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502nd Logistic Readiness Squadron helps recruits continue training during pandemic
August 31, 2020 — The 502nd Logistics Readiness Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland has been providing clothing to new recruits at an alternate Basic Military Training location since March 2020 to help the U.S. Air Force continue forging America’s future Airmen during the coronavirus pandemic... MORE

Man wearing a mask speaking to a woman in military uniform. People sewing clothing in the background.

Virtual Fridays provide holistic resiliency programs to military spouses
August 28, 2020 — Since May, the Joint Base San Antonio Key Spouse program has hosted Virtual Fridays for military spouses each week at 2 p.m. The learning experience includes a presentation, followed by a question and answer session... MORE

Five women participating in a virtual, computer meeting.

Amid pandemic, Army program helps families get back to school
August 27, 2020 — Master Resilience Trainers, or MRTs, help support families with children to maintain their resilience and connection... MORE

Two students who attend a Department of Defense Education Activity school in Vicenza, Italy, complete classwork from home through digital learning.

COVID-19 patients can give back with convalescent plasma
August 26, 2020 — With flu season fast approaching and no approved vaccine developed for COVID-19, supplies of life-saving measures such as blood and plasma are being put under strain. To help hold back the tide, the Defense Department has established a goal of obtaining 10,000 units of donated COVID-19 convalescent plasma by Sept. 30, 2020, to combat the potential rise in cases. ... MORE

A patient that recovered from COVID-19 donates COVID-19 convalescent plasma at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Aug. 20, 2020. The procedure separates plasma from red blood cells and returns the blood cells back to the patient producing three units of COVID-19 convalescent plasma per donor. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Melody B. Bordeaux)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

JBSA schools to start school year with online instruction
August 20, 2020 — Joint Base San Antonio schools will start the first few weeks of the 2020-21 school year with remote learning before being allowed to open campuses to students under directives issued by local health authorities and the Texas Education Agency... MORE

Joint Base San Antonio schools will start the first few weeks of the 2020-21 school year with remote learning before being allowed to open campuses to students under directives issued by local health authorities and the Texas Education Agency.

Masks with valves or vents not permitted in SAMHS facilities
August 19, 2020 — For safety purposes, effective Aug. 24, masks with filter valves or vents will no longer be permitted for wear in all San Antonio Military Health System facilities, to include Brooke Army Medical Center, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center and all outlying clinics... MORE

For safety purposes, effective Aug. 24, masks with filter valves or vents will no longer be permitted for wear in all San Antonio Military Health System facilities, to include Brooke Army Medical Center, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center and all outlying clinics.

Operation Warp Speed on track for end-of-year vaccine delivery
August 18, 2020 — Operation Warp Speed is a public-private partnership with the goal of delivering 300 hundred million doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the year... MORE

Operation Warp Speed is a public-private partnership whose goal is to deliver 300 hundred million doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the year.

JBSA to celebrate Women’s Equality Day virtually
August 17, 2020 — In observance of Women’s Equality Day Aug. 26, Joint Base San Antonio will provide a virtual presentation, including a video featuring some of JBSA’s prominent women leaders, the official Women’s Equality Day poster, and a fact sheet... MORE

In observance of Women’s Equality Day Aug. 26, Joint Base San Antonio will provide a virtual presentation, including a video featuring some of JBSA’s prominent women leaders, the official Women’s Equality Day poster, and a fact sheet.

USAISR Soldiers on front line of national efforts to combat COVID-19
August 13, 2020 — At the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, or USAISR, at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, laboratory specialists enjoy a more unique role away from direct patient care. At the USAISR, these Soldiers work in tandem with researchers and scientists to develop innovative ways to improve the care provided to wounded warfighters on the battlefield... MORE

Sgt. Stephen Freed from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research inspects a batch of COVID-19 convalescent plasma ready to be shipped from the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center.

BAMC microbiologist deploys to mobile medical lab
August 12, 2020 — A Brooke Army Medical Center microbiologist has deployed to a COVID-19 mobile medical lab at Camp Ripley, Minnesota... MORE

Army Capt. Eric Coate, Molecular Diagnostics officer in charge, loads patient samples for COVID-19 ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing at Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, April 9.

Back to school immunizations: What you need to know
August 11, 2020 — Whether children physically attend classes or participate in online learning this fall, getting their scheduled immunizations remains an important part of back-to-school planning... MORE

The San Antonio Military Health System stands ready to help parents meet their children’s immunization and vaccination requirements, as well as back-to-school and sports physicals.

433rd Maintenance Squadron welcomes new commander
August 11, 2020 — Capt. Nicholas Velazquez assumed command of the 433rd Maintenance Squadron during a virtual change of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Aug. 8... MORE

Lt. Col. Stuart Martin (left), 433rd Maintenance Group commander, presents the guidon to Capt. Nicholas Velazquez, 433rd Maintenance Squadron commander, at an assumption of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Aug. 8. Prior to earning a commission, Velazquez was an enlisted master sergeant in the maintenance career field.

Donating plasma may be the key in the fight against COVID-19
August 10, 2020 — COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate against who it infects – even general officers are susceptible... MORE

COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate against who it infects – even general officers are susceptible.

BAMC offers ‘last line of defense’ against COVID-19
August 10, 2020 — Brooke Army Medical Center is expanding its use of a highly specialized treatment many consider the “last line of defense” for critically ill COVID-19 patients... MORE

Nurses tend to a patient on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, in a COVID-19 intensive care unit at Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, July 17, 2020.