Support personnel, who provide surgical and medical aid to those who need early definitive care and cannot be further evacuated. Medical personnel are an integral part of the combat unit to which they are assigned; they train with their units and live with and accompany them at all times. All of the units comprising an FMF have Medical Department personnel organic to them. However, the majority of medical support comes from the medical battalion of Force Service Support Group (FSSG). The FSSG is a composite grouping of functional units. These functional units provide combat service support beyond the organic capability of all elements of FMF. The medical battalion provides combat medical support required for independently deployed battalion landing teams, regimental landing teams, Marine expeditionary units, or Marine expeditionary brigades. The primary mission of the medical battalion is to provide  casualty collection,  emergency treatment,  temporary hospitalization,  specialized surgery, and  evacuation. In addition, medical battalions must plan, supervise, and coordinate timely preventive measures for controlling disease. The basic organization of a typical medical battalion is shown in figure 14-1. A further breakdown of the organization can be found in chapter 3 of the Marine Corps Warfighting Publication (MCWP) 4-11.1. FMF DENTAL SUPPORT The mission of FMF dental units is to furnish dental services to a Marine Expeditionary Force. By attaching dental sections and detachments of the task force, battalion personnel maintain dental readiness during exercises, deployments, operations other than war, and combat operations. In an emergency environment, the dental battalions primary mission is to provide dental health maintenance, with a focus on emergency care. Personnel from these detachments may also provide postoperative, ward, central sterilization, and supply room support, and other medical support as determined to be appropriate by the medical battalion and surgical company commanders. FLEET HOSPITALS Initially conceived and developed as facilities to provide medical support during intense combat operations, fleet hospitals are also used in lengthy low-intensity scenarios. Fleet hospitals are transportable, medically and surgically intensive (capable of performing advanced medical and surgical procedures), and deployable in a variety of operational scenarios. Available in sizes ranging from 100 to 500 beds, these health-care assets can be used by a variety of field commanders. Fleet hospitals are designed to be used in long-term operations (60+ days) involving a 14-7 HM3F1401 MEDICAL BATTALION 260 BEDS 9 OPERATING ROOMS HEADQUARTERS & SERVICE COMPANY SURGICAL COMPANY 60 BEDS / 3 OR's SURGICAL COMPANY 60 BEDS / 3 OR's SURGICAL COMPANY 60 BEDS / 3 OR's SHOCK TRAUMA PLATOON 8 STP's / 10 BEDS EACH HEADQUARTERS PLATOON HEADQUARTERS PLATOON HEADQUARTERS PLATOON TRIAGE / EVACUATION PLATOON TRIAGE / EVACUATION PLATOON TRIAGE / EVACUATION PLATOON SURGICAL PLATOON SURGICAL PLATOON SURGICAL PLATOON Figure 14-1.—Organization of a medical battalion.