the Medical Force 2000 (MF2K), and had been in planning since about 1991. The decision to organize it initially as a reduced size version was due to ongoing developments in the Medical Reengineering Inititive (MRI), which called for the TAML to be reorganized, streamlined, downsized, and renamed as the Area Medical Laboratory (AML).

The initial 40 member unit was specifically tailored to be modular, flexible, tailorable, and high-tech in order to support various missions such as laboratory detection and identification of potential biological warfare threat agents, endemic diseases, and operational medical surveillance and assessment of troop health hazards for Task Force Eagle, Operation Joint Endeavor. The need for this unit's participation in Operation Joint Endeavor stemmed from US Army concerns over hantavirus and other infectious diseases. The PROFIS personnelwere selected based on their special skills in performing high-tech laboratory support in a field environment. They interacted with several Army Medical Department organizations in order to receive specialized training, to develop and implement the high-tech laboratory, and to establish a working relationship for advanced laboratory support. The major organizations included the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Center for Health Protection and Preventive Medicine (CHPPM), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), US Army Medical Department Center and School (AMEDDC&S), and the US Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA).

The new unit was notified in December 1995 that they would support the mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina. A smaller team of the 520th TAML, under the leadership of Colonel David T. Zolock, was selected for deployment to Bosnia