The hand-held dental X-ray machine is a 30-pound, battery-powered X-ray machine capable of use in military medicine, humanitarian missions, and training exercises. The machine was developed for dental radiology, but with the attachment of a medical collimator, the equipment can also be used for medical exams. In 1992, the machine was tested under field conditions in a NATO joint exercise in Bolayir, Turkey. The hand-held dental X-ray machine was found easier to use than the currently deployed Siemens dental X-ray unit and than produced radiographs of equal quality.

The HDX X-ray machine can be used in military medicine, humanitarian missions, and training exercises. The equipment is useful for various radiographic examinations.

Penetrating injuries of the extremity are common in combat. The patient described in this paper sustained such an injury in Vietnam. He exhibited the frequent complication of chronic osteomyelitis and eventually the rare complication of squamous cell carcinoma.

It is very important for those involved in military medicine to understand the difference between fratricide, accidents, and other causes of wounding. The military medical care provider is often considered an authority on wounding. This is usually not the case. The three examples discussed in this paper illustrate some of the basic misconceptions about "friendly fire" and the appropriate use of the term "fratricide."