Protecting the health of United States military forces in Afghanistan: applying lessons learned since the Gulf War.

Four weeks after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, US combat troops began bombing missions over Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. Additional Reserve and National Guard personnel were called to active duty to support the war effort and to ensure security throughout the United States. All of these troops will require health care and assistance during and after this war on terrorism. They will benefit from recent federal legislation that has increased access to health care and from the changes implemented by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs since the Gulf War. An innovative Defense Department "Force Health Protection" strategy places greater emphasis on helping service members and families stay healthy and fit and on preventing injury and illness. The two agencies also have developed new post-deployment clinical practice guidelines, established deployment research centers, and made further improvements in preventive medicine, health surveillance, and risk communication and are thus better prepared for this newest generation of war veterans.