Photo By Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson | Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Dr. Stephen Ferrara, speaks...... read more read more
Subscribe
The Military Health System’s top leader got a firsthand look at the unrivaled medical capabilities offered by the San Antonio military healthcare system during a special visit to Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, on April 18.
Dr. Stephen Ferrara, appointed in January 2025 as the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, visited San Antonio military hospitals and training campuses to gain further insights into the complex structure of the area’s medical system and staff.
“These visits are so valuable to learn about what you do and to meet the people doing the work. It gives me a keener understanding of how things are going,” Ferrara said during opening remarks with medical leadership.
Hosted by U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas Harrell, director of the Defense Health Agency’s Defense Health Network Central, the fast-paced visit included walking tours of Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center’s emergency department, and Brooke Army Medical Center’s emergency department, which is part of the only Level 1 trauma center in the Department of Defense. During the visit, staff explained how the partnership between the 59th Medical Wing and BAMC enables the support of 2.5 million patient visits each year.
Ferrara also toured the Medical Education and Training Campus surgical technologist and hospital corpsman basic courses, the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center, and the Center for the Intrepid.
While at METC, Ferrara visited the nursing synthesis lab, Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Shipboard Mass Casualty labs, which are curricula in the Navy Hospital Corpsman Basic course. He also observed a mock surgery and participated in a laparoscopy procedure—a method for doing surgery using a thin, lighted tube with a camera—part of METC’s Surgical Technologist course.
“It’s been a great day seeing where our young enlisted come in and learn these critical medical skills,” Ferrara said, referring to his visit to METC. “This is readiness right here.”
Throughout the visit, Ferrara talked with staff and asked questions about their operations, resources, and challenges they encounter in supporting the high volume and complexity of patient care across the San Antonio military healthcare system.
“The Defense Health Network Central is the largest network in the Military Health System,” said Harrell during senior leader mission overviews about DHN Central, WHASC, BAMC, and the 59th MDW, all located at Joint Base San Antonio. “Everything goes back to sustaining and creating lethality of the force. It’s all about generating medics to support the mission.”
In addition to the walking tours, Ferrara had an opportunity to discuss his priorities for the MHS and speak with medical staff during two town halls at Wilford Hall and BAMC.
“I love to get out to do these visits to see where the work is done because that’s what informs the decision making, in my opinion. First and foremost, I want to thank you for the work you do taking care of patients, being your very best and training the next generation,” Ferrara said during the town hall at WHASC.
In his role as the acting ASD-HA, Ferrara said he can actively advocate for the needs of the MHS.
“I’m the liaison between the MHS, the secretary, and the White House. I’m your voice and that’s key. When I come here and see that texture and learn those anecdotes, I can talk about real-world things. I learned a lot here this morning at Wilford Hall about the amazing work and volume of patients you see in the emergency room, the large volume of calls your EMS team does, the [number] of people you are training—and you are also training the next generation. One of my immediate priorities is to ensure you have the things you need.”
In his advocacy role, Ferrara said his priorities for the MHS are to support the warfighter, sustain our skills, and strengthen our chain, which he explained is the continuity of trained healthcare professionals that can’t be broken because they take the baton as part of our force-generation platform.
“One of my jobs, which I feel has been effective so far in these first 90 to 100 days, is showing how we affect lethality by keeping guns in the fight. When people think of a weapons system they might think of a hypersonic weapon or a fighter aircraft–but for us, the human is the weapons system—the airman, soldier, sailor, Marine, or Guardian. By us keeping them healthy and by generating a medically ready force, we are empowering the warfighter to go and do what they need to do.”
After taking in the facility tours and talking with medical staff, Ferrara summed up his perspective about the unique and integrated readiness capabilities within the San Antonio military healthcare system.
“San Antonio is really the center of gravity in the MHS for sustaining our skills,” Ferrara concluded during the town hall at BAMC. “It’s the place where you have the highest patient count—seeing more emergency room visits than most. And BAMC has the only Level 1 trauma center in the MHS—that’s how you sustain your skills, doing those high-volume, high-complexity cases.
“And here in San Antonio, you are doing more force generation than anywhere else. You are paying forward to make sure you train someone well to come in, and that’s hugely important. Those are the priorities,” he said.
After the visit, Harrell expressed his appreciation for Ferrara’s visit to Joint Base San Antonio.
"We were honored to host Dr. Ferrara and showcase the unique capabilities of the San Antonio Military Health System, along with our steadfast commitment to delivering world-class health care to our nation’s warfighters and their families,” said Harrell. “As the largest force-generating platform—home to the DOD’s sole Level 1 trauma center and burn center—this system plays a vital role in sustaining the health, wellness, and operational readiness of our force.”
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2025 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 497497 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Top Military Health Official Praises San Antonio's Medical Powerhouse, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
