Joint Base San Antonio > News

TRICARE open enrollment gives plan choices to beneficiaries
November 13, 2018 — Beneficiaries of TRICARE who want to make changes to their health care coverage are now able to do so during the TRICARE enrollment period that starts Nov. 12. TRICARE Open Season gives enrollees in the TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select plans the opportunity to review their health care options and make changes in coverage based on their needs. ... MORE

Vice Adm. Raquel Bono, Defense Health Agency director, said the TRICARE Open Season enrollment period gives beneficiaries a choice in what they want to do with their health care coverage. Bono spoke about the new enrollment period process during a news conference in San Antonio Nov. 10.

Public turns out to honor veterans at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
November 11, 2018 — Hundreds of supporters ignored chilly temperatures and rainy conditions to honor veterans of the past and present during the annual Veterans Day memorial at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Nov. 11... MORE

Hundreds of supporters ignored chilly temperatures and rainy conditions to honor veterans of the past and present during the annual Veterans Day memorial at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Nov. 11. The event included a number of musical interludes from the Texas Children's Choir, a naturalization ceremony for eight ne U.S. citizens, readings of the service creeds and singing of the service songs. The ceremony ended with three volleys of rifle fire from the Fort Sam Houston Memorial Services Detachment and the playing of "Taps."

Feedback Fridays
November 9, 2018 — 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. If you have a question or concern, please send an email to RandolphPublicAffairs@us.af.mil 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. If you have a question or concern, please send an email to RandolphPublicAffairs@us.af.mil using the subject line "Feedback Fridays." Questions will be further researched and published as information becomes available.

Veterans honored during Brooke Army Medical Center ceremony
November 9, 2018 — Brooke Army Medical Center held its 3rd annual Veterans Day Celebration Nov. 2 featuring patriotic music, performances by a local high school marching band and drill team, a health fair and lunch... MORE

Retired Master Sgt. Walter Taylor, a former Brooke Army Medical Center Warrior Transition Battalion Soldier, was the guest speaker during the 3rd annual Veterans Day Celebration at BAMC Nov. 2. The former combat engineer was seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2011 when he was struck in the face by a rocket-propelled grenade. As he healed, he continued to serve his fellow veterans and their families within the WTB in uniform and as a civilian.

Brooke Army Medical Center achieves ‘Most Wired’ title for seventh consecutive year
November 9, 2018 — For the seventh consecutive year, Brooke Army Medical Center has been named one of the nation’s “Most Wired” medical facilities for its innovative use of health information technology by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, or CHIME... MORE

Gina Brown uses to wireless hands-free integrated communications system contact another staff member Nov. 1. The Brooke Army Medical Center Information Management Division at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston implemented the WHICS last October, but the system was fully employed Oct. 5 to allow alarms from patient monitors to automatically contact the appropriate personnel through the device.

JBSA Cyber Team keeps a watchful eye on security
November 9, 2018 — Inspections are an important part of keeping all Air Force operations running as smoothly as possible and the cyber security team at Joint Base San Antonio is ahead of the curve. Their efforts have earned them the 2017 Air Force Chief of Safety Cyber Safety award... MORE

Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston will undergo a Command Cyber Readiness Inspection, or CCRI, from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2. An inspection team from the Defense Information Systems Agency, or DISA, will conduct a thorough evaluation of all network systems for the JBSA-Fort Sam Houston area of responsibility.

Randolph HS student receives full scholarship to UTSA
November 9, 2018 — Ariana Gomez, a San Antonio native and Randolph High School student, began recreational league soccer at the age of 4. Little did she know, at the age of 16, her passion for the game would prosper into a full scholarship to the University of Texas at San Antonio... MORE

Celebrate America’s Military 2018: Honoring those who serve
November 9, 2018 — Since 1970, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce has organized Celebrate America’s Military, or CAM, an annual tribute to the military. The two-week celebration during the month of November features events presented with community partners, making it the largest event of its kind nationwide... MORE

Since 1970, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce has organized Celebrate America’s Military, or CAM, an annual tribute to the military. The two-week celebration during the month of November features events presented with community partners, making it the largest event of its kind nationwide.

Veterans Day: ‘A day to remember, acknowledge and share gratitude’
November 9, 2018 — Over the years, Veteran’s Day has had many names: Armistice Day, Day of Peace, or Remembrance Day. I most often think of Veteran’s Day as a day for remembrance, acknowledgement and gratitude... MORE

Brig. Gen. Laura L. Lenderman
Commander, 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio

Training prepares Air Force members to confront interpersonal violence, suicide
November 8, 2018 — Nearly three years ago, the Air Force contracted with Alteristic Inc. and introduced Green Dot training as the primary prevention education program to reduce power-based interpersonal violence affecting its military and civilian members and families. In 2018, self-directed violence – suicide – was added to the curriculum... MORE

502nd Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operators support those who serve
November 8, 2018 — The 502nd Logistics Readiness Squadron slogan, “Supporting Those Who Serve,” exemplifies the squadron’s vehicle operations element... MORE

Joint Base San Antonio hosts German Armed Forces Badge Competition
November 8, 2018 — Almost 400 Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen from Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Hood in Kileen, Texas; and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, competed in the 2018 German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, or GAFPB, competition hosted by the collaboration of JBSA units at JBSA-Lackland, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Randolph and JBSA-Camp Bullis Oct. 26-28... MORE

Almost 400 Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen from Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Hood in Kileen, Texas; and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, competed in the 2018 German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, or GAFPB, competition hosted by the collaboration of JBSA units at JBSA-Lackland, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Randolph and JBSA-Camp Bullis Oct. 26-28.

