Decoration

June 25, 2026

Physician Assistant program graduate looks forward to caring for warriors, families

BETHESDA, Md. — A Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) healthcare trainee joined three others from Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia to graduate from one of the most demanding yet rewarding programs in the Military Health System (MHS) on June 12.

Hospital Corpsman Second Class (Fleet Marine Force) Lea Graciano learned both motivation and discipline were essential in earning her certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as a Medical Laboratory Technician. “Showing up every day, putting in the work, allowing myself to fail and learn,” said Graciano, a native of Los Angeles, California, about the key to her success. “Most of all, staying committed to my goal even if it was challenging.” Graciano serves as a Laboratory Medical Technician aboard Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Cherry Point. Her work there, along with her team, ensures timely and accurate assessments of the health of Marines assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and their suitability for deployment to training and operations.

June 25, 2026

I Keep the Warfighter in the Fight: Hospital Corpsman Second Class Lea Graciano

MCAS Cherry Point — A Corpsman serving aboard Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Cherry Point learned motivation could only take her so far and that discipline was essential to achieving a difficult goal and earning an advanced certification.

Man and woman sitting next to each other while smiling at a laptop

June 25, 2026

How TRICARE For Life works with employer health coverage and Medicare

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Turning 65 means it’s time for Medicare. If you’re eligible for Medicare and TRICARE For Life, and also have employer-sponsored coverage, there are some important decisions to make.

Decoration

June 24, 2026

National Capital Consortium celebrates more than 240 healthcare graduates

BETHESDA, Md. — More than 240 healthcare providers graduated from medical and allied health education programs of the National Capital Consortium (NCC) on June 18 at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Decoration

June 24, 2026

Thinking outside the booth: Walter Reed brings portable hearing readiness technology directly to the service member

BETHESDA, Md. — Hearing and auditory fitness for duty are critical for a service member’s readiness. Unlike some health assessments that can be performed virtually, hearing screenings require specialized equipment. Traditionally, this means service members must travel to a clinic and use a multi-person testing booth.

Pfc. Kingsley Kuka relaxes in traditional regalia following her historic remarks at the 150th-anniversary commemoration of the Battle of the Rosebud on June 17 at Rosebud Battlefield State Park, Montana. The anniversary included a wreath-laying ceremony which served as a centerpiece of the event, bringing together representatives from multiple tribal nations, members of the Kobold family, Kuka, and Myron Red Sleeves who both represented the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and the U.S. Army.

June 24, 2026

Where the Girl Saved Her Brother: Honoring 150 Years the Battle of the Rosebud

Lame Deer, Montana — On June 17, Pfc. Kingsley Kuka, an inpatient pharmacy technician at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, welcomed attendees to the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Rosebud at Rosebud Battlefield State Park. The anniversary included a wreath-laying ceremony which served as a centerpiece of the event, bringing together representatives from multiple tribal nations, members of the Kobold family, Myron Red Sleeves and Kuka, who represented both the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and the U.S. Army. To understand the significance of the occasion, one has to know some of the history of the region. Looking across the rolling ridges and sweeping grasslands of southeastern Montana, where vast buffalo herds once roamed, tribal nations returned to the land their ancestors called "Where the Girl Saved Her Brother" to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Battle of the Rosebud.

At the hearing clinic, a technician fits a hearing aid on a Soldier.

June 24, 2026

Protect Your Hearing. Protect Your Brain.

FORT POLK, La. — Master Sgt. Justin Davis didn't realize how much hearing loss was affecting his life until it began affecting the people closest to him.

Some members of the Womack Army Medical Center Department of Pathology team pose for a group photo. From analyzing routine blood work to standing by in the operating room, these unseen professionals are responsible for the data that guides critical medical decisions, April 23, 2026, Fort Bragg NC. (Photo by Keisha Frith, Womack Army Medical Center Public Affairs Office

June 23, 2026

The Hidden Heroes of Patient Diagnosis at WAMC

FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES — FORT BRAGG, NC-- When patients visit Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC) and the outlying clinics, they typically interact with doctors, nurses, and technicians. However, operating entirely behind the scenes is a dedicated Pathology Department that forms the diagnostic backbone of WAMC. As one team member noted regarding the scope of their work, "We put out results and those results aid in producing up to 80% of the diagnostic results or helping with diagnosis on the floor,” said Phylicia Wright, Blood Bank technician. From analyzing routine blood work to standing by in the operating room, these unseen professionals are responsible for the data that guides critical medical decisions.

Womack Army Medical Center kicks off Nurses Week with opening ceremony, May 4, 2026, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. (Photo by Keisha Frith, Womack Army Medical Center Public Affairs Office)

June 23, 2026

Presence is Power: WAMC Kicks Off Nurses Week

FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES — FORT BRAGG, N.C. - "Nursing has always been more than just a job. It is a profession built on trust, standards, service and accountability." With those words, Col. Donald Kimbler, Chief Nursing Officer at Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC), officially opened this year’s Nurses Week celebration. Kimbler highlighted the unique role nurses play in the military healthcare system, noting that from logistics departments to the emergency department and intensive care unit, nurses serve as the primary advocates for America’s sons and daughters.

Graduates, family members, and leadership gather during the Womack Army Medical Center Graduate Medical and Graduate Dental Education commencement ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., June 5, 2026. The annual event honored a new class of Army physicians, dentists, nurses, and social workers who completed training in nationally accredited programs, preparing them to support military medicine missions worldwide.

June 23, 2026

Womack Army Medical Center Celebrates Class of 2026

FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES — FORT BRAGG, N.C.-- Womack Army Medical Center held its annual Graduate Medical Education and Graduate Dental Education commencement ceremony on Friday, June 5, honoring a new class of Army physicians, dentists, nurses, certified registered nurse anesthetists, pharmacists, optometrists, and social workers who completed training in nationally accredited programs.

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