Okinawa Commanders Guide to Healthcare
The US Army does not have an Army Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) in Okinawa. While Okinawa has Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines, it is not officially designated a Joint environment. The resources, capabilities and dynamics of a Joint environment are different than when the services are merely co-located. This directly impacts the Military Health Services in the environment. The Soldiers must enroll into Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Okinawa (NMRTC) or the Air Force 18th Medical Group Clinic (18th MDG, Kadena Air Base) for their health care needs. The healthcare structure and operations of the NMRTC and 18th MDG are specifically aligned with their respective service mission and regulations. Without an officially designated Joint environment, their higher commands do not consider the Army’s presence or regulatory requirements when planning and funding their required missions. The intent of this document is to reduce the confusion for Army personnel in this complicated medical environment. The proponent of this document is the MEDDAC-Japan Commander in cooperation with the NMRTC and 18th MDG Commanders. Questions and recommendations for this guide may be directed to the MEDDAC-Japan DCCS.