July 27, 2007 New prosthesis could help keep troops in the fight A new prosthesis under development will give servicemember amputees more flexibility and help them better perform their military jobs if they choose to stay on active duty. A preview of the new technology July 17 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here drew key staff and several servicemember
July 27, 2007 WHMC emergency medical program among top in the nation The Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Wilford Hall Medical Center scored in the top three percentile in the nation in June. Out of 152 emergency residencies across the country, the emergency residency at Wilford Hall scored above 97 percent of the other residencies on in-service training exams
July 27, 2007 Military team to conduct humanitarian assistance in Oceania Approximately 50 Air Force, Army and Navy members will travel to the Pacific islands of Vanuatu, Kiribati and Nauru July 20 to 30 to provide medical, dental and engineering support and training to local residents there. This mission displays the Air Force's ability to quickly deliver relief in the
July 27, 2007 Tricare implements enhanced coverages Tricare will implement coverage for anesthesia services and associated costs for dental treatment for beneficiaries with developmental, mental or physical disabilities, and for children age 5 or under beginning July 1. Additionally, Tricare encourages beneficiaries who received these services
June 30, 2007 WHMC medic named one of the AF's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Disbelief. That's one of the feelings Senior Airman Linn Aubrey, a laboratory technician at the Lackland Blood Donor Center, remembers feeling when officials at Randolph AFB made an announcement on June 14. Airman Aubrey had been selected as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of 2007. "I've never
June 30, 2007 Brooks Airman recognized with new AF Combat Action Medal A Brooks aeromedical evacuation instructor was among the first to receive the new Air Force Combat Action Medal in a ceremony presided over by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley at the Air Force Memorial June 13. Staff Sgt. Daniel Paxton, currently assigned to the U.S. Air Force School
June 30, 2007 'Life skills' renamed 'mental health' All Air Force "life skills support centers" will be renamed "mental health clinics" effective immediately. After a poll of subject matter experts, first sergeants, command chief master sergeants and mental health patients, it was determined that the name "life skills" was confusing and did not
June 30, 2007 Health Affairs secretary, AF/SG visit troops returning to Andrews The Honorable S. Ward Casscells, M.D., the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and Lt. Gen. James G. Roudebush, Air Force surgeon general, visited wounded troops returning from overseas to Andrews June 26. Dr. Casscells was given a brief tour of Malcolm Grow Medical Center's
June 30, 2007 Refractive surgery program policy changes Air Force officials have changed the policy to allow people applying for aviation and aviation-related jobs to have had LASIK surgery. The change became effective May 21. The change also removes the altitude and high-performance aircraft restrictions for people who have had LASIK. The decision to
June 30, 2007 Joint Commission awards Wilford Hall full accreditation Wilford Hall Medical Center was recently granted full accreditation from The Joint Commission for both their hospital and home health programs. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, not-for-profit
June 30, 2007 Ophthalmology Residency Program top in nation The American Academy of Ophthalmology recently ranked the Ophthalmology Residency Program at Wilford Hall Medical Center as one of the top residency programs in the nation. The ranking is based on high scores on an in-training ophthalmology exam called the Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program.
June 30, 2007 Health study uses data from war on terrorism When a landmark Defense Department-sponsored health study was launched six years ago, one of its goals was to evaluate the impact of future deployments on long-term health. The investigators did not know how timely the project would be. Today, the Millennium Cohort Study has enrolled tens of
June 30, 2007 Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Dougherty ends 27-year career The driving force behind Keesler Medical Center's dramatic recovery from the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina retired from the Air Force June 8. Brig. Gen. (Dr.) James Dougherty, 81st Medical Group commander, was honored during a formal retirement ceremony in front of Keesler Medical Center after
June 30, 2007 Wilford Hall/BAMC graduate 260 healthcare professionals The San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium graduated 260 healthcare professionals in a ceremony June 8 at the University of Texas Health Science Center. One of the largest graduate medical education programs in the nation, SAUSHEC maintains a close partnership with San Antonio's
June 30, 2007 Redesigned Tricare Web site will make getting info easy Getting information is going to get easier for the 9.1 million Tricare beneficiaries. Soon they will be able to access Tricare information tailored for them through the new My Benefits portal. In addition to simplified navigation, beneficiaries will be able to compare plans, get detailed information
June 1, 2007 'Perspective' discusses physical fitness standards In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," the Air Force's top enlisted Airman focuses on the importance of physical fitness and discusses how meeting current fitness standards are individual Airman responsibilities. "With every Airman critical to completion of Air Force air, space and cyberspace
June 1, 2007 Airmen selected for dental training program Air Force Dental Service officials have selected the next group of dental assistants to participate in the Dental Hygiene Training Scholarship Program, conducted at Trident Technical College in Charleston, S.C. and St. Petersburg College in Tampa, Fla. Ten current Air Force dental assistants were
June 1, 2007 Refractive surgery program policy changes Air Force officials have changed the policy to allow people applying for aviation and aviation-related jobs to have had LASIK surgery. The change became effective May 21. The change also removes the altitude and high-performance aircraft restrictions for people who have had LASIK. The decision to
June 1, 2007 Enlisted Airmen can apply for new nurse commissioning The Air Force is now accepting applications from qualified enlisted members for a new enlisted commissioning program. The Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program, or NECP, will give enlisted members the opportunity to complete a full-time bachelor of science degree in nursing at an accredited
June 1, 2007 Panel recommends services for wounded vets There is a new era of cooperation within the federal government to work together to provide services for troops returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Secretary Nicholson told the House Veterans Affairs Committee May 9. Secretary Nicholson reported on