Veterinary Readiness Activity, Italy History
Veterinary Readiness Activity, Italy traces its origins to Veterinary Detachment, Medical Group, 7779th Army Unit. After World War II, the headquarters of the 7779th Army Unit was combined with the Quartermaster Market Center in Frankfurt, Germany. The unit was responsible for animal-origin food inspection in the areas not covered by area commands within Germany or by the Berlin command, the Bremerhaven Port of Embarkation, or the U.S. Army Europe Communication Zone. The unit had two branches located at The Hague, Holland and Odense, Denmark in addition to various sections located throughout Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, and the former Yugoslavia.
Veterinary Detachment, Medical Group, 7779th Army Unit deactivated on November 15, 1956 and reorganized as U.S. Army, Europe Veterinary Detachment 7719th. On July 1, 1957, the name changed to U.S. Army Veterinary Detachment, Europe and the unit was assigned to U.S. Army Communication Zone, Europe.
The unit headquarters later moved to Giessen, Germany along with the U.S. Army Quartermaster Supply Center on July 1, 1958. The U.S. Army Veterinary Detachment, Europe was assigned to the 819th Hospital Center on March 15, 1963 and later to U.S. Army Medical Command, Europe on July 1, 1968 where it remained until reorganized as the 7th Medical Command on September 21, 1978. On September 16, 1986, the 34th Medical Detachment Veterinary Services (VS) was activated in Vicenza, Italy. As part of the reorganization of our military forces in Europe following the fall of the Berlin wall and breakup of the former Soviet Union, the 34th Medical Detachment (VS) remained as such through the inactivation of 7th Medical Command and task organization under the 30th Medical Brigade in October 1994.
On January 16, 1995, the 34th Medical Detachment (VS) was renamed Southern Europe Veterinary Detachment. The SEVD area of responsibility varied over the years to encompass missions in Austria, Crete, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Spain, South Africa, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and the former Yugoslavia.
On January 4, 2012, when U.S. Army Veterinary Command merged with the Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine to form U.S. Army Public Health Command, the unit was re-designated as PHCD-SE. On July 1, 2015, following the inactivation of USAPHC and reorganization of U.S. Army MEDCOM, PHCD-SE was task organized under Public Health Command-Europe which is currently subordinate to Regional Health Command-Europe. On October 1, 2016 the name was changed to Public Health Activity-Italy. Following the Army Medical Command Transformation to Readiness in late 2022, the unit was redesignated as Veterinary Readiness Activity, Italy on 15 March 2024.
Today, VRA, I provides Food Safety and Defense, Animal Medicine, Zoonotic Disease Surveillance, Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene from its seven branches within the UK, Spain, Turkey and Italy supporting 26 countries in Europe and Africa, remaining one of the most geographically-dispersed veterinary units in the Army.