The Army wants to better utilize veterinarians in combat medicine to prepare for the possibility of large-scale operations in the Indo-Pacific.

In an effort to mitigate logistical issues that accompany large-scale combat operations, the U.S. Army is working to better integrate veterinarians into combat care.

To better prepare for the possibility of a large injury rate in a future Indo-Pacific fight, combat medical teams are working on ways to utilize human and animal health at the same time, given the similar anatomies between humans and canines, as demonstrated by the 18th Theater Medical Command at the 2026 Land Forces of the Pacific Symposium and Exposition in Hawaii.