Munson Public Health Officials Monitoring Tick Activity on Fort Leavenworth

Photo By Maria Christina Yager | Pfc. Edward Antoine, assigned to the Department of Public Health at Munson Army Health Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, conducts a tick drag in the woodlands on post, May 19. The Army conducts tick drags to monitor tick populations and identify potential health risks in areas where Soldiers, families and pets live, work and train. Public health officials say awareness and early prevention remain the best defense against tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, and encourage everyone to make tick checks part of their regular outdoor routine this spring and summer.  

FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, UNITED STATES

05.22.2026

Story by Maria Christina Yager 

Munson Army Health Center Public Affairs

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas— Soldiers from Munson Army Health Center’s Department of Public Health recovered ticks from the woodlands on Fort Leavenworth following a recent environmental surveillance operation May 19.

Ticks recovered during these drags will be catalogued and submitted to the Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen for testing to determine the species present and identify any pathogens they may carry. This intelligence directly informs Force Health Protection measures, allowing officials to identify local infection risks and direct installation pest control measures for specific high-risk areas.

“Within the United States, ticks represent a significant public health hazard,” said Staff Sgt. Francisco Martinez, a preventive health specialist and NCO of charge of Munson’s Public Health Department. “They transmit a greater variety of pathogens and cause more cases of vector-borne disease than any other arthropods, including mosquitoes.”

According to the CDC, Lyme disease is the most common tickborne disease in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated for Lyme each year.

By tracking seasonal activity through surveillance, Munson Public Health officials can better educate the community and mitigate environmental hazards that could degrade mission capabilities and family readiness. Officials encourage the entire Fort Leavenworth community to make tick checks part of their regular outdoor routine.

To protect personal health, family readiness, and pets, adhere to the following guidelines:

• Use EPA-approved insect repellent on exposed skin. Wear long sleeves and pants when navigating wooded or grassy environments.
• Shower immediately after spending time outdoors to wash away unattached ticks.
• Thoroughly check all clothing, tactical gear, and pets for ticks after outdoor activities.
• Bag and submit any ticks pulled from your body to Munson's Deptartment of Public Health for testing through the MilTICK program.

Martinez emphasized that awareness and early prevention remain the best defense against tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, as the spring and summer seasons begin.

By staying alert and implementing these proactive measures, the Fort Leavenworth community can safely operate and recreate outdoors this season.

• Date Taken: 05.22.2026
• Date Posted: 05.22.2026 12:52
• Story ID: 566013
• Location: FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, US