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  • Defense secretary asks entire department to reinforce trust

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has called on every member of the Defense Department to play a personal role in creating a secure environment that will help to prevent more tragedies like the Nov. 5 shooting rampage that left 13 people dead at Fort Hood, Texas. Secretary Gates issued a memo March

  • Doctors perform first hand transplant in DOD

    A team of military and civilian doctors performed the first-ever female hand transplant in the U.S. Feb. 17 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. Retired Master Sgt. Janet McWilliams is the 10th person in the U.S. to undergo this procedure and the first to have it done in a Department of Defense

  • DOD board to reassess service disability ratings

    Recommendations from a congressionally directed Department of Defense Physical Disability Board of Review resulted in 61 percent of applicants having their status changed from a medical separation to retirement on the permanent disability list, said Michael LoGrande, president of the PDBR.PDBR

  • Brain Injury Awareness Month highlights facts about head trauma

    Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, has been labeled a "signature injury" of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also occurs in non-combat settings in association with motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, assaults and falls. In 2009, Department of Defense officials reported 20,199

  • Doctors perform military first hand transplant

    A group of military and civilian doctors performed a historic surgical procedure at Wilford Hall Medical Center here Feb. 17.  They transplanted a human hand from one woman to another.The patient is the first female and only the 10th person in the United States to undergo this surgery. This also is

  • Analysis program focuses on preventing combat injuries

    Every time a servicemember is killed or wounded in combat, it sets off a sweeping process aimed at identifying what happened, who perpetrated it and how it might have been prevented, and instituting changes to reduce the likelihood of it being repeated.The Joint Trauma Analysis and Prevention of

  • National Resource Directory offers single Web site for wounded warriors

    Officials with the federal departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor and Defense unveiled an improved Web site for wounded warriors Feb. 26. "VA is committed to tapping into the full powers of the Internet to provide accurate, timely, easy to find and easy to understand information that improves the

  • VA officials announce funding for polytrauma center in San Antonio

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced the award of two contracts totaling $41.5 million to create a polytrauma center for the care of the most severely injured veterans and to improve the existing wards at the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center in San Antonio."A top priority for VA is

  • Military steps up battle against sexual assault

    Military officials are addressing the problem of sexual assault, but more needs to be done, officials acknowledged in testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Feb. 24 here. Kaye Whitley, the chief of the Defense Department's sexual assault prevention and response office,

  • Military leads mental health care transformation

    The United States is in the middle of a "cultural transformation" in mental health treatment led by the Defense Department and the military services, the department's top mental health expert told a congressional panel Feb. 24 here. Mental health resilience "is fundamentally underlying everything we

  • Air Force officials remain vigilant in PTSD treatment

    With a commitment to taking care of Airmen and their families, Air Force officials said they will maintain a focus on the prevention, mitigation and treatment of deployment-related post-traumatic stress disorder.Air Force officials use a three-pronged approach to promote psychological health and

  • Medical teams, volunteers help patients during weather-related delays

    Airmen from the  375th Aeromedical Staging Flight quickly assembled to receive 44 patients, 22 of them on litters, after an aeromedical flight originating in Germany had to divert Feb. 7, here, because of more than 20 inches of snow in Washington D.C.These 44 patients joined several others who were

  • VA officials create ad campaign to highlight educational benefits

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced a two-month, nationwide advertising campaign Feb. 22 to assist student veterans and servicemembers applying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill."VA, student veterans and our schools have made significant progress in implementing the GI Bill this spring, but

  • CSTARS trains Air Force trauma teams

    "I can't breathe."Maj. Tiffany Ingham looks down and assesses one of the two critical patients under her charge. One is conscious and communicating his respiratory distress and chest pain. The other is sedated and on a ventilator. The second patient has traumatic brain injury and burns, signature

  • New concept for annual AF Assistance Fund campaign announced

    Air Force officials are introducing a new concept this year for the annual Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, which provides Airmen the opportunity to contribute to four official Air Force charitable organizations.The campaign, now in its 37th year, will run during a

  • Injured Airman celebrates re-enlistment

    Almost five years and 120 surgeries after his vehicle passed over an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan that exploded, burning more than 80 percent of his body, Tech. Sgt. Israel Del Toro raised his right hand Feb. 8 and re-enlisted in the Air Force.Maj. Gen Anthony Przybyslawski, the vice

  • Military team works to treat, prevent deadly disease

    A tiny bug bite recently prompted a small child in Kenya to walk alone for eight hours and admit himself to a clinic specializing in parasitic diseases. Insect bites in that region can be life-threatening and are now affecting many U.S. servicemembers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Col. (Dr.)

