June 24, 2025

4 Ways You Can Use Your TRICARE Benefits and Stay Healthy This Summer

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — What’s on your to-do list this summer? Maybe you’re planning to spend time at the pool, go to a barbecue, or take a vacation. But don’t take a vacation from your health this summer. Here are four suggested ways you can use your TRICARE benefits this summer.

June 24, 2025

First-Time Mom Gives Birth at Winn After Original Plan Falls Through, Has Emotional Experience

FORT STEWART, Ga. — Having a stress-free, simple, all-natural birth is what many mothers and their spouses plan for. Life sometimes offers different choices with unexpected but welcome results. That was the case for KaRena and Justin Hardy. First-time mother KaRena was hoping to bring her child into the world without pain management or other conventional methods. That was her lifelong dream ever since knowing she wanted to be a mom. “I was going to do a birth center because I wanted to have a natural, no-epidural birth,” she said. “I’m kind of more on the crunchy side, so that was the plan. “It didn’t work out that way—and I’m actually really happy it didn’t.”

June 25, 2025

Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune’s Graduate Medical Education program celebrates graduating residents, interns, and fellows

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC — The graduating class received 100% pass rates on their Family Medicine Certification Examinations given by the American Board of Family Medicine. NMCCL’s program produces about one-quarter of all family medicine physicians in the Navy, according to U.S. Navy Captain Elizabeth Frame, director for graduate medical education at NMCCL.

June 26, 2025

Combined Military-Civilian Psychiatry Program Resident commissions as Naval officer

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC — A psychiatry resident in the Combined Military-Civilian Psychiatry Residency Program (CMCPRP) at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune is making the move from civilian to military personnel, commissioning as a Naval officer on June 6, 2025.

June 26, 2025

Unlock Your Health as You Approach Medicare Eligibility

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Are you approaching the age of 65? Unlock your health by signing up for Medicare as soon as you’re eligible. Medicare Part A and Part B are required to remain eligible for TRICARE, with limited exceptions. Knowing how and when to sign up for Medicare will help you avoid gaps in coverage and late enrollment penalties.

June 26, 2025

Safety is a Team Effort: MCAHC Embraces a Culture of Vigilance During Safety Stand Down

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — McDonald Army Health Center (MCAHC) recently held a Safety Stand Down, pausing routine operations to focus on patient and workplace safety. Led by the Quality and Patient Safety teams, the event emphasized open dialogue, real-world safety scenarios, and process improvements. MCAHC leaders reinforced that safety is a daily priority tied to readiness and patient care. Staff were encouraged to reflect on their role in maintaining a safe environment through key questions displayed throughout the facility. Feedback from the event will guide future training and help strengthen MCAHC’s culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

June 27, 2025

BJACH Medic Answers Midnight Call: Staff Sgt. Helton Responds When Tornado Slams Hometown

FORT POLK, La. — For Staff Sgt. Jack Helton, a weekend at his parents’ house in London, Kentucky, was supposed to be a break from the demands of recruiting school at Fort Knox, just two hours away. Instead, an EF-4 tornado became a defining moment that tested the core of his character and reaffirmed his calling to serve — not just in uniform, but as a human being.

June 30, 2025

Understanding Cognitive Distortions: How to Stop Being Your Brain’s Press Secretary

FORT HOOD, Texas – We all experience unhelpful thought patterns, but often assume our thoughts are logical and true. The reality is our brains use shortcuts, and while efficient, these can lead to cognitive distortions – inaccurate conclusions that impact our well-being, relationships, and performance. Recognizing these distortions and learning to challenge them is crucial for good mental health.

June 30, 2025

Munson Boosts Readiness for ACB Soldiers with Special Clinic

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas — Munson Army Health Center recently conducted a special clinic dedicated to providing critical medical readiness services to Soldiers assigned to the Army Corrections Brigade (ACB) at Fort Leavenworth.

June 30, 2025

Walter Reed shares sun and UV safety tips

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with one in five Americans expected to develop it by age 70, according to American Academy of Dermatology. For service members, the risk is even higher due to extended sun exposure during training, field exercises and outdoor physical fitness. As summer temperatures rise, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center urges its community to take steps to protect ultraviolet (UV) radiation.