Jan. 6, 2026

Operational Truth and Technological Vision: DARPA and the 59th Medical Wing Shape the Future of Warfighter Care 

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — The 59th Medical Wing and the San Antonio Military Health System hosted DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office for a two day strategic offsite at Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland, bringing together the Air Force’s oldest medical wing and one of the DoD’s most innovative research organizations. The visit connected DARPA’s biotechnology initiatives with the real operational demands of battlefield medicine through wargames, threat scenario exercises, and hands on exposure to Tactical Combat Casualty Care training. By pairing DARPA’s forward leaning research with the Wing’s deep operational expertise, the collaboration aims to develop rugged, intuitive, and lifesaving technologies for the first moments of combat. This engagement strengthened the longstanding relationship between DARPA and the Air Force and laid the groundwork for future advancements in warfighter medical care.

Jan. 6, 2026

TRICARE-allowable charges and balance billing: What you need to know

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — You may have heard the terms “allowable charge” and “balance billing.” But what do these terms mean when you have TRICARE? This article explains the different types of TRICARE-authorized providers and what they’re allowed to charge you.

Jan. 7, 2026

Walter Reed Neurosurgery Expands First-Class Care with VA Referrals

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — For Sarah Thompson, a future with less pain felt like distant hope. Suffering from spondylolisthesis, a painful slippage of a vertebral body, Thompson endured chronic back pain, severe radiating leg pain, and weakness in her foot.