Epidemiology studies infectious diseases as primary objects

and has formed a scientific system.With the continuous expansion of the scope in epidemiological studies

the development of research methods and the mutual penetration of related disciplines

epidemiology gradually differentiates into many branches.Military epidemiology is just a branch which serves military health and prevention works with epidemic theory.Its study objects are the officers and soldiers in the armed forces

and its mission is to focus not only on peace time

but also on war time and fighting time to prevent from infectious diseases

or even to smash the enemy’s biological war

which is basically different from the general epidemiology.In recent years

with the policy of reform and opening up

and owing to the improvement of people’s living standard

the military has significantly improved its living conditions.Meanwhile

because strategic policy and military training has been updated technical difficulty and intensity in the army have been increased

and disease spectrum has greatly changed.And especially as the theories and methods of modern epidemiology have been introduced into the army

the military epidemiology has been rapidly developed and improved.In short

the military epidemiology has made great achievements in prevention and treatment of common diseases and frequently occurring diseases

in order to guarantee the military members’ physical and mental health.In the study we review the challenges and prospects for military epidemiology.