  • Air Force medical units merge in San Antonio

    All Air Force medical treatment facilities in San Antonio merged under the 59th Medical Wing here Feb. 1.The 12th Medical Group at Randolph Air Force Base became the 359th Medical Group, and the 37th Medical Group at Lackland AFB became the 559th Medical Group. The realignment unites the medical

  • White House seeks $125 billion for veterans in 2011

    To expand health care to a record-number of veterans, reduce the number of homeless veterans and process a dramatically increased number of new disability compensation claims, White House officials here announced Feb. 1 a proposed $125 billion budget next year for the Department of Veterans

  • Chairman cites need for rapid health care solutions

    Defense Department officials must work quickly to surmount a stigma that's preventing servicemembers from seeking help for the signature wounds of today's wars, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Jan. 25. "We are clearly just beginning to deal with the long-term effects of the signature

  • Official notes health system's 'amazing' impact

    The Defense Department's Military Health System has never played a clearer or more important role in the security of the nation, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs said Jan. 25. "I'm very, very proud of the great strides we all have made to date," Ellen P. Embrey told an audience

  • VA officials reaching out to students and schools to speed benefit payments

    In a coordinated effort to speed up the processing of Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits this spring, Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced Jan. 20 that they have been reaching out to student veterans, servicemembers, university officials and other partners to meet a commitment to an

  • South Dakota officials to pay veterans bonus

    South Dakota officials are paying a bonus to members of the Armed Forces who were legal residents of the state for no less than six months immediately preceding their period of active duty and who served on active duty during one or more of the following periods. 1. Aug. 2, 1990, to March 3, 1991 -

  • Tricare dives into social media to engage beneficiaries

    Tricare officials are taking the plunge into social media to uncover what issues matter most to their beneficiaries around the world. Social media channels and networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr continue to transform how healthcare information, and information in general, is

  • VA, DOD officials expand ranks of federal recovery coordinators

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the hiring of five new federal recovery coordinators, bringing to 20 the number of professionals coordinating care for the most seriously injured servicemembers."Our federal recovery coordinators are key members of a team of health care

  • Mullen voices concern with military suicide rate

    Suicide is a growing problem in the military community, and its leaders must be committed to reversing that trend, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here Jan. 13.In an address to an audience of more than 1,000 military and other government agency health-care workers and officials

  • Air Force seeking athletes for warrior games

    The deadline for submitting applications to compete in the inaugural Warrior Games at Colorado Springs, Colo. is Jan. 15.Approximately 200 wounded active duty members and military veterans will compete in the Warrior Games May 10 to 14. Air Force officials are seeking approximately 25 wounded

  • Airmen transition into new fitness program

    As Airmen begin transitioning into the new testing cycle in January, officials worked to publish the new Air Force instruction to the Air Force Publications Web site Jan. 12, with an effective date of July 1.Air Force officials unveiled the new fitness program in August while still completing a

  • Officials urge collaboration in suicide prevention

    There are no clear-cut answers to suicide prevention, but through collaboration and team work from federal and private institutions, the nation can better address the challenge, Defense and Veterans Affairs department officials said today.In a joint Defense-VA conference, titled "Building Strong and

  • Podcast Series Addresses Post-deployment Challenges

    Servicemembers and their families can get help coping with post-deployment stress through a new series of podcasts profiling the personal stories of those who have lived it. "Combat brings individuals face-to-face with the harshest demands imaginable. In fact, it's impossible to be unaffected by

  • Air Force officials study brain injuries

    Compression chambers used to treat divers who experienced "the bends" after ascending too quickly may offer clues to treating wounded warriors suffering traumatic brain injuries. An Air Force study at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio hopes to determine if hyperbaric oxygen therapy shows

  • Toolkit helps answer servicemembers' health care questions

    One in five servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffers from major depression or post traumatic stress disorder, according to officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.To help servicemembers affected by a behavioral or other

