(August 11, 2026) — Following a massive turnout that demonstrated the high demand for pediatric readiness, the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC) pediatric and family medicine teams successfully screened and cleared 1,255 children for the upcoming school year.

In direct response to unprecedented community demand, ATAMMC leadership and clinical teams dynamically expanded capacity to ensure every student received focused, high-quality care.

"Our goal with the annual Rodeo is ensuring our community's children are fully cleared and ready for the first day of school," said Ms. Marinel Dealdo, RN, Head Nurse of Primary Care for the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Clinics. "We know how hard it can be to book these appointments during the busy summer rush, so we expanded our clinic capacity to meet that demand safely and efficiently. We are so grateful to our parents for their understanding and partnership as we worked to give every single child the thorough care they deserve."

The Back-to-School Rodeo is a cornerstone of ATAMMC’s mission to enhance access to care for the National Capital Region and Fort Belvoir community. By bringing key services under one roof, ATAMMC provided medical clearances and immunizations for sports and school to children empaneled to ATAMMC, Quantico, Fairfax, and Dumfries health clinics. This coordinated effort bypassed the traditional summer booking bottlenecks, ensuring families walked out with fully completed school and sports paperwork in hand.  This proactive approach keeps children healthy and active while allowing active-duty parents to maintain their focus on their missions.

The annual Rodeo remains one of ATAMMC’s premier patient-centric initiatives. By continuously evolving the event based on patient feedback and demand, the medical center reinforces its commitment to delivering accessible healthcare designed around the needs of those we are honored to serve.