About MRC, EUR

As the Army's only forward stationed medical readiness command, Medical Readiness Command, Europe provides sustained health services in support of forces in U.S. Army Europe and Africa and United States Army Central to enable readiness and conserve the fighting strength while caring for Soldiers and their families. This mission is accomplished by MRC,EUR personnel assigned across Europe, Africa, and Central Asia, 24-hours a day, 365-days a year. MRC,EUR directly enables USAREURAF and USARCENT responsibilities outlined in Title 10 of the United States Code. The MRC,EUR Commanding General possesses command authority over approximately 6,000 Army medical personnel assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), Public Health Command Europe (PHCE), Dental Health Command Europe (DHCE), and Medical Department Activity Bavaria (MEDDAC-Bavaria). In addition to being the commander for MRC,EUR, the commanding general is also the USAREURAF Command Surgeon and Director of Defense Health Agency Region Europe.  

MRC, EUR History

Originally created as the U.S. Army Regional Health Command Europe (RHCE), it was activated on July 10, 2015, under the command and control of the U.S. Army Medical Command, headquartered at Fort Sam, Houston, Texas. The activation was noteworthy because it brought Army medical, dental, and public health/veterinary services in the region together under one general officer command.
RHCE was the successor of the U.S. Army's 7th Medical Command, which was headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany and a major separate command under U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army. During the Cold War, the 7th Medical Command had a dual responsibility for the peacetime community healthcare mission and to deploy its members in response to operational and contingency requirements.

With the drawdown of U.S. forces in Europe following the end of the Cold War, and the Army's activation of U.S. Army Medical Command in 1994, the healthcare mission was divided between two new organizations. The 30th Medical Brigade assumed operational responsibilities as a Corps Separate Brigade organized under V (US) Corps. MEDCOM activated the European Health Service Support Area at Landstuhl, Germany as one of the Army's seven global health service support regions. To clarify beneficiary recognition of their mission, all Health Service Support Areas were re-designated as Regional Medical Commands, and on October 16, 1994, the European Health Service Support Area became Europe Regional Medical Command. ERMC subsequently relocated to Heidelberg as the Commanding General also served as the USAREUR Command Surgeon.

In 2014 as part of the Army Transformation in Europe and with the closure of the Heidelberg Military Community, Europe Regional Medical Command headquarters relocated to Sembach Kaserne, Germany. On July 10, 2015, Europe Regional Medical Command was redesignated as Regional Health Command Europe commensurate with the Army Medical Department Futures Reorganization initiatives. This is noteworthy because it brought all generating force medical, dental, public health, and veterinary services in the region together under one headquarters and one general officer command.

On Sept. 30, 2022, Regional Health Command Europe (RHCE) transitioned and became the Medical Readiness Command, Europe (MRC,EUR). This transition was part of the overall Army Medical Command transformation and creation of several medical readiness commands across the Continental United States, Pacific and European theaters.

MRC,EUR remains headquartered at Sembach Kaserne, Germany and is focused on providing regionally ready, globally responsive medical forces, health service support, and force health protection to conserve the fighting strength; enable the readiness and health of the Army and designated activities; integrate and liaise at echelon for the provision of health service support and force health protection to the Total Army.