Articles

June 5, 2023

59th MDW: Mental Health impacts readiness

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — Our mental, physical, and emotional well-being can affect many aspects of our health. Taking a holistic approach allows us to achieve wellness in all faucets of life. “It is a disservice to isolate mental health from physical health because they influence one another,” said Capt. Samuel Alex, a 59th Medical Operations Squadron mental health provider. “Taking care of your mental health requires the same level of attention many people give to their physical fitness.”

June 1, 2023

TriService Nursing Research Program cultivates medical innovative solution through evidence-based practice, research

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — The TriService Nursing Research Program is the country’s first and only Department of Defense program that supports and fund armed forces nurses to conduct operationally relevant military nursing research and EBP that improves the quality of care provided to service members. TSNRP held its annual Research and Evidence-Based Dissemination Course April 4-6, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. The course serves as an opportunity for military nurse scholars to come together to discuss ongoing and past research, as well as plan future research efforts. Collaboration among all military nurses and military nurse retirees is essential for fostering innovative nursing science solutions and relies on every member to contribute to the overall success.

April 14, 2023

59MDW: An Airman who wants to make a difference through international relations

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — It was a beautiful, breezy afternoon with the sun high in the sky. Stephanie Essomba was about 15 years old in Yaoundé, Cameroon in Central Africa, walking in the city with her mother. The roadside was bustling with restaurants and traffic from nearby businesses and embassies when a car she’d never seen before drove past them. The license plate was different. It had a flag hanging on the front. Essomba asked her mom “Why is that car so different?” and she responded “It’s a diplomat’s car.” In that moment, the desire to become “that person” was triggered. Airman 1st Class Stephanie Essomba, a dental laboratory technician at the 59th Dental Support Squadron, began learning about policy processes, decision making and the impact those policies could have on people’s lives and fell in love with it.

Feb. 7, 2023

From the battlefield to the football field: Air Force surgeon’s skills knows no bounds

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — On January 2nd, when many football fans were watching the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Lt. Col. Valerie Sams, an Air Force surgeon, was on call at UC Health’s University of Cincinnati Medical Center not knowing what she was about to face.

Feb. 6, 2023

Warrior Medic Highlight - A1C Samantha Sim

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — Airman 1st Class Samantha Sim, 59th Surgical Operations Squadron ophthalmic technician, was nominated to be the first Top Eye of October 2022 at the Ophthalmology clinic in Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Nov. 4, 2022. The Ophthalmology clinic started having Airman's Time on the first Friday of every month where they recognize one outstanding individual nominated as the Top Eye.

Feb. 3, 2023

Warrior Medic Highlight - Maj. Hannah Valdes-Chenoweth

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — The 59th Medical Wing highlighted Maj. Hannah Valdes-Chenoweth, 959th Surgical Operations Squadron obstetrician and gynecologist, in honor of National Woman Physician Day. Valdes-Chenoweth took over as medical director in the Women’s Health Clinic at Wilford Hall Surgical Ambulatory Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas in August 2022.

Feb. 3, 2023

New text service offers military healthcare updates, information

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas — The San Antonio Market has launched a text messaging service to keep TRICARE beneficiaries informed about their local military healthcare system.

Jan. 25, 2023

59MDW: Another step closer to your New Year's resolution

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — Senior Airman Jacob Hollins, physical therapy technician, and Senior Airman Gabrielle Rose, orthotics technician, assigned to the 59th Surgical Operations Squadron, offer advice on ways to achieve being more active for one's New Year's resolution at the Physical Therapy Clinic in Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Jan. 18, 2023. Even in a person's spare time there are ways to promote a healthy lifestyle. (U.S. Air Force video by Senior Airman Melody Bordeaux)

Jan. 19, 2023

A ‘not-so-routine’ operation

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, (Jan. 19, 2023) — Aug. 26, 2021 was a terrible day of bloodshed and destruction near Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, when a suicide bomber killed an estimated 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members. That same day, shortly after the bombing, U.S. Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Dominick Vitale, Brooke Army Medical Center critical care/trauma surgeon, and the remaining members of the Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT) were on the first aircraft to land and evacuate the severely injured to Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Vitale and the entire crew, dubbed ‘MOOSE 98,’ received the Distinguished Flying Cross with “C” device for their actions during a ‘not-so-routine’ operation.

Jan. 11, 2023

Air Force Fellows bring home 18th Win in National ACAAI Competition

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — The San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium’s Allergy and Immunology fellowship program won this year’s Allergy/Immunology Fellows in Training Bowl held by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Louisville, Kentucky, November 22, 2022.