Addressing the comments thus far: (1) Military medicine begins with the front-line medic, the one in the most extreme of harms way and literally saving lives with a limited supply of what Class VIII items he/she is able to carry on their back. Hats off to all professions in the medical service and ancillary support staff that help accomplish the mission. (2) Reguarding civilians being treated in a warzone, this is covered extensively by Annex Q in the DEPORD (deployment order). The military treats all casualties (even the enemy) with blount trauma when they "arrive at our doorstep".... there are no discrimanting factors used to turn them away. All US civilians who enounter traumatic injurious that result in their having to be evacuated outside of the COMMZ (communications zone) generally are captured (at govt rate) for reimbursement through their third party insurance program.

Thanks for the excellent reporting of medical teams and flight crews in Iraq specifically Balad Air Force base where my spouse is serving as a Flight Surgeon. The team-oriented crews work together to provide the best medical care in the world for Iraqi civilians, military and combatants with the US public hearing very little about it. The surreal world of the US daily life compared with the Iraq War and injured, are miles apart which your reporting has helped to bridge that gap. They risk their own lives in getting these patients out of harms way, in treating them, and giving them the best quality care in the world also while doing everything to save each human being. Medicine and the mission combine to fly solders to Germany or the United States, and to fly Iraqis to local hospitals in Baghdad. I appreciate Mr. Bazell's knowledge of healthcare with presentation of fact and personally observing the medical care first hand. Journalism has been lacking such professionalism.

I was an AF medic for 24 years, and retired in 2004. Thanks for such great reporting on the dedication of all military medics and the flight crews who risk thier lives getting these heros back from the battle and then back to Germany the US and definitive care. Military medical folks serve 2 honorable professions, the profession of medicine and the profession of a military member. They treat and save the lives of all, no matter what uniform they wear, enemy or friend, once they get through the doors of a military hospital, they are no longer combatants, they are patients and humans and we will do everything it takes to save and protect that life.

I have been wondering... Why are US journalist who are injured in Iraq flown on military planes to Germany and then treated at military hospitals? Are they members of the US Armed Forces? Like Bob Woodward, and a few others they have also received surgeries and rehabilitation at Army/Navy Hospitals. If they are reporters working for their various news organizations, shouldn't their employers be responsible for getting them out of harms way? Do their companies reimburse the US government for these costs? If there is some sort of arrangement with the military, doesn't this cloud a news reporter's stories?

Your "physician-centric" view is ignorant of professional nursing, and it skews your reporting. Perhaps interviewing professional nurses (military and civilian) and using expert nurses as an integral part of your ongoing healthcare reporting is in order.