JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
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.
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.
Q: Is there a standard or minimum COVID-19 mitigation guidance for Air Education and Training Command graduation events?
There are relatively robust mitigation measures publicized for BMT graduation, but relatively loose mitigation measures in place for other formal AETC graduation events on JBSA installations, in terms of occupancy limits and COVID-19 screening of civilian guests.
A: We appreciate you reaching out for clarification.
An updated COVID-19 Guidance Memorandum was released Jan. 4, 2022, which may help answer some of your questions! This memo sets the baseline for all JBSA facilities, personnel and events however, units within JBSA are authorized to increase mitigation measures as they see fit.
To see Guidance Memorandum #64, visit https://go.usa.gov/xtb5d.
Q: Hello. Can you please advise our JBSA teammates that the Emergency Department at Brooke Army Medical Center and the Family Emergency Center at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center are strictly for emergencies?
We are concerned that unnecessary visits to the ER are taking away from patients that require a higher level of care by overtasking these emergency department healthcare professionals. These emergency departments should be used for patients that require immediate emergency care only.
A: We understand your concern.
With the increased local incidence rate of COVID-19, an influx of individuals seeking tests is expected.
We concur that our emergency departments should be utilized according to urgency. Fortunately, our medical professionals offer various testing sites across JBSA to help mediate this need:
- Brooke Army Medical Center: First-floor parking garage (Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to noon)
- Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center: Ground floor of the parking garage (Monday-Friday from 8 to 10 a.m.)
The 59th Medical Wing has provided more information on COVID-19 testing sites operations; click for details at https://go.usa.gov/xtbNu.
We continue to appreciate our medical first responder’s dedication to the health and safety of our JBSA community.