  • USO plans family centers at Bethesda, Belvoir

    United Services Organization officials plan to build family centers at the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., and Fort Belvoir, Va., to continue the USO's tradition of bringing troops a piece of home. The project was inspired by the Army Community Services center at Brooke Army Medical

  • Wounded vets to participate in first warrior games

    Approximately 200 wounded active duty members and military veterans will compete in the inaugural Warrior Games May 10 to 14 in Colorado Springs, Colo., Defense Department officials announced Jan. 7. The U.S. Olympic Committee will host the games, and events will include shooting, swimming, archery,

  • Defense, Veterans Affairs step closer to integrated records

    The Defense Department soon will join a Veterans Affairs Department and Kaiser Permanente partnership designed to improve the way military veterans and the nation receive health care, the VA's top health affairs policy advisor said Jan. 6. For the past month, officials at Kaiser Permanente and

  • No need to feel SAD during the winter

    Occasionally feeling depressed is normal. Everyone has days when they feel low, irritable or sad, but these moods usually last a few days and disappear.As the season changes and the days get shorter, some people develop symptoms of depression. Sadness and lack of energy and motivation are not a

  • Chief of staff dedicates Center for Families of the Fallen

    The Air Force chief of staff dedicated the new Center for Families of the Fallen at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center here Jan. 6."For many of us, this dedication is a bittersweet event," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff. "This center is emblematic of our

  • New facility fulfills needs for families of the fallen

    The staff of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center has been providing dignity, honor and respect for fallen warriors, and care, service and support for their families since the unit was activated on Jan. 6, 2009. So it was only appropriate that a new facility that will carry that family

  • California governor boosts support to combat vets

    California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced a new state initiative to better help returning combat veterans land jobs and get whatever assistance they need to secure housing, health care and other veterans' services. The governor unveiled the Operation Welcome Home outreach campaign during

  • Program helps servicemembers transition to civilian life

    The Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program is working to prepare servicemembers and their families for a successful transition to civilian life. "We are trying to ensure that (servicemembers) transition from active duty back to the civilian community is a smooth and seamless one," Ron

  • Think about family members if considering suicide

    Thirty years ago today, Dec. 29, my father forever changed my life, as well as the lives of his other family members. He took a shotgun and shot himself in the head. His death certificate reads, "Self-inflicted gunshot wound."I can't tell you how many times I've heard people joke about something

  • Ophthalmic surgeons employ cutting-edge technology

    Ophthalmic surgeons here are the first in the Defense Department to employ a state-of-the-art laser that will shorten recovery times for corneal transplantation. Members of the ophthalmology department assigned the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, now use a femtosecond laser to

  • Kits help children cope with deployments

    Each year thousands of military children are affected by either a mother or father deploying, and when this happened to the Choate family here, it sparked an idea helps prepare military children deal with deployments. In October, Maj. Eric Choate, an Air Operations Squadron Det. 1 delivery control

  • After retirement hang up the uniform, but keep Tricare

    Active-duty servicemembers must use Tricare Prime or Prime Remote, but retirees who are not eligible for Medicare may be eligible for Tricare Prime or choose Tricare Standard or Extra. Each program has advantages pertaining to cost, location and convenience.If space is available, continuing care in

  • Woman's choice to drink, drive crushes captain's dream of flying

    Capt. Alan Yee had just finished pilot training and was out with friends celebrating. He and his friends realized they had one too many drinks to drive, and called a cab. As they were travelling down a 50 mph road, a truck slammed into their cab. Moments later, one friend in the cab was ejected out

  • Doctors perform groundbreaking surgery at Walter Reed

    Doctors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the University of Miami collaborated to perform the first pancreas islet cell transplant Thanksgiving Day on an Airman whose pancreas was injured so severely in Afghanistan that it had to be removed.While serving with an Army unit in Afghanistan,

  • Traumatic stress response team helps Fort Hood victims

    An Air Force medical team trained in helping people recover from traumatic events returned from Fort Hood, Texas, after responding to the Nov. 5 shootings, which left 13 people dead and dozens injured.The Traumatic Stress Response team, led by Maj. Sheila Beville, a 59th Mental Health

  • Ramstein members bake goods for local Airmen

    Ramstein Air Base area spouses' organizations joined forces Dec. 11 to bring some holiday joy to servicemembers here.Members of the Ramstein Officer Spouses' Club, Kaiserslautern/Landstuhl Spouses' Association and the Ramstein Enlisted Spouses Association brought sheets full of cookies and baked

