About RHCE

As the Army's only forward stationed regional health command, Regional Health 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 families and Soldiers for life. This mission is accomplished by RHCE personnel assigned across Europe, Africa, and Central Asia, 24-hours a day, 365-days a year. While RHCE is foundational to U.S. Army Medical Command's role in support of the joint force in the execution of Globally Integrated Health Services, it also directly enables USAREURAF and USARCENT responsibilities outlined in Title 10 of the United States Code. The RHCE Commanding General possesses command authority over 6,000 healthcare personnel and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Public Health Command Europe, Dental Health Command Europe, and Medical Department Activity Bavaria. The RHCE CG is dual-hatted as the USAREURAF Command Surgeon, a principal staff officer of Headquarters, USAREURAF. In this role he advises the USAREURAF CG on the development, policy direction, organization, and overall management of the Army Health System in Europe.

Mission:  Regional Health Command Europe provides sustained health services support and force health protection to supported commands, the joint warfighter, families and beneficiaries to enable readiness and conserve the fighting strength.

Vision:  Modernized and reformed Army Medical Force in Europe that is ready and responsive to deliver and synchronize the Army Health System in support of combined and joint military operations across supported theaters.

RHCE History

The U.S. Army Regional Health Command Europe 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 is 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.

RHCE remains headquartered at Sembach Kaserne and is focused on supporting not only U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Army Africa, but eligible beneficiaries spanning three Combatant Command areas of responsibility in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as casualties received from combat operations wherever they may occur.