1st Cavalry Division Soldiers launch convoy from JBSA-Fort Sam Houston
November 7, 2018 — Soldiers from the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, launch a convoy Nov. 5 from Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in support of U.S Northern Command. USNORTHOM is providing military support to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to secure the southern border of the United States as part of DOD Support to Southwest Border Operations. ... MORE

Soldiers from the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, launch a convoy Nov. 5 from Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in support of U.S Northern Command. USNORTHOM is providing military support to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to secure the southern border of the United States.

NAMRU-SA project developing tools to detect harmful bacteria in wounded warfighters
November 7, 2018 — Finding and developing diagnostic tools that can better identify harmful bacterial pathogens in wounded warfighters is the objective of two projects being conducted at Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Joseph Spano, Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio Craniofacial Health and Restorative Medicine Directorate research engineer, works on a portable Raman spectrometer that is being utilized for a research project at NAMRU-SA focused on the development of diagnostic platforms that can better identify bacterial pathogens in wounded service members. The portable spectrometer is a user-friendly, ruggedized device that is field-deployable and capable of obtaining surface-enhanced Raman scattering, or SERS, spectra which are characteristic to individual bacterial strains. The portable Raman offers superior performance to handheld spectrometers as well as increased spatial resolution when coupled to a microscope. The device is being used for method and platform development as well as to characterize bacteria, build representative spectral libraries and assess classification capabilities.

Staying safe in the kitchen: the most perilous room during Thanksgiving
November 7, 2018 — The focal point of any American home during Thanksgiving will be the kitchen. This can be one of the most perilous rooms in the home if sound practices in cooking are not observed... MORE

The U.S. Fire Administration, or USFA, estimates 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential structures occur yearly in the United States. The leading culprit in these fires is cooking. These unattended fires most commonly transpire during the afternoon hour’s noon to 4 p.m. Twenty percent of the time during Thanksgiving smoke alarms were not present or not operational in an occupied home.

Joint Chiefs chairman discusses military's support to DHS
November 7, 2018 — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff laid out the process for military support to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during a discussion with students in Duke University’s Program in American Grand Strategy in Durham, North Carolina, Nov. 5... MORE

Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford (left), chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks with Peter Feaver, a professor of political science and public policy at Duke University, during a discussion with students in Duke’s Program in American Grand Strategy in Durham, N.C., Nov. 5.

Lone Star Gunfighters train future warfighters
November 7, 2018 — The 149th Fighter Wing, known as the Lone Star Gunfighters, is an F-16 training unit that is a part of the Texas Air National Guard and the Texas Military Department. Based out of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the cornerstone of the 149th's flying mission is the 182nd Fighter Squadron, whose role is to take pilots, either experienced aircrew or recent graduates from U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training, or UPT, and qualify them to fly the F-16... MORE

Maj. Thomas Werner, an instructor pilot assigned to the 149th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard, performs air-to-air drills in an F-16 Fighting Falcon June 25 near Čáslav Air Base in the Czech Republic during Sky Avenger 2018.

BAMC maintains long-standing accreditation from Commission on Cancer
November 7, 2018 — Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston maintains multiple accreditations in an effort to ensure patients receive the safe, high-quality care they deserve. One of the longest-standing accreditations, more than 68 years, is from the Commission on Cancer, or CoC, a program of the American College of Surgeons... MORE

Air Force Capt. (Dr.) Lauren Lee examines Faunia Rodriguez at the Brooke Army Medical Center Hematology/Oncology Clinic Nov. 6.

Commentary: ‘Tis the season to be resilient
November 7, 2018 — This is supposed to be the ‘hap-happiest season of all’, but in reality the holidays sometimes leave us stressed out, white elephant partied out, and overall worn out as November heads into December and finally the New Year. If we are not careful, our holiday season itineraries can bury us into exhaustion. If that happens, our effectiveness and attention to detail at work could suffer... MORE

Building resiliency is one of the best ways we maintain our commitment to delivering Trusted Care, Anywhere.

JBSA members give input on quality of life issues at Armed Forces Action Plan forum
November 6, 2018 — Joint Base San Antonio members studied, discussed and recommended action to be taken on several quality of life issues brought forth by service members at the Armed Forces Action Plan forum held Oct. 29-Nov. 1 at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Brandon Greenwood (right), Exceptional Family Member Program System Navigator, leads a discussion about family support with program delegates during the Armed Forces Action Plan held at the Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Military & Family Readiness Center Oct. 28. The event brings people together to discuss issues that concern military families living on post.