  • Twitter accounts feed job opportunities, news to customers

    Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr.   The Web is fueling society's digital hunger for real-time information and dialogue, and officials at the Air Force Personnel Center and the Air Force Services Agency are serving up the first course. Two Twitter accounts currently are being managed by the public

  • Air Force chaplains reflect on milestones, emphasize warrior care

    More than 100 chaplains and chaplain assistants from throughout the Air Force attended the Chaplain Corps Summit here recently, in part to celebrate 60th anniversary of the Air Force Chaplain Corps and the 100th anniversary of the chaplain assistant career field.The summit began with an interfaith

  • HIV/AIDS vaccine has promising results

    Through combined military research programs and medical cooperation, the Defense Department has been able to accomplish incredible promise in a future vaccine development for HIV and AIDS, a senior official in that effort said Dec. 3. "The U.S. Army has sponsored a vaccine program which has now, for

  • VA officials to survey veteran households

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a national survey of veterans, active duty service members, activated National Guard and Reserve members, and family members and survivors to learn if they are aware of VA services. "By hearing

  • Retired chief shares experiences with Air Force Wounded Warrior Program

    When Airmen deploy to places like Iraq and Afghanistan they accomplish difficult and challenging missions. Unfortunately some return injured or even having paid the ultimate price for freedom. The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program is committed to caring for wounded Airmen, their families, and the

  • Wounded warrior program continues assisting Airmen and their families

    Air Force leaders remain committed to the service's top investments: Airmen and their families. In support of a Defense Department initiative to return wounded warriors to productive military service or civilian life, Air Force officials here have revised several personnel policies. These policies

  • DOD, VA officials announce disability evaluation system pilot expansion

    To expedite the delivery of benefits to many injured servicemembers who receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA officials have announced the expansion of a program with the Department of Defense to streamline the application process for people retiring or exiting

  • VA secretary announces study of Vietnam-era women veterans

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced the Department of Veterans Affairs is launching a comprehensive study of women veterans who served in the military during the Vietnam War to explore the effects of their military service upon their mental and physical health."One of my top

  • Army mobility team visits Moody, conducts metrics test

    An Army mobility team visited Moody Air Force Base Nov. 5 and 6 to conduct a mass assessment test on more than 800 Airmen. The computer-based Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, or ANAM, test is a tool designed to detect speed and accuracy of attention, memory and thinking ability,

  • Initiative helps disabled vets stay active

    A recent initiative launched by officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Olympic Committee is giving disabled veterans a chance to rediscover their potential through athletics and competition.A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two organizations Oct. 21 to

  • Airmen speed delivery of vital vaccine

    Airmen in the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron at this air base in Southwest Asia handle nearly every passenger and piece of cargo that travels through the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.Recently, the cargo they handled would, soon enough, find its way to every servicemember in

  • Pentagon, VA officials expand disability claims test

    Defense and Veterans Affairs officials today announced another step in their efforts to streamline the process of determining veterans' disability ratings. Beginning in January, the Disability Evaluation System pilot program will expand to six medical facilities at Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Bragg,

  • 'Friday Night Lights' actors thank wounded warriors

    The two lead actors of the television show "Friday Night Lights" visited wounded warriors, military family members and U.S. servicemembers with a message of appreciation Nov. 14 at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.Kyle Chandler, known as Coach Eric Taylor on the show, and Connie Britton, starring as

  • Experts answer H1N1 questions online

    Experts did their best to answer questions and allay fears over H1N1 flu and the associated vaccine during a Nov. 10 online town-hall meeting here hosted by Military Health System officials. Questions -- submitted via a special Web site -- included concerns such as whether it's possible to

  • Symposium draws top medical professionals

    The conference room was filled with doctors, nurses, scientists and top officials, all subject-matter experts in their respective medical fields. Some wore military uniforms, others business suits. Some were versed on the science of traumatic brain injuries. Others were veterans of combat hospital

  • VFW officials give troops free talk time on Veterans Day

    Deployed and hospitalized servicemembers are expected to make about 120,000 calls home this Veterans Day, and it won't cost them one thin dime. Officials from the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization are once again offering "Free Call Day" through its Operation Uplink program. USAA, which offers

