Global Animal Health Engagement: Army Veterinary Service approach to stability operations

Animal health is integral to economic, food and health security. Globally, 70% of people living in poverty rely on livestock for their livelihood and experts estimate that 75% of emerging infectious diseases originate in animal populations. Veterinary medicine is often an economic security for livestock owners, where its value is realized as gains in marketed production.  However, health and food security are also strengthened by a healthy animal population as they are less likely to transmit zoonotic disease and serve as a stable protein source.  The geopolitical conditions that foment instability and conflict are also associated with food, health and economic insecurity and are often a vital US interest. This is where Veterinary Service’s animal health expertise supports Stability Operations goals and objectives. Healthy animal populations require functioning animal health systems, administered through public-private partnerships.  Traditionally, US Army Veterinary Support to Stability Operations involved delivery of free health care to livestock, but this approach has been criticized for having negative impacts on local animal health systems. A contemporary approach for Veterinary Service’s Global Animal Health activities was developed through a professional education initiative in partnership with the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. US Army Veterinary Services now integrates global veterinary practice competencies into the Veterinary Corps Officer training lifecycle. This global animal health engagement model has been leveraged to implement “One Health” activities in support of operations in the Horn of Africa and is being utilized to develop coastal community engagement strategies in support of the Pacific pivot.