Joint Base San Antonio > News

SAMHS updates COVID-19 testing
July 28, 2020 — In order to sustain COVID-19 testing capability, San Antonio Military Health System will no longer test asymptomatic personnel at its drive-thru screening and testing sites. Testing for symptomatic active duty and military beneficiaries will continue to be conducted... MORE

Members of the 59th Medical Wing man a drive through COVID-19 screening clinic on Lackland Air Force Base, June 26, 2020. The drive through clinic was reestablished as part of the protective measures implented as Joint Base San Antonio returns to HPCON Charlie. (U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt Zachary Bumpus)

Inaugural trauma readiness training receives rave reviews
July 8, 2020 — The new Strategic Trauma Readiness Center of San Antonio, or STaRC, completed its first trauma readiness training for the 555th Forward Surgical Team June 6... MORE

Members of the 555th Forward Surgical Team operate on a simulated trauma patient

59th MDW adjusts hours for 4th of July holiday
June 29, 2020 — On July 6, the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center) and JBSA-Randolph Medical Treatment Facilities will have limited services available... MORE

With an abundance of caution, the 59th Medical Wing has begun a phased reopening of primary and surgical care as of June 1.

59th MDW begins phased reopening June 1
June 1, 2020 — With an abundance of caution, the 59th Medical Wing has begun a phased reopening of primary and surgical care as of June 1. ... MORE

New BAMC trauma training program prepares surgical team for deployment
May 25, 2020 — Brooke Army Medical Center is conducting the first of its kind pre-deployment trauma readiness training exercise for the 555th Forward Surgical Team from May 18 to June 6. ... MORE

59th MDW services, hours reduced May 22 for Memorial Day
May 8, 2020 — Medical treatment facilities at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and JBSA-Randolph will have limited services available May 22... MORE

CSAF visits BMT, thanks JBSA team for ‘fighting through’ COVID-19 response
May 8, 2020 — U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, along with Chief Master Sgt. Manny Pineiro, the service’s first sergeant special duty manager, visited Joint Base San Antonio May 7, seeing first-hand how basic military training has adapted operations to fight through the COVID-19 environment. ... MORE

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein (right) and Chief Master Sgt. Manny Pineiro (center), the service's first sergeant special duty manager, talks with an Airman after basic military training graduation May 7, 2020, at Joint San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

#RiseUp Mental Health, Resiliency at JBSA
May 4, 2020 — Members of the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center Mental Health Clinic and 737th Training Group Military Training Consult Service mental health team spent My 4 motivating others with words of encouragement for base personnel and community members as part of a mental health and resiliency effort during the COVID-19 pandemic at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland... MORE

Maintaining balanced lifestyle key to staying healthy
April 30, 2020 — Combining a healthy diet, exercise and sleep habits is the key to an overall healthful lifestyle, something that is paramount in many people’s minds during the ongoing pandemic... MORE

Combining healthy diet, exercise and sleep habits is the key to an overall healthful lifestyle, something that is paramount in many people’s minds during the ongoing pandemic.

Watch: Wilford Hall begins in-house COVID-19 testing
April 21, 2020 — Airmen from the 59th Medical Wing have stepped up to the fight against COVID-19 by beginning testing samples taken from patients suspected of having coronavirus... MORE

59th Medical Wing; JPG optimized for print.

Cloth face coverings required in SAMHS medical facilities
April 18, 2020 — Effective Monday, April 27, all personnel, patients and visitors to the San Antonio Military Health System will be required to wear a cloth face covering while in common areas of a San Antonio military medical facility regardless of social distancing. ... MORE

Curbside pharmacy services garner praise from beneficiaries
April 13, 2020 — To help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the San Antonio Military Health System has implemented curbside drop-off and pick-up pharmacy services at many of its locations... MORE

Jose Dominguez, pharmacy technician at the Fort Sam Houston Community pharmacy, collects a patient’s prescription.

BAMC leading the charge against COVID-19
April 10, 2020 — From the very beginning, Brooke Army Medical Center has led the way in the fight against COVID-19, implementing stringent measures to protect patients and staff as the pandemic spreads throughout the nation and the world... MORE

59th MDW leverages telehealth to keep patients, staff safe
April 9, 2020 — While San Antonio is under a “Stay Home, Work Safe” order, members of the 59th Medical Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland have found new ways to continue providing high-reliability care through virtual appointments while keeping patients and staff safe... MORE

Capt. (Dr.) Shane Riggs, 59th Medical Operations Squadron psychiatrist, conducts a virtual medical appointment in San Antonio, Texas April 7, 2020. Telehealth appointments can be scheduled by calling the Consult Appointment Management Office at (210) 916-9900. At the time of the appointment, a provider calls or sends the patient a link to the audiovisual platform being used for the visit. The link can be accessed on a patient’s home or work computer, cell phone or tablet, without creating an account.

433rd AW mobilizes medics for COVID-19 response
April 6, 2020 — In less than 36 hours, nine medics from the 433rd Airlift Wing and an Individual Mobilization Augmentee from the 59th Medical Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland mobilized and deployed to New York City on a C-5M Super Galaxy April 5, 2020, to respond to the COVID-19 crisis... MORE

Medical technicians in the 433rd Airlift Wing mobilize and depart Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to respond to the COVID-19 crisis April 5, 2020.

SAMHS consolidates emergency services to BAMC, WHASC continues to offer urgent care
April 2, 2020 — To best support Brooke Army Medical Center emergency operations, the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center Family Emergency Center will scale down its services and temporarily serve as an Urgent Care Center beginning 6 a.m. April 3... MORE

COVID-19 Testing: A message to our beneficiaries
March 26, 2020 — Due to increasing levels of community transmission and in order to ensure availability of testing in our highest-risk populations, effective March 26, the 59th Medical Wing will limit the preponderance of its current COVID-19 testing to nursing-home or retirement-center dwellers, active duty living in dorms, JBSA Healthcare Personnel, Military Training Instructors and other mission-critical active duty personnel... MORE

59th Medical Wing adjusts pharmacy hours, prescription services
March 23, 2020 — The 59th Medical Wing is continuing to make several precautionary adjustments to services to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases and ensure healthcare professionals and resources are poised to support an increased need for acute patient care... MORE

59th MDW adjusts services, offers options to continue care
March 20, 2020 — The 59th Medical Wing is making several precautionary adjustments to services to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases and ensure healthcare professionals and resources are poised to support an increased need for acute patient care... MORE

Latest Air Force trainees continue BMT with enhanced mitigation efforts
March 18, 2020 — For the 668 projected new U.S. Air Force recruits arriving here this week, basic military training is beginning with a 14-day restriction of movement, or ROM, as the service actively conducts mitigation procedures to slow down the spread of COVID-19... MORE