  • Chief of Staff addresses key mobility, Air Force issues at conference

    Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff, recently attended the 41st Airlift Tanker Association conference where he addressed a gathering of more than 4,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen. In his comments, General Schwartz emphasized the importance of every Airman and

  • Nellis programs to have regional reach

    Two new programs here are focused on getting care and services to wounded or sick servicemembers and to military families during their loved ones' deployments.Once word gets out about their programs, the coordinators hope their reach goes beyond Nellis Air Force Base and neighboring Creech AFB, to

  • Defense Department officials aim to improve families' lives

    Military families make tremendous sacrifices in support of the nation and deserve recognition as well as the best programs and policies the Defense Department can deliver, a defense official said here Nov. 3. Tommy T. Thomas, the deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family

  • Like body armor, flu vaccine aims to protect troops

    Like protective equipment issued to troops downrange, the H1N1 flu vaccine is a measure the Defense Department is taking to safeguard U.S. military forces, a defense official said here Nov. 3. "We use other treatment modalities to protect people in the same way we use body armor to protect against

  • VA secretary details plan to end homelessness for veterans

    The secretary of Veterans Affairs unveiled the department's comprehensive plan to end homelessness among Veterans Nov. 3 by marshalling the resources of government, business and the private sector. Secretary Eric K. Shinseki made his presentation during the "VA National Summit Ending Homelessness

  • Mental health pros meet to consider treatments for veterans

    Improving mental health care for servicemembers and veterans requires a coordinated effort beyond health care providers and the military community, the Pentagon's top mental health expert said here. Opening the second Warrior Resilience Conference Nov. 3, Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Loree K. Sutton,

  • VA secretary to outline plans to end veteran homelessness

    Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki is expected to unveil a five-year plan to end homelessness among veterans as he, other VA officials and community outreach specialists come together for the Homeless Veteran Summit here beginning Nov. 3. Secretary Shinseki's team has made homelessness a

  • DOD officials: Military will have enough H1N1 vaccine

    As shipments of some 3.7 million doses of H1N1 vaccine ordered by the Defense Department continue to arrive from the manufacturer, more than enough will be available for all military personnel and their beneficiaries, military medical experts said here Oct. 30. Navy Cmdr. Danny Shiau, in the

  • President proclaims November is Military Family Month

    President Barack Obama pledged his support of military members and their families and said Americans have a "solemn obligation" to preserve their well-being in his proclamation declaring November as Military Family Month. The proclamation reads: "No one pays a higher price for our freedom than

  • Air Force civilian receives Spirit of Hope Award

    Air Force leaders presented a civilian employee with a Spirit of Hope Award Oct. 27 for enhancing the quality of life of injured service members and their families. The award is named in honor of Bob Hope, the first honorary veteran of the U.S. Army for his 50-plus years of entertaining troops, both

  • 'Total Fitness' seeks unit, troop effectiveness

    Being fit to fight in today's military means more than simply being physically fit, and through the concept of "total fitness," Defense Department officials hope to build on what many say already is the most resilient force in U.S. military history. Total fitness strikes a balance between strong

  • New perspective improves VA programs

    A new perspective has enabled leaders at the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the level and accessibility of care provided to servicemembers, the department's assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs said here Oct. 27. "I bring with me to VA a really different, new

  • DOD officials order enough H1N1 vaccine for National Guard

    Department of Defense officials here have acquired enough doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine to immunize all 460,000 members of the National Guard, officials announced Oct. 29 here. "The DOD supply will go out to the Guard based on their order through the ... U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency," said Army

  • Shinseki cites collaboration in mental health care

    Psychological war wounds are nothing new to servicemembers, but the support of the nation to care for their injuries, until recent years, was somewhat uncharted territory. The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are committed to advancing that care because it's the right thing to do as a

  • Ophthalmology academy honors military doctors

    Representatives of the American Academy of Ophthalmology presented military ophthalmologists with a Distinguished Service Award in San Francisco Oct. 25 for their ongoing service and contributions to vision care. "It is my distinct honor to accept this award on behalf of all ophthalmologists who

  • VA, DOD officials host national mental health summit

    Officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense are hosting a first-of-its-kind national summit to address the mental health care needs of America's military personnel, families and veterans, harnessing the programs, resources and expertise of both departments to deal

