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USAISR civilian retires after 50 years of federal service
October 3, 2018 — After 50 years of federal service, Claudia Wood, a supply technician at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, retired recently during an informal ceremony and potluck lunch... MORE

Col. (Dr.) Jerome Buller (left), commander of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, presents Claudia Wood with a command coin Sept. 26 for 50 years of federal service. Wood, a supply technician at the USAISR, retired during an informal ceremony and potluck lunch Sept. 27.

U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center nurses compete in ‘Dressing Wars’
October 3, 2018 — Nurses at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston have a unique mission and require specialized training. The nurses who work at the Burn Intensive Care Unit, or BICU, the Department of Defense’s sole burn center, care for patients with the highest acuity level in the DOD... MORE

The nurses at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center Intensive Care Unit were divided into teams to perform specific simulated wound care techniques on a staff member from their group during a staff development day at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Sept. 14.

USAISR Headquarters and Headquarters Command Company welcomes new leader
October 3, 2018 — The newest U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, or USAISR, first sergeant took responsibility of the Headquarters and Headquarters Command Company during a change of responsibility ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Sept. 28... MORE

First Sgt. Brittany Graham (left) takes the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Headquarters and Headquarters Company guidon from Capt. Cleveland Bryant Jr., USAISR company commander, during a change of responsibility ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Sept. 28.

U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center seeks dog therapy teams
August 22, 2018 — The U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Brooke Army Medical Center is looking for a qualified and dynamic dog teams to aid in the department’s healthcare mission... MORE

Interested owners/teams should contact the USAISR Public Affairs office at 210-539-5470 to set up the required in-person interview.

U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research celebrates 70th anniversary
August 13, 2018 — The U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research celebrated the Institute’s 70th anniversary of operations July 18 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. To commemorate the occasion, the USAISR held a symposium to highlight the contributions in research on trauma and burn care over the last seven decades... MORE

Col. (Dr.) Shawn C. Nessen (center), U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research commander, and the USAISR Senior Enlisted Advisor, Sgt. Maj. William “Dave” Poist Jr., unveil a bronze plaque for Dr. Basil Pruitt Jr., during the USAISR 70thAnniversary Symposium July 18 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research provides realistic combat casualty care training for deploying troops
August 13, 2018 — For more than seven decades, the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston has conducted research to save lives on the battlefield... MORE

Master Sgt. Rich Jarret (right), U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School Center for Prehospital Medicine, demonstrates how to pack a gunshot wounded with gauze on the newly fielded Tactical Combat Casualty Care-Exportable mannequin that will be used train all Soldiers on basic warrior medical skills, to Command Sgt. Maj. William “Will” Rinehart, United States Army South, as Luciano Cortez, field instructor with trauma effects, controls the TC3-X and PEO-STRI clinical advisor, Lt. Col. (Dr.) Benjamin Baker looks on.

U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research welcomes new commander
August 13, 2018 — In a time-honored Army ritual, Col. (Dr.) Shawn C. Nessen relinquished command of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research to Col. (Dr.) Jerome L. Buller during a change of command ceremony July 19 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Maj. Gen. Barbara R. Holcomb (right), commanding general, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and Fort Detrick, Maryland, presents the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research flag to USAISR’s new commander, Col. (Dr.) Jerome L. Buller (left) during a change of command ceremony July 19 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, as outgoing commander, Col. (Dr.) Shawn C. Nessen looks on.

USAISR Burn Center volunteer named United Way San Antonio Volunteer of the Year
June 21, 2018 — The United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County presented Sandra “Sandy” Montelongo with the 29th Annual Military Volunteer of the Year award June 6 for volunteering at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

(From left) Capt. Jefferson Hunter, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center Progressive Care Unit Officer-in-Charge; Michael Dulevitz, Chief, Brooke Army Medical Center Office of Volunteer Services; Sue Dodson, Executive Director, Texas Burn Survivor Society; Sandra “Sandy” Montelongo; Paula Davidson, USAISR Burn Intensive Care Unit Volunteer Coordinator, at the 29th Annual United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County Volunteer of the Year awards ceremony June 6. Montelongo was awarded the San Antonio area Volunteer of the Year in the Military category.

Former field artillery officer commissioned as Army medicine biochemist/physiologist
June 15, 2018 — When he graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 2007 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology, then-Cadet Andrew W. Holt accepted a commission in the U.S. Army to become a field artillery officer... MORE

Capt. Andrew W. Holt (left), Ph.D., a former Army field artillery officer, is the new Deputy Director for the Department of Sensory Trauma at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. Holt, a physiologist, is taking over for Capt. Gina Griffith (right), Ph.D., who just completed her first tour in the Army as a microbiologist at the USAISR and transferring to a deployable unit at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.

