Secretary of Air Force visits San Antonio military hospitals

  • Published
  • By Sue Campbell
  • 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) --  Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley visited the San Antonio Military Medical Center South and North campuses Nov. 8.

The secretary recently returned from trips to theater hospitals at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. His visit to San Antonio military hospitals allowed him to see first-hand two major medical facilities in the United States that support wounded warriors and all military personnel.

While at SAMMC-South, or Wilford Hall Medical Center here, he was briefed on how Air Force medics are trained to treat wounded military members in the field, then safely and quickly move them to a higher echelon of care.

At SAMMC-North, or Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, he toured the hospital's burn center and the Center for the Intrepid, visiting with Airmen who are recovering from injuries they suffered in Iraq.

"The Air Force is fully committed to supporting wounded warriors and their families by providing needed medical care, coordinated air transport and long-term professional support throughout their recovery process," said Secretary Donley. "Members of the Air Force Medical Service are dedicated players in the most effective joint casualty care system in history."

A special Web site, Air Force Wounded Warrior, at www.woundedwarrior.af.mil provides information to Airmen in need. On this Web site there are also links to other service Web sites and Defense Department resources.

"I commit, and the entire Air Force commits, to continually evaluate policy and lessons learned to find new and better ways to support all wounded, ill and injured service members," Secretary Donley said.

"Across the Air Force we have no higher priority than caring for our own," he said.


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