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BAMC lab techs: The hidden workers crucial to success
June 19, 2020 — The lab techs at Brooke Army Medical Center are unsung heroes. They aren’t on the frontline swabbing patients and they aren’t caring for patients face to face. They have been working diligently in recent months, aiding the fight against the novel coronavirus... MORE

‘Trailblazing’ resident advocates key to rebuilding trust in AF privatized housing program
June 19, 2020 — The Department of the Air Force welcomed its first group of privatized housing resident advocates June 15 with a clear mandate: rebuild trust in the privatized housing program. ... MORE

Photo showing now hiring privatized housing resident advocates

Feedback Fridays
June 19, 2020 — If you have a question or concern, please send an email to RandolphPublicAffairs@us.af.mil using the subject line “Feedback Fridays.” Questions will be further researched and published as information becomes available... MORE

Feedback Fridays is a weekly forum that aims to connect the 502d Air Base Wing with members of the Joint Base San Antonio community. Questions are collected during commander’s calls, town hall meetings and throughout the week.

Ruck Racism: JBSA community leans in
June 18, 2020 — People from across Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland came together as a military community June 13 in a show of solitary in hopes to bring awareness and compassion to a very sensitive and complex topic. This Ruck Racism event was an opportunity to take a moment to express, to listen, to understand, and to reflect as wingmen. ... MORE

Graphic of photos from the Ruck Racism event on JBSA-Lackland hosted June 13, 2020.

Army aims to hire 10,000 new Soldiers during three-day event
June 18, 2020 — The U.S. Army is kicking off its first nationwide virtual hiring campaign June 30-July 2 with a goal of recruiting 10,000 new Soldiers to serve in 150 different occupations. Army National Hiring Days is an all-Army effort to inspire individuals across the nation to “Join Us.”... MORE

Army, RCI partner company leaders strengthen integration at housing summit
June 18, 2020 — In the midst of the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 global pandemic response, family housing remains a top priority for the Army, U.S. Army Installation Management Command and Residential Communities Initiative partner companies... MORE

STARBASE Kelly hosts STEM summer academy
June 18, 2020 — STARBASE Kelly held a STEM summer academy at Joint base San Antonio-Lackland June 8-12... MORE

Violet Schwerdtfeger and Malia Norman, STARBASE Kelly summer camp students, attempt to catch a descending rocket as Valerie Acosta, STARBASE Kelly, summer camp instructor, directs them towards the rocket’s descent June 12, 2020 at the Lackland Youth Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

Naval Medical Research Unit-San Antonio contributing to COVID-19 fight
June 18, 2020 — In early March, Naval Medical Research Unit-San Antonio, or NAMRU-SA, joined the fight against COVID-19 and future pandemic viruses by contributing knowledge from relevant studies and providing backup medical support at Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Naval Medical Research Unit-San Antonio's chief science director Sylvain Cardin, Ph.D.

Air Force Recruiting Service releases Aim High mobile app
June 18, 2020 — To help better communicate, inform and inspire new recruits and with embedded tools to guide them into the right Total Force career path, the Air Force Recruiting Service’s Innovation team launched the “Aim High” mobile phone application June 15. ... MORE

AFRS Innovators prepare for a briefing on the Aim High mobile application

JBSA transitions to HPCON BRAVO+
June 18, 2020 — With confirmed COVID cases and symptoms increasing across the nation and Department of Defense, Joint Base San Antonio will transition to HPCON BRAVO+... MORE

AETC Innovators invited to attend virtual summit June 25
June 18, 2020 — In an effort to fuel collaboration amongst Air Education and Training Command innovators, a virtual innovation summit will be held at 10 a.m. June 25... MORE

Event graphic for AETC Innovation Summit June 25

433rd Airlift Wing aircrew doubles-down on missions
June 18, 2020 — In mid-April, while en route from Texas to Norway, a 433rd Airlift Wing C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft and its crew were informed they were going have a small change of plans... MORE

A C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft, assigned to the 433rd Airlift Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, taxies the runway at Royal Norwegian Air Force Bardufoss Air Station, Norway, May 26th, 2020.

