Joint Base San Antonio > News

SAMHS COVID-19 Nurse Info Line discontinued
August 25, 2020 — The SAMHS COVID-19 Nurse Info Line has been discontinued as of 5 p.m. Aug. 27... MORE

After duty hours, call the MHS Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-TRICARE (824-2273) or visit MHSNurseAdviceline.com to speak or chat with a nurse.

433rd Airlift Wing welcomes Travis aircraft during California wildfires
August 25, 2020 — In the late evening hours of Aug. 19, the 433rd Airlift Wing command post at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland was notified by the Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, that eight C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft from Travis Air Force Base, California, would be evacuating to the airfield as a precaution against damage from the LNU Lightning Complex fires in Northern California... MORE

C-5M Super Galaxy cargo aircraft assigned to Travis Air Force Base, California, sit among C-5Ms with the 433rd Airlift Wing on a ramp Aug. 20 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

New ID cards being issued for military family members, retirees
August 24, 2020 — Defense Department began issuing Next Generation Uniformed Services Identification Cards July 31, the first time since 1993 that changes to the card have been made... MORE

Spc. Shunterika Fields and Army Pvt. Stephen Hines create ID cards to track non-patient personnel’s temperatures at the temporary medical facility in New Orleans, April 4.

Former Army nurse, 100, recalls World War II experiences
August 24, 2020 — World War II was raging in 1944. American troops were instrumental in the effort to take back France, including the beach landings in Normandy that caught the Germans off guard. American forces took possession of Rome, and a Soviet counterattack pushed Germany back into Poland... MORE

AFCEC restoring iconic Cadet Chapel at U.S. Air Force Academy
August 24, 2020 — The Air Force Civil Engineer Center is renovating an iconic Air Force symbol – the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado. The $158 million project aims to fix structural damage to eliminate a longstanding leakage problem after years of ineffective smaller repair efforts... MORE

Crews erect scaffolding around the interior of the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel on May 11, 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

SAMHS releases Labor Day operating hours
August 24, 2020 — The San Antonio Military Health System has released its Labor Day weekend operating hours for Sept. 4-7... MORE

Smoking in bed is the leading cause of fire deaths
August 24, 2020 — In the United States, smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths, as reported by the U.S. Fire Administration. Some significant deterrents in combatting these unnecessary deaths are smoke alarms, smoldering resistant bedding and upholstered furniture. Smoking material fires are preventable... MORE

In the United States, smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths, as reported by the U.S. Fire Administration. Some significant deterrents in combatting these unnecessary deaths are smoke alarms, smoldering resistant bedding and upholstered furniture. Smoking material fires are preventable.

Air Force releases technical sergeant/20E6 promotion cycle statistics
August 24, 2020 — Air Force officials have selected 8,246 staff sergeants for promotion to technical sergeant out of 28,358 eligible for a selection rate of 29.08 percent in the 20E6 promotion cycle... MORE

Blue graphic with Technical Sergeant Stripes

Re-launch of Army app aims at saving lives
August 22, 2020 — During these unprecedented times of COVID-19 and increased isolation among personnel, the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command re-launched a smartphone app designed in 2013 that provides resources for the prevention of suicide with a few simple pushes of a button... MORE

TRADOC’s “WeCare” app is location/post specific, and it supports the Army’s Suicide Prevention Campaign. It serves as a 24/7 ready resource for those feeling alone and considering suicide, or for those who are concerned about someone and are trying to intervene. The app also provides instructions for reporting sexual assault, and has other useful embedded tools.

For historians, COVID-19’s a big story, but operational focus continues
August 21, 2020 — At Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, historians at Air Education and Training Command and the 12th Flying Training Wing acknowledge the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their organizations’ missions, but it does not obscure the telling of their operational stories... MORE

Lane Bourgeois, 12th Flying Training Wing historian, sifts through a pile of historical documents in his office at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph June 12, 2019.

