The Roles of Military Health Diplomacy and Health Security When Conducting Global Health Engagements That Primarily Promote National Security

Global health engagement (GHE) has emerged as a central instrument of foreign and defense policy across multiple nations, reflecting the growing convergence of health and national security. This manuscript examines the ethical and strategic roles of military health diplomacy and health security in GHE activities primarily oriented toward advancing national security objectives. It argues that military GHE is ethically justified only when it promotes health security alongside, rather than subordinate to, national security interests. Drawing on contemporary examples, including U.S. military medical efforts, medical coordination in Ukraine, and Indo-Pacific health engagement activities, the paper highlights how military GHE strengthens partner capacity, enhances interoperability, and supports operational readiness. However, ethical challenges exist and must be addressed, including dual loyalty among military physicians, risks to medical neutrality, and perceptions of coercion or instrumentalization. The manuscript concludes that transparency, local partnership, and adherence to core ethical principles are essential to ensuring that military GHE remains both strategically effective and ethically legitimate.