The most recent appropriations for the Department of War expired at 11:59 p.m. EST on September 30, 2025. Military personnel will continue in a normal duty status without pay until such time as a continuing resolution or appropriations are passed by Congress and signed into law. Civilian personnel not engaged in excepted activities will be placed in a non-work, non-pay status.
Our military hospital remains open and we’re continuing to provide healthcare services. Scheduled appointments and procedures are proceeding as planned, and new appointments continue to be booked. For the latest information regarding TRICARE benefits during this period, please visit www.tricare.mil/shutdown

Please be assured, our commitment to providing exceptional care to you remains our highest priority.
Capt. Russell Layne, an Army chaplain assigned to Walter Reed, said one of the things he finds rewarding in what he does is “interacting with people on all levels - military, civilians and now patients. I am blessed to be a beacon of light to those I encounter daily.”

July 31, 2025

Walter Reed Army Chaplains Celebrate Corps' 250th anniversary

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — Army chaplains have served alongside Soldiers for as long as Americans have been fighting wars. On July 29, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized one chaplain for each regiment of the Army, marking the beginning of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. The chaplains who earned pay equal to that of a captain, provided for the spiritual, religious and emotional needs of Soldiers, which continues to this day.

Two service members laugh together in dressed in uniform

July 31, 2025

TRICARE Coverage for National Guard and Reserve Members: Know Your Options

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Are you or your sponsor in the National Guard or Reserve? Your health coverage changes when activating or deactivating. Here’s what you need to know.

NMCP Civilians of the Quarter FY25 Q3 Group Photo

July 31, 2025

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Civilians of the Quarter, 3rd Quarter FY2025

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va. — Naval Medical Center Portsmouth held its Civilian of the Quarter, 3rd Quarter FY2025 ceremony July 31 July in historic building 1.

This graphic illustration depicts the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC) as it proudly announces the continued success of its Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization (CAPH) Program, which offers vital mental health services for TRICARE-eligible youth aged 12 to 18. The CAPH Program is dedicated to supporting military families by providing a structured day treatment option, ensuring that adolescents struggling with various mental health challenges receive the care they need while remaining connected to their families and communities.

July 31, 2025

ATAMMC Bridges the Gap with Mental Health Support for Military Youth

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC) continues to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to military families through its Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization (CAPH) Program, a vital initiative that provides comprehensive mental health care for TRICARE-eligible adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18.

Screen capture of the TRICARE website

July 31, 2025

Referral process changes at BJACH: Here’s what Fort Polk Families need to know

FORT POLK, La. — Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital is encouraging beneficiaries to take greater ownership of their healthcare with a new digital process for managing off-post specialty referrals. As of June 9, all referrals are now processed through the TriWest Patient Portal, giving patients faster access to authorizations and the freedom to select their own provider.

The Pediatric Department staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center pose for a photo in Bethesda, Md., July 2. Walter Reed’s Pediatric Department takes care of children of veterans and service members. (DOD photo by Ann Brandstadter)

July 30, 2025

Back-to-School Ready: Make Health a Priority Before the First Bell

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — With the new school year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to check off those final to-do’s, starting with your child’s annual wellness exam. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s Pediatric Primary Care and Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Medicine clinics are here to help with routine wellness visits and acute care needs for patients from birth through age 25

At Irwin Army Community Hospital, our commitment to patient-centered care takes another step forward with the launch of the Patient & Family Partnership Council (PFPC)—a rebranding of the former Patient & Family Advisory Council. The PFPC is designed to give patients and their families a meaningful voice in shaping their healthcare experience at IACH.

July 30, 2025

Patient & Family Partnership Council

FORT RILEY, Kansas — IACH's commitment to patient-centered care takes another step forward with the launch of the Patient & Family Partnership Council (PFPC)—a rebranding of the former Patient & Family Advisory Council. The PFPC is designed to give patients and their families a meaningful voice in shaping their healthcare experience at IACH.

Phot of Army Reserves Medical Command during a transfer of authority ceremony in Stayton Theater.

July 30, 2025

Medical Units Exchange Authority at Fort Bliss Ceremony

WBAMC, Fort Bliss, TX — The 7238th Medical Support Unit handed over its responsibilities to the 7248th Medical Support Unit during a transfer of authority ceremony.

A group of Military and civilian health leaders posing on the steps of the Alexandria VA Hospital,

July 30, 2025

Military, VA Leaders Meet to Strengthen Health Care Access in Central Louisiana

FORT POLK, La. — Leaders from Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital and the Alexandria VA Health Care System met July 18 to explore opportunities for collaboration aimed at improving access to care for veterans and active duty service members across Central Louisiana.

Terri Lavoie, Assistant Chief of Staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, attends her last Board of Directors meeting before retiring after more than 19 years as a civilian at Walter Reed, following 20 years of uniformed service as a U.S. Navy nurse. Her leadership and dedication have strengthened the hospital’s culture and positively influenced generations of patients and staff. (DOD photo by Ricardo J. Reyes)

July 29, 2025

Retired Navy nurse leads with compassion and vision at Walter Reed

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD — When a young Theresa “Terri” Lavoie told her father — a U.S. Navy officer — that she wanted to become a nurse, he disagreed. He reminded her she had been afraid of taking medicine when she was sick as a child and instead encouraged her to pursue business. But Lavoie knew where her heart belonged. Determined to follow her passion, she enrolled at Russell Sage College in New York to study nursing, starting a journey that would last more than four decades. Over her 40-year career, she served at hospital bedsides in both war and peace and eventually made her way to leadership at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

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