Joint Base San Antonio > News

Commentary: In the wake of tragedy, acts of love triumph over hate
November 15, 2017 — I was shocked and horrified when I heard the news about the Sutherland Springs shooting on the TV screen mounted on the wall at the gym. The initial reports were varied and confusing, but there was no doubt that lives had been lost and many injured... MORE

A Brooke Army Medical Center trauma team examines a patient in the emergency department. BAMC received its level I trauma center recertification from the American College of Surgeons.

BAMC trauma chief praises medical response to Sutherland Springs shooting
November 14, 2017 — The community teamwork and medical response the afternoon of the Sutherland Springs shooting was "extremely heartwarming," noted Brooke Army Medical Center 's trauma chief. BAMC received eight victims -- six adults and two minors -- from the mass shooting Nov. 5 in the small community church in Sutherland Springs, about 30 miles east of San Antonio. One adult patient was discharged last week and seven remain in BAMC's care... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center commanding general Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson addresses members of the media Nov. 6, 2017 during a press conference about the victims of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. As part of the San Antonio trauma system, Brooke Army Medical Center received eight patients -- six adults and two minors.

BAMC responds in support of Sutherland Springs shooting
November 6, 2017 — On Nov. 5, a mass shooting occurred at a church in Sutherland Springs, about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio. As part of the San Antonio trauma system, Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston received eight patients -- six adults and two minors... MORE

BAMC’s adult ECMO program receives national recognition
October 30, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center has received national recognition for its lifesaving heart-lung bypass program. BAMC’s adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, program has received the Award for Excellence in Life Support from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. The recognition designates BAMC as a National ECMO Center of Excellence. ... MORE

Members of the 59th Medical Wing Aeromedical Staging Facility transfer a patient on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation into a C-17 Globemaster III, Jan. 16, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. ECMO is a heart-lung bypass system that circulates blood through an external artificial lung and sends it back into the patient’s bloodstream.

BAMC receives national recognition for surgical quality
October 26, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston was recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, or NSQIP, for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care... MORE

BAMC celebrates newest NCOs during induction ceremony
October 12, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center welcomed its newest non-commissioned officers into the ranks of the professional NCO Corps during a formal induction ceremony held in the auditorium Oct. 4... MORE

Soldiers participate in a non-commissioned officer induction ceremony Oct. 4 at Brooke Army Medical Center. Twenty-seven Soldiers recited the NCO charge led by BAMC Command Sgt. Maj. Diamond Hough before walking through the NCO arch.

Brooke Army Medical Center medical personnel help out in Honduras
August 10, 2017 — A team of U.S. Army medical personnel from Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston participated in a training exercise at Hospital Escuela and Hospital Maria in Tegucigalpa, Honduras from July 19-27, performing complex trauma surgical procedures in a resource-limited environment with logistical support from Joint Task Force-Bravo... MORE

A team of U.S. Army medical personnel from Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston participated in a training exercise in Hospital Escuela and Hospital Maria in Tegucigalpa, Honduras from July 19-27, performing complex trauma surgical procedures in a resource limited environment with logistical support from Joint Task Force-Bravo.

Brooke Army Medical Center observes LGBT Pride Month
July 6, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center held a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month observance June 28. June was selected as Pride month to commemorate an event that happened in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York City. These riots were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the gay community against continued police harassment... MORE

Col. Joshua S. Hawley-Molloy, program director of the Internal Medicine Residency for the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, or SAUSHEC, at Brooke Army Medical Center, was the guest speaker a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Observance in the BAMC Medical Mall June 28.

Brooke Army Medical Center returns to baseline surgery procedure rate
July 6, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center has returned to its normal surgical procedure rate after a deliberate slowdown to review all aspects of surgical care... MORE

BAMC is now performing an average of 50 operating room procedures a day, which was the hospital’s baseline prior to a surge in fall 2016 to enhance readiness and health education.