Feds Feed Families campaign offered virtually
August 21, 2020 — The Feds Feed Families campaign is going virtual this year due to COVID-19. The local Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime campaign runs Aug. 24-31 and will focus on helping local community food banks... MORE

“Real Talk – Race and Diversity in the Air Force” airs Aug. 28, 5 p.m. on AETC Facebook
August 21, 2020 — Air Education and Training Command will host the second episode in a series of conversations centered on race and diversity in the Air Force at 5 p.m. Aug. 28... MORE

San Antonio Military Health System resumes elective surgeries
August 21, 2020 — With safety at the forefront, elective surgeries are set to resume across the San Antonio Military Health System next week... MORE

Surgeons perform a procedure at Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Feedback Fridays
August 21, 2020 — If you have a question or concern, please send an email to jbsapublicaffairs@gmail.com 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.

BAMC institutes temporary visitation policy
August 20, 2020 — The health and safety of our patients, visitors, staff and our community remains a top priority at Brooke Army Medical Center. While the importance of family support during hospitalization is understood and appreciated, BAMC is temporarily adjusting the visitation policy to reduce the risk of COVID- 19 spread as of Aug. 19. ... MORE

While the importance of family support during hospitalization is understood and appreciated, BAMC is temporarily adjusting the visitation policy to reduce the risk of COVID- 19 spread as of Aug. 19.

ARSOUTH leader discusses Jamaica disaster relief preparation
August 20, 2020 — General-de-Brigada Alcides V. Faria, Jr., deputy commanding general of interoperability, U.S. Army South, participated in a virtual key leader engagement with personnel from the Jamaica Defence Force, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (West) and the Office of Disaster Preparedness Management Aug. 17 to discuss humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparations in Jamaica and assess capabilities in the event of a natural disaster... MORE

General-de-Brigada Alcides V. Faria, Jr., deputy commanding general of interoperability, U.S. Army South, participated in a virtual key leader engagement with personnel from the Jamaica Defence Force, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (West) and the Office of Disaster Preparedness Management Aug. 17 to discuss humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparations in Jamaica and assess capabilities in the event of a natural disaster.

JBSA continues HPCON CHARLIE protective measures
August 20, 2020 — As Joint Base San Antonio prepares to begin reopening services through phased, deliberate measures, personnel continue to follow the guidelines, such as physical distancing and capacity limits, established by local and state leaders, as well as the Department of Defense and Centers for Disease Control, in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 within the community... MORE

Pandemic, physical distancing do not stop transitioning service members
August 20, 2020 — The coronavirus may have changed the way many things happen at Joint Base San Antonio, but they still happen. Service members still train, security forces still protect installations, firefighters still respond to calls, and transitioning service members still depart military service... MORE

Joint Base San Antonio's newly activated Joint Transition Readiness Center, located on the Brooke Army Medical Center campus, houses the Soldier for Life-Transition Assistance Program. The program currently assists separating service members virtually through the many aspects of this life-changing event and offers full Department of Defense Transition services to members of all branches assigned to JBSA.

MICC quality, oversight programs ensure contract performance
August 20, 2020 — Mission and Installation Contracting Command quality assurance specialists and contracting officer representatives enforce the Federal Acquisitions Regulation in support of quality assurance and surveillance actions for government contracts that support the Army warfighter... MORE

(From left) Staff Sgts Jacob McGriff and Marilyn Tangonan conduct a site visit at a dining facility atCamp Arifjan, Kuwait.

'The Air Force Starts Here' podcast features virtual reality in TACP initial training
August 20, 2020 — A look at the use of virtual reality in Tactical Air Control Party initial skills training is the focus of the latest episode of "The Air Force Starts Here," released Aug. 19, 2020... MORE

"The Air Force Starts Here" is Air Education and Training Command's professional development podcast. The professional development podcasts are designed to help communicate and inform Total Force Airmen across the globe on relevant, timely topics related to the recruiting, training, education and development fields and can be listened to on the government network on the AETC website, or via mobile application as well as on Apple Podcasts (iTunes). For Android or Google mobile users, the podcast can be found on their favorite third-party podcast phone application. (U.S. Air Force graphic / 1st Lt. Robert Guest)