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Careless smoking can lead to death and destruction
August 7, 2017 — In the United States, smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths. More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and approximately 20,000 are injured, according to the U.S. Fire Administration... MORE

ISR Command Chief provides departing words of wisdom
August 6, 2017 — When Chief Master Sgt. Roger Towberman began his Air Force career nearly 27 years ago, he had no idea he would contribute to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for nearly three decades... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. Roger Towberman, former command chief for 25th Air Force, receives recognition from Steven Doucette, chief of staff, 25th Air Force, during his departure luncheon July 27, 2017.

Air Force civilian selected for 2017 USAF Portraits in Courage
August 5, 2017 — Gregory Gangnuss, Air Force Civil Engineer Center environmental engineer and program chief at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, is one of 49 Airmen to be memorialized in the 10th edition of the Air Force Chief of Staff’s “Portraits in Courage.”... MORE

Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski congratulates Greg Gangnuss after presenting him with the Air Force Civilian Award for Valor during a Feb. 22 commander’s call at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.

Air Force graduates its first enlisted female pilot
August 4, 2017 — The Air Force’s first female enlisted pilot completed Undergraduate Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training August 4, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas... MORE

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Courtney poses
for a photo before the 558th Flying Training Squadron's Undergraduate
Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training Course graduation August 4, 2017, at
Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Tech. Sgt. Courtney is the
first-ever enlisted female to qualify as an RPA pilot. Name badges were
blurred due to Air Force limits on disclosure of identifying information for
RPA operators. (U.S. Air Force Illustration by Tech. Sgt. Ave I. Young)

Mission and Installation Contracting Command welcomes new leader
August 4, 2017 — Military officials, civic leaders, families and friends joined members of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command in welcoming their new commander July 26 during a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Col. William Boruff receives the Mission and Installation Contracting Command colors from Maj. Gen. James Simpson during a change-of-command ceremony July 26 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

Flood preparedness can help save lives
August 4, 2017 — In 2016, more than 100 people in the U.S. lost their lives to flooding, making it the leading cause of death among severe weather events, including heat, lightning and tornadoes... MORE

Heavy rains from storms cause rivers, creeks and low-lying areas to overflow in a short period of time, giving individuals little time to react to the flooding conditions.

Soldiers compete at Best Warrior competition
August 4, 2017 — Five noncommissioned officers and two junior enlisted Soldiers vied for top honors during the multi-event Best Warrior Competition July 30 through Aug 3, held at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis and JBSA-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Spc. Lillian Lewis, from Installation Management Command at Fort Riley, Kan., plots her points on a map during the Best Warrior Competition’s day land navigation course June 30 at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis.

Planning and programming summit focuses on “shared way forward”
August 4, 2017 — The Air Force Civil Engineer Center's Planning and Integration Directorate hosted a three-day summit to discuss enterprise initiatives, and planning and programming portfolios... MORE

Mark Correll, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Environment, Safety and Infrastructure, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, addresses the audience during the 2017 Planning and Programming Summit.

Summer Safety: Never leave a child alone in a car
August 4, 2017 — In the summer, a car interior can heat up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 30 minutes. It is never a good idea to leave a child alone in a car for any amount of time and it is against the law in Texas and Joint Base San Antonio... MORE

In the summer, a car interior can heat up to 170 degrees in less than 30 minutes. It is never a good idea to leave a child alone in a car for any amount of time; and it is against the law in Texas and Joint Base San Antonio.

Army confirms new under secretary
August 4, 2017 — The U.S. Senate voted unanimously Aug. 1 to confirm former Army Ranger Ryan McCarthy as the next under secretary of the Army. President Donald J. Trump nominated McCarthy in June for the position. He will succeed Karl Schneider, senior official performing the duties of the under secretary of the Army... MORE

Ryan McCarthy testifies July 12, 2017 at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He was confirmed as under secretary of the Army Aug. 1, 2017.

Air Force teen leaders offer messages of hope, resiliency
August 4, 2017 — Teen leaders from Air Force installations worldwide gathered July 10-14, 2017 in San Antonio for the Air Force Youth of the Year and Teen Council Summit. Twenty-six Installation Youth of the Year winners and 12 Air Force Teen Council representatives worked together to develop the 2017-2018 Teen Movement Projects that will be implemented across the Air Force... MORE

Jo Anne Dimitriou, AFSVA executive director, addresses the Air Force Youth of the Year winners during the Air Force Youth of the Year ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Warns / Released)

Air Force senior leaders unveil new priorities
August 4, 2017 — In a recent letter to the Total Force, Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright released their new priorities and addressed issues Airmen face day to day... MORE

Air Force leaders recently released new Air Force priorities.

Airmen can now manage life insurance online
August 4, 2017 — Airmen no longer need paper forms to manage their Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, thanks to the new SGLI Online Enrollment System, or SOES... MORE

Total Force Airmen no longer need paper forms to manage their Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, thanks to the new SGLI Online Enrollment System, or SOES. SGLI provides automatic life insurance coverage of $400,000 to service members when they enter the service.

