Leaders from Irwin Army Community Hospital and the Eastern Kansas VA Health Care System came together on Jan. 14, 2026, to reaffirm and strengthen a long-standing partnership focused on one outcome: better care for Soldiers, Veterans, and their families.
In this feature, COL Laudino Castillo, IACH Commander, and Mr. Rudy Klopfer, Executive Director of the Eastern Kansas VA Health Care System, discuss how their Resource Sharing Agreement allows both organizations to align staffing, specialties, and capabilities to close gaps in access to care. From specialty services and radiology to women’s health, optometry, and mammography, the partnership reduces travel time, improves timeliness, and brings high-quality care closer to...
When Dawn Ho raised her right hand and joined the Kansas Army National Guard in 2002, she was motivated by a simple idea: service.
More than 20 years later, that motivation has matured into responsibility for others, resilience through adversity, and a renewed sense of purpose shaped by injury and recovery.
Now an Information Technology Specialist with Irwin Army Community Hospital's Information Management Division, Master Sgt. Ho has been selected to attend the Sergeants Major Academy in August 2026. It’s an achievement that reflects not only professional excellence but perseverance through one of the most challenging periods of her career.
Master Sgt. Ho's trajectory took an unexpected turn in 2022 while deployed to Kuwait....
12.19.2025 | FORT RILEY, KANSAS, US |
Story by Jorge Gomez
Master Sgt. Dawn Ho, a long-serving member of the Kansas Army National Guard, overcame a career-threatening injury and the deep sense of failure that followed by finding a new purpose during her recovery. Through her own perseverance and the dedicated support of her leadership and the Soldier Recovery Unit, she successfully transitioned to a new career field and earned a prestigious selection to the Sergeants Major Academy for August 2026.
