MEDCAP

A civic action program also known as civic action project is a type of operation designed to assist an area by using the capabilities and resources of a military force or civilian organization to conduct long-term programs or short-term projects. This type of operations include: dental civic action program (DENTCAP), engineering civic action program (ENCAP), medical civic action program (MEDCAP), and veterinarian civic action program (VETCAP). Entities of foreign nations usually conduct these operations at the invitation of a host nation.

Dentists and dental technicians with equipment and supplies set up a temporary field clinic to provide dental treatment to the local population.

Engineers with equipment conduct civil engineering projects to execute any number of infrastructure improvement projects, such as building or improving schools, clinics, roads or drinking wells.

Medical doctors and specialists with equipment and supplies set up a temporary field clinic to provide limited medical treatment to the local population. MEDCAPs are generally narrow in scope and usually provide targeted assistance, such as inoculations.

Veterinarians with equipment and supplies provide limited veterinarian services for the local population. VETCAPS are generally narrow in scope and usually provide targeted assistance, such as inoculations.

The U.S. military has an activity similar to civic action programs called a medical readiness training exercise (MEDRETE). Military use MEDRETEs to provide training on public health and preventive medicine.

In the summer of 1965, United States military medical personnel conducted MEDCAPs to help the Government of Vietnam provide out-patient health services to the South Vietnamese population. The United States military also conducted a related program called Military Provincial Hospital Assistance Program (MILPHAP), where medical personnel augmented civilian hospital staffs to help provide in-patient treatment.

AMERICAN DOCTOR EXAMINES VIETNAMESE CHILD by Samuel E. Alexander, Vietnam Combat Artists Program CAT IV, 1967. Courtesy National Museum of the U.S. Army.

MED CAP by Dennis O. McGee, Vietnam Combat Artists Program, CAT III, 1967, Courtesy of the National Museum of the U.S. Army.

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