Corpsman to chaplain: one Sailor’s journey
August 3, 2017 — Sailors at the Navy Medicine Education, Training and Logistics Command, or NMETLC, held a small and unique commissioning ceremony Aug. 1 at their headquarters at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston for one of the Navy’s newest chaplain selects. Ensign Charles Wilton was Petty Officer 1st Class Wilton before receiving his commission during the ceremony. He worked in curriculum management for the Academics Directorate at NMETLC but has long known his true passion laid with his faith. ... MORE

Ensign Charles Wilton (left) recites the officer oath given by Lt. David Tarasi during a commissioning ceremony at Navy Medicine Education, Training and Logistics Command, or NMETLC, headquarters at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Aug. 1. Wilton was a hospital corpsman for 13 years before being selected to serve in the Chaplain Corps and receiving his commission.

Navy surgeon general meets with Hospital Corps school staff, students
August 3, 2017 — During a recent visit to south Texas, the Navy surgeon general met with Hospital Corps School leaders, staff and students from Navy Medicine Training Support Center, or NMTSC, and the Medical Education and Training Campus, or METC, at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Aug. 2... MORE

Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, Navy surgeon general and chief, U.S. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, speaks to students in the newly revised HM “A” School course at the Medical Education and Training Campus, or METC, at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. The “A” School recently went through a major revision and Faison spoke with students to discuss their important role in the future of Navy Medicine.

NRD San Antonio Sailor selected for Health Services Collegiate Program
August 3, 2017 — Petty Officer 1st Class Narce Segovia was selected by the Navy's Health Services Collegiate Program, or HSCP, to receive a masters of healthcare administration from Texas State University... MORE

Petty Officer 1st Class Narce Segovia (left) enlisted in the Navy's Health Services Collegiate Program to receive a masters of healthcare administration from Texas State University. After graduation in 2019, Segovia will receive her commission and attend the five-week Officer Development School in Newport, R.I. Administrating the Oath of Enlistment was Cmdr. Karen Muntean (right), commanding officer, Navy Recruiting District San Antonio.

Stage 1 water restrictions implemented across JBSA
August 2, 2017 — Joint Base San Antonio will begin Stage 1 water conservation measures effective immediately. JBSA Stage 1 water conservation measures are triggered when the 10-day average measurement at the test well at SAWS Well Head J-17 reaches amounts between and/or equal to 659 and 650 feet and/or when the Comal Springs 10-day average flow reaches amounts between and/or equal to 224 and 200 cubic feet per second. ... MORE

One reason to conserve water is when water use increases, the treatments may not be able to keep up with demand.
Another reason to conserve water is the treatment requirements are expensive and time-consuming.
Water is considered an inexhaustible resource, but local supplies, whether from lakes and streams or aquifers, are not always renewable. Without proper use, they can be contaminated, lost through changes in climate or use can simply overtake replenishment.

Army Emergency Relief contributions grow at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston
August 2, 2017 — Army Emergency Relief donations went up 19 percent this year... MORE

Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, senior commander, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis addressed Army Emergency Relief Project Officers Aug. 1 at the historic quadrangle. Buchanan thanked the project officers who make 100% contact with Soldier and civilian during the AER campaign that ran March 1 – May 15. Donations increased 19% this year and Buchanan presented a check in the amount of $149,245.45 to AER Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond V. Mason. AER is a private non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to Active Duty and Retired Soldiers and their Families in interest-free loans and grants.

Navy assists in annual regional SeaPerch summer prep camp
August 2, 2017 — Northeast Lakeview College and the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio, in cooperation with Navy City Outreach Southwest Region and Navy Recruiting District San Antonio, hosted a SeaPerch Underwater Robotics Challenge Scrimmage at the Eastside Branch Boys & Girls Club July 27... MORE

Teams of middle and high school students line up their SeaPerch, underwater remotely-operated vehicles during a scrimmage at the Eastside Branch Boys & Girls Club July 27. The event was held on the final day of the SeaPerch Regional Challenge Prep Camp hosted by Northeast Lakeview College and the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio, in cooperation with Navy City Outreach Southwest Region and Navy Recruiting District (NRD) San Antonio. The scrimmage consisted of the Speed Obstacle and Challenge Courses.

Brazil, U.S. reach agreement at army-to-army staff talks
August 1, 2017 — Army South and Brazilian delegates reached consensus on 43 agreed-to-actions, or ATAs, during army-to-army staff talks in Brasilia, Brazil July 26. The ATAs, which include opportunities to work together and improve readiness through training, exercises and other exchanges, take place in fiscal year 2018... MORE

Lt. Col. Chike Williams (left), U.S. Army Section Chief in Brazil, and a Brazilian teammate look over a formation of Brazilian special operators July 25.