FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 8, 2026)--The Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC) is recognizing National Public Health Week, April 6–12, 2026, honoring the professionals who work behind the scenes to keep service members, families, and the broader community healthy, safe, and resilient.
When many people think of public health, they picture flu shot clinics, health fairs, or handwashing campaigns. While those efforts are important, public health is much broader. It focuses on improving the health of entire populations, often in ways that go unseen, but have lasting impact. In fact, public health initiatives have helped increase global life expectancy by more than six years over the past century.
“At ATAMMC, public health isn’t just a department; it’s a promise,” said Lt. Col. Jasmine Gregory, Chief of the Department of Public Health. “We’ve built a robust infrastructure that works side-by-side with our doctors and nurses to ensure that prevention is always the priority.”
What Public Health Does
Unlike clinical medicine, which treats individual patients, public health focuses on prevention, education, and systems that protect communities as a whole. It looks at the bigger picture, addressing environmental, social, and behavioral factors that influence health outcomes. Public health has played a key role in some of the most significant health advancements in history, including:
At its core, public health operates through three essential functions:
Together, these functions form the foundation of a system designed to prevent illness before it starts.
Why Public Health Matters at ATAMMC
Public health is deeply integrated into daily operations at ATAMMC, strengthening both patient care and community health.
By focusing on prevention, public health efforts help:
This work directly supports the medical center’s mission, ensuring a healthier force and a more resilient community.
Public Health in Action
Public health operates at every level, from global campaigns to local community initiatives.
At ATAMMC, these principles are applied every day through partnerships, outreach, surveillance, and education.
A Shared Responsibility
Public Health Week is not only a time to recognize the professionals dedicated to this mission, but it is also a reminder that everyone plays a role. “Public Health Week is a time to say ‘Thank You’ to the professionals who keep our community running,” Gregory said. “But it’s also a call to action for all of us. Whether it’s staying up to date on vaccinations, practicing workplace safety, or choosing a healthier lifestyle, we all play a part in that action.”
Healthcare professionals and staff across ATAMMC contribute by:
Moving Forward Together
Public health is the backbone of a healthy society, bridging the gap between individual care and community-wide solutions. At ATAMMC, that mission is carried forward every day by a dedicated team working quietly but effectively to protect and improve lives. As ATAMMC observes Public Health Week 2026, the message is clear: prevention matters, partnerships matter, and people matter.
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The Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center is a 120-bed, 1.3 million-square-foot military facility that serves a regional population of 250,000 personnel, with 90,000 enrollees receiving inpatient and specialty care services, supported by 55 specialty clinics, an Inpatient Addictions Program, the DiLorenzo Pentagon Health Clinic, and two satellite family health centers in Dumfries and Fairfax, Va.