Brooke Army Medical Center receives award for environmental sustainability efforts
June 29, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center received the 2017 Greenhealth Partner for Change award May 18 during a ceremony held in Minneapolis, Minn. This award recognizes medical facilities with superior performance in environmental sustainability... MORE

Debra Bratton hands Kartha Navya a plate during lunch in the Brooke Army Medical Center dining room June 20. BAMC Culinary and Hospitality Branch would like patrons to ask for a regular plate rather than a to-go container when eating in the dining facility.

BAMC welcomes external input to continue its surgical care
May 16, 2017 — As a high reliability organization focused on quality and safety, Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston is continually searching for ways to improve the medical services provided to those entrusted to our care. Last week, BAMC hosted a team of experts from Army Medical Command to identify further improvements in the sterilization workflow process. ... MORE

As a high reliability organization focused on quality and safety, Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston is continually searching for ways to improve the medical services provided to those entrusted to our care.

BAMC takes steps to continue high quality surgical care
May 2, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center is taking a number of steps to ensure high quality surgical care for patients. An initial step taken in mid-April was to temporarily reduce the number of elective surgical procedures... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center has temporarily reduced the number of surgical procedures to ensure the best possible care for its patients. This temporary reduction will not affect trauma patients or any urgent procedures.

Brooke Army Medical Center temporarily reduces number of surgical procedures
April 28, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center has temporarily reduced the number of surgical procedures to ensure the best possible care for its patients... MORE

BAMC celebrates 100th anniversary of occupational therapy profession
April 7, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston are celebrating the 100-year anniversary of their profession this month... MORE

Linda Voronin (right), certified occupational therapy assistant, works with Velicia Siggers on a functional activity March 27 at the BAMC Outpatient Occupational Therapy Clinic. Occupational therapy centers on the targeted use of activities (like painting a bird house) to increase individual overall functioning. Occupational therapy believes that it’s not enough to only increase an individual’s strength or endurance; rather, it’s more important to allow an individual to get back to engaging in personally-meaningful activities.

Brooke Army Medical Center named Army’s first virtual medical center
March 27, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston has been selected to be the Army’s first virtual medical center, or MEDCEN, Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Nadja Y. West announced recently... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston has been selected to be the Army’s first virtual medical center.

BAMC celebrates Black History Month
February 23, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center held a Black History Month observance Feb. 21 in the Medical Mall... MORE

Rev. Dr. Robert Jemerson, retired Air Force chaplain, speaks at the Brooke Army Medical Center African American Black History Month observance Feb. 21 in the Medical Mall.

BAMC Refill Pharmacy re-opens, ready to serve
September 8, 2016 — The Brooke Army Medical Center Refill Pharmacy on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston reopened Aug. 12 after closing temporarily for repairs... MORE

Army Sgt. Dustin Belletty (left) refills a prescription for Marcia Sierra-Williams Aug. 16 at the newly renovated Fort Sam Houston Refill Pharmacy.

BAMC commander holds town halls about Command Climate Survey
August 31, 2016 — Brooke Army Medical Center Commander Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson held six town hall meetings with staff to address areas of concern and provide his feedback and actions based on the results of the recent Command Climate Survey... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center Commander Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson addresses staff members Aug. 24 during a town hall meeting to provide his feedback and actions based on the results of the recent Command Climate Survey.

BAMC optometry resident helps provide free vision care in Texas valley
August 25, 2016 — A Brooke Army Medical Center optometry resident recently participated in a weeklong humanitarian mission to provide free medical, dental and optical care for residents in the Rio Grande Valley. ... MORE

Army Maj. Brad Cunningham (right), a Brooke Army Medical Center optometry student, performs a slit lamp examination July 27 during a free optometry clinic at Juarez-Lincoln High School in Mission, Texas, during a weeklong humanitarian mission to provide vision services to people living in the Rio Grande Valley.

BAMC clinics earn national recognition as Patient Centered Medical Homes
August 18, 2016 — Three Brooke Army Medical Center clinics at Fort Sam Houston have earned the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s highest level of recognition as Patient Centered Medical Homes... MORE

Maj. (Dr.) R. Anderson (left), internal medicine physician, inserts acupuncture needles in Nelda Rodriguez’s ears to relieve pain from her neck at Brooke Army Medical Center recently.