Fifteen months of persistence paid off Sept. 5 as Dr. Scott Saxe, IACH podiatrist, stood with hospital leaders and logisticians to welcome the long-awaited DUOLITH SD1 shockwave therapy device. Imported from Switzerland, this state-of-the-art system gives Soldiers and families a powerful new option for treating stubborn injuries such as plantar fasciitis—right here at Fort Riley.

Sept. 11, 2025

Shockwave Therapy Lands at Fort Riley

FORT RILEY, Kansas — IACH recently acquired the DUOLITH SD1 shockwave therapy system, a state-of-the-art medical device that expands treatment options for musculoskeletal injuries common among Soldiers and families.

The National Capital Region Pain Initiative Program Office team poses at the annual Pain Care Skills Training and Substance Use Disorder Care event in Washington, D.C. The training promotes readiness, restoration of function and relief of pain, while reducing the misuse of opioids. (DOD photo by Roan Smith)

Sept. 11, 2025

Walter Reed Leads the Way in Integrating Pain and Substance Use Disorder Care

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — Walter Reed National Military Medical Center recently hosted a Pain Care Skills training and Substance Use Disorder Care event in Washington, DC. For the first time they merged two traditionally separate annual events with the intent to gather international experts and military professionals with a shared goal: improving pain management for service members, veterans and war-impacted civilians.

Maj. Patrick Mescher, M.D., and Maj. Connor Venrick, M.D., both recent graduates of the John A. Feagin, Jr. Sports Medicine Fellowship, are two members of Keller’s Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Research team that contributed to the six abstracts that were accepted for presentation at the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS) Annual Meeting.

Sept. 10, 2025

Keller has six projects accepted for presentation at SOMOS meeting

KELLER ARMY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, N.Y. — The Keller Army Community Hospital Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Research team received notification that six abstracts were accepted for presentation at the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS) Annual Meeting in December. SOMOS provides a forum for presentation of research papers in a collegial setting and the interchange of medical knowledge as it relates to the practice of orthopaedic surgery in the military.

Service member smiles with arms crossed in an office.

Sept. 10, 2025

Explore Available Counseling and Mental Health Services

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Are you a service member, family member, or survivor? Your TRICARE benefit covers a variety of mental health services. But did you know there are other counseling services available to you? This article explores what services you can access if you need support.

The 59th Medical Wing transitions from Air Education and Training Command to Air Force Medical Command on Sept. 9, 2025

Sept. 10, 2025

59th Medical Wing transitions to Air Force Medical Command

Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas — The 59th Medical Wing, the U.S. Air Force’s largest medical wing and a cornerstone of military medicine, officially transitioned from Air Education and Training Command (AETC) to the newly established Air Force Medical Command (AFMEDCOM) on Sept. 9, 2025.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Orestes, director for Education, Training, and Research (DETR), poses for a photo at a research program award ceremony at Walter Reed, May 22, 2025. The annual event brings together top researchers across the Department of Defense to showcase advances in health care and military science.

Sept. 10, 2025

Walter Reed performs DOD’s first Transoral Robotic Laryngectomy

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — First-of-its-kind in the Department of Defense (DOD), a surgical team at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center successfully completed a Transoral Robotic Laryngectomy to remove a patient’s non-functioning larynx—a technique rarely performed worldwide.

U.S. Army Col. (Dr.) Paul Hwang, director for surgery at Walter Reed, stands next to the microsurgical system used at the medical center for perform a successful breast reconstruction. The system allowed surgeons to reconnect very small blood vessels, usually done by hand and a large microscope, making the vessel connection more accurate and lessening the chances for possible complications, including collapse and clotting. (Graphic image by Roan Smith)

Sept. 9, 2025

Walter Reed surgeons use microsurgical robot in successful breast reconstruction

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — Surgeons at Walter Reed continue to use innovative approaches to providing presidential-level care to beneficiaries of the Military Health System.

Newark (N.J.) Army Recruiting Company recruiters attended nutrition training during their August 29, 2025, Quarterly Training meeting. The training, provided by Lt. Col. Joetta Khan, PhD, MPH, a registered dietitian, focusing on nutrition strategies for healthy recruiters and resources for recruiters to support healthy recruits.

Sept. 9, 2025

Keller supports Newark Army Recruiting Company

NEWARK RECRUITING COMPANY, N.J. — Lt. Col. Joetta Khan, PhD, MPH, a registered dietitian assigned to Keller Army Community Hospital, provided training to more than 40 active-duty Army recruiters, from the Newark Recruiting Company, focusing on nutrition strategies for healthy recruiters and resources for recruiters to support healthy recruits.

Young woman sitting on couch speaking on cell phone

Sept. 9, 2025

Live in the West Region? Learn if You Need To Take Action on Your Referrals Before Oct. 1

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Are you a TRICARE Prime beneficiary living in the West Region? Are you currently using a referral to get specialty care? If you used the West Region referral approval waiver to see a specialist between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2025 and need to continue seeing that specialist, you’ll need to get a new referral to a network specialist before Oct. 1, 2025. If you’re still using a valid referral issued by a previous contractor before Jan. 1, 2025, you also need to get a new referral for any care received starting Oct. 1.

Two uniformed service members stand in military pharmacy and funnel prescriptions into a bottle.

Sept. 8, 2025

Q&A: TRICARE For Life Coverage of Weight Loss Medications

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The Defense Health Agency recently announced it will implement existing regulatory controls regarding TRICARE coverage of weight loss medications, including Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) drugs, to ensure prescription processing aligns with federal coverage requirements.

Don’t forget to keep your family’s information up to date in DEERS!