Dermatology in the military: an East Timor study

Dermatology plays an important role in primary health care in the defence force. In the recent East Timor deployment, 25% of medical consultations were dermatological related. The spectrum of conditions seen in a military environment will vary between different units and their operational settings. This study is based on a front-line ground combat unit that served for 3 months in East Timor. Although not a significant cause of mortality, dermatological conditions contribute to a large percentage of morbidity which may decrease the combat effectiveness of a unit. “Throughout the history of warfare, the victor in battle has most often been the General with the healthiest troops. Disease has usually decided the battle before it ever began, leaving only the endgame to tactics.” Parmet. 1