Converting active duty retirement to AFR, ANG retirement
June 17, 2020 — Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members who have completed 20 years of total active federal military service, or TAFMS, are eligible for immediate pay and benefits upon retirement. ... MORE

Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members who have completed 20 years of total active federal military service (TAFMS) are eligible for immediate pay and benefits upon retirement. However, for AFR or ANG members who further their careers in a traditional status and possibly accept a higher grade, these service members have the option to convert their active duty retirement to an AF Reserve retirement (applies to both AFR and ANG) in accordance with Title 10 USC 12731.

Army South Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion welcomes new commander
June 17, 2020 — U.S. Army South’s Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion welcomed Lt. Col. Mark A. Katz and virtually bid farewell to Lt. Col. Heather Clevenger during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston June 16... MORE

Operation Warp Speed accelerates COVID-19 vaccine development
June 17, 2020 — The national effort to accelerate the development, manufacturing and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, called "Operation Warp Speed," will hasten the delivery of that vaccine by conducting steps concurrently that normally would be conducted sequentially, senior administration officials said... MORE

A service member presses a hypodermic needle into a small glass vial.

SECDEF visits BMT, sees how citizens become Airmen during COVID-19
June 17, 2020 — U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper visited U.S. Air Force basic military training cadre and recruits at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, as well as members of the Air Force Recruiting Service, for a first-hand look at how the service transforms citizens into American Airmen June 16... MORE

Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Snow, 323rd Training Squadron military training instructor, briefs U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper during his tour of the 323rd Training Squadron's Airman Training Complex June 16, 2020, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Esper met with AETC leaders to see firsthand how Basic Military Training is fighting through COVID-19 with health protection measures in place and adapting operations to current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidance. The visit also allowed him to witness how a citizen becomes an Airman during COVID-19.

Army North holds virtual Army birthday ceremony
June 17, 2020 — U.S. Army North (Fifth Army) held a virtual recogition ceremony for the U.S. Army's 245th Birthday at the Quadrangle at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston June 12... MORE

Commentary: Transforming the Civilian Defender Program
June 16, 2020 — U.S. Air Force leadership declared 2020 as the Year of Integrated Base Defense, or IBD, focusing on how every Air and Space Professional fits into a layered defensive network. IBD is greater in scope than any single career field. It requires active participation between all Air Force Specialty Codes and ranks to operate as a cohesive fighting force... MORE

Security Forces Initiated an effort to improve retention, recruiting, training, and professional development of civilian defenders. Photos and accomplishments of the program in CY2020.

Warrior Transition Battalion prepares to take on new ‘SRU’ designation
June 16, 2020 — On Nov. 5, 2019, the Army announced the restructuring of its Warrior Care and Transition Program and formally recognized itself as the Army Recovery Care Program. The Warrior Transition Battalions would soon restructure and re-designate as Soldier Recovery Units... MORE

Army Lt. Col. Andrea Castillon, Warrior Transition Battalion commander (left) and Command Sgt. Maj. Gabriel Camacho (right) put the finishing touches on a tree dedicated to all who previously and currently served in the unit at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston June 12. The WTB will be renamed as the Soldier Recovery Unit June 23, 2020.

Air Force Recruiting Service classic association with Reserve now operational
June 16, 2020 — Air Force Recruiting Service continues to forge ahead with Total Force recruiting. The order to form a classic associate partnership with AFRS and Air Force Reserve Recruiting Service is now signed and published with an effective date of June 14, 2020. The partnership will bolster effectiveness and combine strategies... MORE

Gen. David. L. Goldfein, the Air Force chief of staff, talks to a group of total force recruiters during the Bluegreen Vacations 500 NASCAR race in Phoenix last year.