Photo By James Camillocci | Dr. David Smith, acting principal deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Health...... read more read more
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Sept. 17, 2025 – From the military’s only Level I Trauma Center to the specialized clinic serving all Air Force basic trainees, senior leaders from the Defense Health Agency gained firsthand insights into the critical contributions of the San Antonio military medical system during a recent site visit.
Acting DHA Director, Dr. David Smith, and DHA’s senior enlisted leader, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Tanya Johnson, visited multiple clinics and sites across Joint Base San Antonio, underscoring the local healthcare system’s pivotal role in supporting the warfighter and caring for those who serve.
The health system is renowned for its extensive capabilities, boasting the only DoD Burn Center, Level I Trauma Center and rooftop helipad, as well as the largest medical facility in the Military Health System. It’s also the largest force-generating platform, hosting training for more than 700 military officers in 36 graduate medical education and 22 graduate allied health education specialty programs through the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium.
"SAMHS stands as a cornerstone of military medicine, providing unparalleled capabilities in trauma care, burn treatment, and medical education," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas Harrell, director of Defense Health Network Central, and commander, Medical Readiness Command Alpha. "Its unique combination of resources and expertise makes it an indispensable asset to our nation's defense and the well-being of our service members."
During their visit to Brooke Army Medical Center, the leaders toured the emergency department, rooftop helipad, and the Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center, which is the only American Burn Association-verified burn center in South Texas. The BAMC ED serves as the entry point to its Level I Trauma Center, which administers care to civilian and military trauma patients from an area spanning 22 counties and approximately 2.2 million people.
This community trauma partnership is a “win-win” collaboration, Smith noted, as it provides world-class care to the community while enhancing the readiness of military medical personnel.
The next day, Smith and Johnson toured Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center and Reid Clinic, where Air Force basic military trainees were in-processing during week one of their training. Reid Clinic provides medical care to over 86,000 Air Force and Space Force basic military trainees and technical training students each year, highlighting the system's commitment to force generation and maintaining a healthy fighting force.
The DHA leaders also expressed interest in the DoD’s only extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program. ECMO is a heart-lung bypass system that replaces the natural functions of the heart and lungs while treatments and healing of the affected organs take place. The joint-service ECMO team, based at BAMC, possesses the capability for global transports of warfighters, as well as the ability to transport civilian emergency patients through the Secretarial Designee program.
Another key stop was the Joint Trauma System, the DoD’s center of excellence for trauma care delivery. JTS supports combatant commands with trauma system planning, treatment and management. JTS also oversees DoD’s sole trauma patient registry, which collects comprehensive data on combat casualty care -- from the point of injury to recovery – to improve outcomes and inform best practices.
Throughout the visit, Smith emphasized his commitment to understanding the challenges faced by the local system, including staffing, resource and budgetary challenges, and pledged to explore solutions from a senior leadership perspective to ensure the system can continue to meet its critical mission requirements.
"The San Antonio Military Health System's commitment to readiness and its ability to deliver comprehensive, world-class care is truly impressive,” Smith said. “We're here to listen, learn, and ensure our medical professionals have the resources and support they need to continue excelling in their vital mission. Their dedication to both the warfighter and the community is unwavering, and we are committed to supporting them in every way we can."
Smith also recognized several exceptional personnel with coins, expressing his appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the mission of providing world-class healthcare and supporting military readiness.
Of note, the director presented a coin to Army Lt. Col. Adrianna Long, core faculty for the Emergency Medicine Residency at BAMC, for her efforts to augment the Emergency Operations Center after the catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River over the Fourth of July weekend. The flash floods claimed at least 135 lives in the Texas Hill Country.
A highlight of the visit was the director's congratulatory remarks to Carolyn Putnam, executive secretary to the BAMC commander, on her 90th birthday. Putnam, a BAMC institution with 70 years of civil service, has dedicated 65 of those years to the medical center.
The DHA leadership team noted they plan to use the insights gained from the visit to inform future strategies and initiatives aimed at strengthening the MHS and optimizing its support to the warfighter.
"We were honored to host Dr. Smith and Chief Master Sgt. Johnson and showcase the diverse capabilities and unwavering dedication of the San Antonio Military Health System,” Harrell said. “This visit provided a valuable opportunity to demonstrate how we contribute to military readiness, provide exceptional healthcare, and train the next generation of medical professionals.
“We appreciate senior leaders’ commitment to understanding our challenges and working collaboratively to ensure we continue to meet the evolving needs of our warfighters and beneficiaries with excellence," he added.
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.17.2025 14:49 |
| Story ID: | 548439 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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