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Healthy weight: How diet, lifestyle and mental health impact your eating habits and fitness
July 13, 2022 — Think you might need to lose a little weight? You're not alone. Even in the military, where maintaining physical fitness remains a job requirement and a key component of military readiness, thousands of service members struggle with weight... MORE

Image of an Airman holding a cookie and broccoli.

Air Force Surgeon General briefs Senate on future of Air Force medicine
March 29, 2022 — Lt. Gen. Robert Miller, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General, testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Defense at a hearing on the Defense Health Program March 29... MORE

This is the official portrait of Lt. Gen. Robert Miller.

USTRANSCOM patient movement exercise at JBSA strengthens aeromedical skills, partnerships
March 9, 2022 — U.S. Transportation Command conducted Exercise Ultimate Caduceus at Joint Base San Antonio Feb. 23-March 8. The annual field training exercise is designed to test the ability of USTRANSCOM to move a large number of medical patients by air from overseas locations to treatment centers in the U.S... MORE

USTRANSCOM patient movement exercise strengthens aeromedical skills, partnerships

Top military health leaders discuss future readiness
March 9, 2022 — Top military health leaders recently highlighted the importance of preparing for the future to ensure both a medically ready force and a ready medical force... MORE

Air Force medics continue deployments to civilian hospitals and care facilities
March 1, 2022 — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nearly 1,000 U.S. Air Force active duty, Reserve, and Air National Guard medics are serving in civilian hospitals, care facilities, and other public institutions. The Air Force Medical Service has continued to step up as part of the federal COVID-19 response, working alongside other military departments and federal agencies... MORE

Air Force medics continue deployments to civilian hospitals and care facilities
February 25, 2022 — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nearly 1,000 U.S. Air Force active duty, Reserve, and Air National Guard medics are serving in civilian hospitals, care facilities, and other public institutions. The Air Force Medical Service has continued to step up as part of the federal COVID-19 response, working alongside other military departments and federal agencies... MORE

Military medical team supports hospital in Oklahoma City

Why today’s ‘Gen Z’ is at risk for boot camp injuries
February 10, 2022 — For today's generation of 18-to-25-year-olds, making it through recruit training and successfully transitioning from civilian life into the military is not easy. Today's recruits are coming from a far more sedentary lifestyle compared to previous generations, making their skeletons more prone to injuries because they're not used to the kind of intense activity they will face at basic training... MORE

While the United States military remains “the best in the world,” Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Jan. 19 that the Air and Space Forces must move quickly to adapt and modernize to offset actions by China and others that have dented the “presumption of superiority” held by the U.S.

Air Force discusses future of medicine at annual workshop
December 28, 2021 — Leaders across the Air Force Medical Service met virtually and in person for an annual Senior Leadership Workshop in Leesburg, Virginia, Dec. 7-9, sharing ideas focused on recalibrating operational readiness... MORE

ARNORTH military hospital support to FEMA begins in Colorado, Minnesota, expands in Montana
November 22, 2021 — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 100 military medical personnel will deploy in five, 20-person teams- one team to Colorado, two teams to Montana and two teams to Minnesota to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients in local hospitals... MORE

Soldiers provide COVID-19 care in Idaho.

Air Force medics continue COVID-19 response in civilian hospitals
November 16, 2021 — As more Americans receive the COVID-19 vaccine, reducing the chances of severe illness and hospitalizations, there are still areas in the country that require additional support. Air Force medics continue to augment care, supporting civilian hospitals in hotspots across the country... MORE

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jarimaris Garcia, a registered nurse stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, prepares medical equipment for incoming patients within the emergency department of Del Sol Medical Center, El Paso, Texas, Nov. 24, 2020.

Learn how to improve run times for Air Force PT test
June 22, 2021 — The Air Force will resume physical fitness testing July 1, 2021. The 1.5-mile run component is weighted as the highest scored portion of the assessment, accounting for 60 component points of the 100 point composite score... MORE

Reducing the stigma, encouraging mental health care in the military
May 19, 2021 — In the military, the stigma of mental health is grounded in the cultural misperception that a service member must have "zero defects" to be mission-ready. While the Department of Defense strives to identify and eliminate barriers to care that service members face regarding mental health treatment, stigma remains a significant issue within the military... MORE

COVID presents new set of challenges for DOD environmental health
January 14, 2021 — Total Force Fitness is a fundamental element of the Department of Defense’s National Defense Strategy. Helping to “Build a More Lethal Force,” Total Force Fitness focuses on a service member’s overall health over the duration of their career, including physical, environmental, spiritual, psychological, social, and financial components... MORE

Image of Marines hiking through the snow in the mountains.

Service members support COVID-19 operations in California hospitals
July 28, 2020 — Air Force nurses deployed from Travis Air Force Base, California, to support Task Force 46, under the Joint Force Land Component Command, U.S. Army North, to assist with COVID-19 response efforts... MORE

Image of U.S. Air Force Capt. Ashley Ritchey instructing Staff Sgt. Ryan Sheldon of the California Army National Guard on proper application of medical personal protective gear.

Air Force updates medical courses with COVID-19 content, procedures
July 27, 2020 — Air Force medical instructors and trainers are improving curriculum and adapting procedures to account for COVID-19 operations. COVID-19 has shed new light on the methods of conducting medical training and education... MORE

Image of Staff Sgt. Lee Nembhard, an aeromedical evacuation technician assigned to the 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron from Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

Taking care of military medical frontline providers
June 22, 2020 — Air Force medics are on the front lines against COVID-19, and maintaining their mental well-being is critical to keeping them in the fight. One of the biggest risks for providers is burnout, or compassion fatigue... MORE

The COVID-19 pandemic can challenge the mental wellness of health workers and contribute to provider burnout. Air Force medics are cautioned to be alert for signs of numbness in themselves or colleagues, and make time for self-care and recharge.

Nurse and Tech Week: Heroes among us
May 7, 2020 — Air Force nurses and medical technicians are answering our nation’s call, and now more than ever, during this pandemic, we know they are heroes one and all... MORE

Air Force nurses and medical technicians are answering our nation’s call, and now more than ever, during this pandemic, we know they are heroes one and all.

Airmen urged to maintain healthy dental habits during COVID-19 pandemic
April 27, 2020 — In March, the U.S. Air Force began deferring routine and non-urgent dental care to slow the spread of COVID-19. In alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Dental Association and Department of Defense policies, most dental care has been deferred, with the exception of emergencies, cases considered medically necessary, and care for deploying and deployed personnel... MORE

Tips for maintaining healthy dental habits during COVID-19 pandemic. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Air Force surgeon general speaks to JBSA medics
January 14, 2020 — U.S. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Dorothy A. Hogg spoke to medics during a Jan. 9 visit to Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

U.S. Air Force Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Dorothy A. Hogg speaks to doctors, nurses and technicians Jan. 9, 2020 during a visit to Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. Airmen from BAMC and Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center gathered for a town hall to hear Hogg’s perspective on the future of military medicine and ask questions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Katherine Spessa//Released)

Air Force studies fatigue and sleep to enhance readiness
January 2, 2020 — The Air Force is studying sleep habits among Airmen to find ways to improve performance and ensure their readiness to support the mission... MORE

A U.S. Air Force Airman sleeps inside a C-17 Globemaster III during a flight over an undisclosed location in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel, Jan. 22, 2018. Airmen supporting OFS work to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda and international extremist groups. (U.S. Air Force illustration)