Denmark, Kingdom of

Basic Task of the Military Medical Service

The Danish Defence Medical Command (DDMC) is an independent joint organisation under the Chief of Defence. 

The Danish Defence Medical Command (DDMC) is commanded by the Surgeon General, who has the overall responsibility for the Danish Armed Forces Medical Policy and is the Senior Medical Advisor to the Chief of Defence.

DDMC is responsible for health care as well as physical training and sports within the Danish Armed Forces. The DDMC is also medically responsible for all deployed Danish military medical units.

The DDMC provides medical policy and guidelines for all service branches.

DDMC develops national military concepts, doctrines and procedures. It is responsible for generating medical treatment facilities both on the national and international level.

Structure

Staff

The Staff is responsible for

• Research and development 
• Medical planning
• Force Health Protection
• Medical evaluation
• Logistics
• Personnel administration
• Coordination with Danish Defence.

Operation Support Element

The Operation Support Element in Joint Defence Command is responsible for

• Coordinate and advise the Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Operations Command, Arctic Command and the International Deployment division and medical issues.

Center for Medical Service Training

The Center for Medical Service Training is responsible for

• Medical education (doctors, nurses and medics).

Center for Military Physical Training

The Center for Military Physical Training is responsible for

• Physical Training and Education 
• Training Support.

Infirmaries

The five Infirmaries are responsible for

• Providing basic medical service for all military personnel

The centers for Aviation and Naval Medicine are part of two of the infirmaries.

Medical Personal – Reservists in support of the DDMC

The Danish Defence Medical Command (DDMC) depends on the support of military medical reservists in order to:

• Sustain international missions with medical personal. 
• Provide medical specialists in support of the DDMC.

Number of Medical Personnel

Medical Units

Army
The medical units in the Danish Army consist of:

• A medical Coy providing ambulances and ROLE 1 support.
• A medical Coy providing ROLE 2 support.

Navy

Medical units in the Danish Navy consist of: 

• A Role 1 medical unit aboard ships. The capability of the Role 1 can be extended to include Damage Control Surgery (mission specific).

Air Force
Medical units in the Danish Air Force consist of:

• SQN 690 Strategic Medical Evacuation.
• Casualty Staging Unit (CSU).
• SQN 660 Forward Aeromedical Evacuation.
• ROLE 1.
• SQN 722 Search And Rescue (SAR).

MEDEVAC capabilities

• The Danish Air Force has four purpose built flight-modules for the C-130J aircraft.
• Each module can hold four intensive care patients or 12 casualties demanding a lower level of care.
• One C-130J aircraft can hold two purpose built flight-units (Critical Care Air Transportation units).
• One C-130J aircraft can hold two Critical Care Air Transportation units, two custom built ambulances, or one of each.
• This enables Denmark to carry out intra-theatre Air Evacuation within distances limited by the range of the C-130 aircraft.
• Outside the range of the C-130J aircraft, agreements are made with partner nations capable of long-range Air Evacuation.

Field Deployments / Current Missions

Present medical deployments of The Armed Forces of Denmark:

• Main focus on Iraq (Operation Inherent Resolve) and Afghanistan (Resolute Support).
• Supporting several deployments involving all the services. 
• Sick or wounded soldiers will, after evacuation out of theatre, be treated in the civilian health care system. The DAFMC has a close cooperation with Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), which is a Level One Trauma Centre.

Danish Piranha III Ambulance

Danish Duro III Ambulance

Danish Piranha III Ambulance on exercise

Danish Duro III Ambulance on exercise