  • Obama signs veterans health care legislation

    President Barack Obama signed new legislation Oct. 22 that creates predictable funding for veterans' health care. The Veterans Healthcare Reform and Transparency Act fundamentally changes how Department of Veterans Affairs receives health care funding. The reform calls for appropriations a year in

  • Aeromedical staging facility staff to reach major milestone in warrior care

    Members of the 86th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility here will soon be reaching a new milestone since opening its doors and receiving its first patient six years ago. Unit members provide critical care to wounded warriors, and are scheduled to complete its 100,000th patient movement sometime

  • Special tactics Airmen complete 800-mile march

    After walking more than 800 miles through five states, 12 special tactics Airmen arrived here Oct. 16, officially completing a memorial march for their fallen comrades. The marchers, made up of several combat controllers and pararescuemen and one combat weatherman, split up into six two-man teams

  • Elmendorf Honor Guard participates in funeral of H1N1 victim

    The Elmendorf Honor Guard served in the memorial service of an Air Force member at the Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Oct. 15. Staff Sgt. Shawn J. Rankin, who hailed from nearby Anchorage, died Oct. 4 from complications related to the H1N1 virus at his off-base residence in Glendale, Ariz. 

  • Kandahar Airmen fly missions of mercy

    They are the "Angels of the Battlefield," medics dedicated to transporting wounded U.S. and coalition servicemembers, as well as locals to the medical care they need. "It's our job to take care of these wounded warriors," said Maj. Dawn Rice, a flight nurse and medical director assigned to the 451st

  • Airman renders combat first aid to Soldiers

    An Air Force medic applied combat first aid to Soldiers when their vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device in Kapisa Province, recently. Senior Airman Ashley Jackson, a medic deployed from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, with Kapisa Provincial Reconstruction Team was riding in a

  • First lady speaks on taking care of military families

    The first lady today addressed a group of servicemembers and their families here on the importance of taking care of the military family. During her short speech, Michelle Obama praised Air Force leadership for designating this the Year of the Air Force Family program adding it is also a priority of

  • VA staffs office for survivors of veterans

    To strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs programs for survivors of the nation's veterans and servicemembers, VA officials have staffed an office to serve as the their advocate, with a charter that includes creating or modifying programs, benefits and services. "Taking care of survivors is as

  • Veterans show true colors

    In a jam-packed room, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dennis Linn stood explaining his artwork to curious viewers, and how his acrylic painting and raised sand/plaster sculpture earned him two gold medals and a spot in the 2009 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in the San Antonio Municipal

  • Air Force officials to offer H1N1 vaccine

    As part of the service's preventative efforts to safeguard the health of the force, Air Force medical staffs are set to provide 1 million H1N1 vaccination doses to Airmen and their family members by early November, officials said Oct. 8. Air Force medical personnel will receive and distribute to

  • VA officials extend 'Agent Orange' benefits to more veterans

    Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to as Agent Orange.

  • Task force takes up effort to prevent suicides

    Bonnie Carroll, co-chair of the congressionally mandated Suicide Prevention Task Force, aims to remove the stigma within the military of seeking mental health care. Ms. Carroll is the founder and executive director of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. The group represents all military

  • Wounded warriors get heros' welcome at Andrews

    Minutes after the hulking C-17 Globemaster III rolled to a stop on the tarmac here Sept. 28, two oversized ambulances backed up to its rear loading ramp to receive its precious cargo: 23 wounded warriors and sick or injured servicemembers in need of advanced medical care. Most of the patients

  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials plan for H1N1 vaccine distribution

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials here continue to plan and prepare to guard the health of Airmen, civilians and family members against numerous health issues, including the H1N1 virus. The USAFE Command Surgeon General's Office staff is coordinating with U.S. European Command's medical depot,

  • Critical Care Air Transport Team mission to save lives

    A critical care air transport team, or CCATT, with the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, received an urgent call the morning of June 24. A Marine had been severely injured by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Afghanistan and needed immediate evacuation

  • Vice president's wife urges support for military families

    The wife of Vice President Joe Biden met with New York National Guard personnel and their families in mid-September in Latham, N.Y. Dr. Jill Biden visited with the family members of deployed servicemembers and the professionals who support them, and pledged her support for military families and