Trauma care innovations saving Soldiers' lives, says USAISR commander
March 8, 2018 — Col. Shawn C. Nessen, a trauma surgeon who served on the battlefields of Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan from 2006 to 2008, credits three trauma care procedures as being among those responsible for saving the most lives. Nessen is commander of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, or USAISR, at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. ... MORE

Col. Shawn C. Nessen (center), commander of the 541st (Airborne) Forward Surgical Team in Afghanistan, works on a patient in the operating room while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Project WOOF underway at USAISR Burn Center
January 23, 2018 — Kaitlin Pruskowski was told her pet Sammy, a seven-year-old Collie-mix, would be a good candidate to be a therapy dog. The doctor of pharmacy at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston didn’t give it much thought until Col. (Dr.) Jennifer Gurney, a critical care trauma surgeon, came up with the idea to establish a therapy dog program at the Burn Center. ... MORE

Dr. Kaitlin Pruskowski, Leah Trefz, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center occupational therapist, and Staff Sgt. Christopher Guerrero take Sammy for a walk throughout Brooke Army Medical Center as part of his rehab program.

USAISR leading the way in ‘Stop the Bleed’ initiative
January 23, 2018 — The “Stop the Bleed” national awareness campaign was launched in 2015 to encourage bystanders in emergency incidents to get involved and stop life threating bleeding. The campaign encourages everyone to become trained, equipped and empowered to help stop bleeding in emergencies before help arrives... MORE

Chris Bell places a tourniquet on Staff Sgt. Luis Sanchez during a training session designed to train instructors to conduct classes for U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research staff members on “Stop the Bleed.”

Local Army researcher among those working to regrow limbs
January 4, 2018 — For some animals, such as salamanders, regrowing a missing limb is a common healing process. But what if people could do the same? Could the future of treating amputations include Soldiers regrowing their own muscle, bone, and nerve tissues?... MORE

A juvenile California tiger Salamander migrates across the Travis Air Force Base, Calif., airfield in search of a suitable burrow. Military researchers are studying how some animals, such as salamanders, are able to regrow limbs. The work is designed to help those with amputations regrow their own arms and legs.

Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps visits Burn Center to thank staff
December 5, 2017 — Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green, the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, visited the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Nov. 17 to thank the staff for their hard work and dedication... MORE

Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green (center) takes a group photo with staff members from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center Progressive Care Unit.

U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Soldiers earn prestigious German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge
December 5, 2017 — Eight Soldiers from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston earned the esteemed German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency after a three-day rigorous competition Nov. 3-5 in San Antonio... MORE

Eight U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Soldiers earned the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency during a three-day rigorous competition Nov. 3-5 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston and JBSA-Camp Bullis. Shown are (from left, back row) Spc. Chelsea Hornback (Gold), Spc. Sergio Rubio (Gold), Staff Sgt. Cedric Martin (Silver), Staff Sgt. Aaron Keller (Silver), Capt. Andrew Holt (Silver). In the front row, from left are Capt. Majorie Brooks (Gold), Lt. Col. (Dr.) John Decker (Gold) and Spc. Stacey Bernetskie (Bronze).

USAISR Burn Center appoints new director
December 5, 2017 — For the first time in six decades, the director of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston is a federal government civilian employee. Dr. Leopoldo “Lee” Cancio, M.D., FACS, a retired Army colonel assigned to the USAISR Burn Center in 1995 until he retired in 2014, was appointed as director Nov. 17... MORE

Dr. Leopoldo “Lee” Cancio was appointed the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center director Nov. 17.

USAISR scientists engage middle school students at STEM club
November 3, 2017 — Stefanie Shiels, Ph.D., a staff scientist at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, believes that school students have to be exposed to STEM, or science, technology, engineering and mathematics, at a young age – regardless of the time of day – even if it means at 6 o’clock in the morning... MORE

Dr. Stefanie Shiels, a staff scientist at the at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, recreates an elbow joint from PVC pipe, rubber bands, string and balloons Oct. 4 at St. Matthew Catholic School during a community outreach event.

USAISR doctor earns prestigious award for medical excellence
October 11, 2017 — Dr. Frank Butler, a retired Navy captain and SEAL, was the recipient of the Maj. Jonathan Letterman Medical Excellence Award during a ceremony in Frederick, Md., Sept. 15... MORE

Dr. Frank Butler and his wife Debbie during the award ceremony where he was presented the 10th Annual Major Jonathan Letterman Medical Excellence Award by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine Sept. 15.

USAISR doctor earns research award at Military Health System Research Symposium
October 11, 2017 — The 2017 Military Health System Research Symposium award for Outstanding Research Accomplishment (military/individual) was presented to Maj. (Dr.) Steven Schauer of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston during the conference in Kissimmee, Fla., Aug. 26... MORE

Vice Adm. Raquel Bono, Director, Defense Health Agency, presents Maj. (Dr.) Steven Schauer, of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. with the 2017 Military Health System Research Symposium award for Outstanding Research Accomplishment (military/individual) Aug. 26.

Burn Center participates in doctor exchange program with Pakistan Army
October 11, 2017 — The staff members of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston conducted a subject matter expert exchange with medical doctors from the Pakistan Army Sept. 12-13... MORE

Aldo Arredondo (left) explains burn care procedures to (from left) Maj. (Dr.) Nafees Abu Ul Ala, Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Ahmed Tahir Masood, Col. (Dr.) Ali Muhammad; Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Saadat Ali Janjua, and Col. (Dr.) Akhtar Khalid Ibrahim Sept. 13 during a two-day Subject Matter Expert Exchange, or SMEE, engagement between the Pakistani Army and the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, as Maj. Elena Amspacher, SMEE program coordinator looks on.