of America's Army and the Army Community anticipating and rapidly
responding to operational needs and adaptable to a changing world
environment.
The USACHPPM headquarters is located at
the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. Five subordinate
commands are located at Fort George G. Meade, MD; Fort McPherson,
GA; Fort Lewis, WA; Landstuhl, Germany; and Camp Zama, Japan.
The 1056 person USACHPPM team is a linchpin of medical support to
combat forces and of the military managed-care system. It provides
worldwide scientific expertise and services in clinical and field
preventive medicine, environmental and occupational health, health
promotion and wellness, epidemiology and disease surveillance, toxicology,
and related laboratory sciences. It supports readiness by keeping
soldiers fit to fight, while also promoting wellness among their
families and the Federal civilian workforce. Professional disciplines
represented include chemists, physicists, engineers, physicians,
optometrists, epidemiologists, audiologists, nurses, industrial
hygienists, toxicologists, entomologists, and many others as well
as sub-specialties within these professions.
The organization's quest has always been one of excellence and continuous
quality improvement; and today, its vision to be the world-class
Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine is clearer than
ever. To achieve that end, it holds ever fast to its values which
are steeped in its rich heritage:
- Customer satisfaction is its focus.
- Its people are its most valued resource.
- Continuous improvement is its pathway.
It is an organization fiercely proud of
its history, yet equally excited about the future. It is destined
to continue its development as a world-class organization with expanded
services to the Army, DOD, other Federal agencies, the nation and
the world community.