Defense Health Network Central

10/17/2026

Protect your benefits and your personal information. 🛡️
Scammers frequently target military community members, claiming to represent TRICARE to collect personal details or money.
Knowing the warning signs helps you stay protected:
• TRICARE will never call or text asking for payment, your Social Security number, date of birth, or Department of Defense ID number.
• TRICARE and its regional contractors will never contact you offering surprise discounts or requesting immediate financial transactions over the phone.
• Keep your contact details updated in DEERS to ensure official notifications reach you securely.
Did you receive a suspicious call, text, or email?
Do not respond or click unknown links. Verify the outreach directly with your regional TRICARE contractor, or report suspected fraud immediately:
🔗 Learn what to watch for and how to submit a report: https://newsroom.tricare.mil/News/TRICARE-News/Article/4619977/dont-be-a-target-of-scams-about-tricare
🔗 Report suspected fraud directly: https://www.tricare.mil/fraud

If you’ve gotten a suspicious phone call or message about your TRICARE coverage, don’t respond to it. Instead, report it to TRICARE.

10/16/2026

Early detection saves lives, and screening for cervical cancer is now more convenient and accessible than ever.
Military hospitals and clinics across the network, along with TRICARE network providers, offer modern screening options—including a new self-collection HPV test available at select military clinics that allows you to collect your own sample privately during your visit.
Routine cervical cancer screenings and HPV vaccines (available for adults up to age 45) are covered as preventive care under TRICARE, meaning $0 out-of-pocket costs and no referral needed for TRICARE Prime and Select beneficiaries visiting network providers.
Taking charge of your health starts with an open conversation:
Talk with your primary care provider about which screening schedule is right for you.
Ask if primary HPV testing or the self-collection method is available at your clinic.
Book your routine screening through the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal or by calling your local appointment line.
Read the full article to learn more about your screening options and coverage: https://newsroom.tricare.mil/News/TRICARE-News/Article/4622172/tricare-offers-options-for-cervical-cancer-screening

Knowledge is key when it comes to cervical cancer. There are now testing options that let women screen for cervical cancer risk in a more comfortable, private way.

10/16/2026

Dental issues can stop a mission faster than you think. Preventable dental issues can affect your health and quickly make you non-deployable. Protect your smile by brushing twice daily, flossing, and scheduling your annual checkup. 😁🪥

10/16/2026

🥊 Fighting for your health doesn’t mean fighting alone.

For women, taking care of mental and physical health can mean making time for the checkup, asking the hard question, getting moving, getting support, or admitting when “I’m fine” isn’t cutting it anymore.

DHA is in your corner with care, resources and support to help you stay strong, mentally and physically.

💗 Keep fighting for you. Connect with your provider or local military treatment facility to learn how DHA can join your fight.

10/16/2026

Behind every successful healthcare mission is a dedicated team ensuring life-saving equipment works flawlessly when seconds count.
Meet U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jessy Soriano, the noncommissioned officer in charge of medical maintenance at the McConnell Air Force Base military medical treatment facility. From calibrating defibrillators to managing routine preventive inspections, professionals like Soriano work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep medical technology precise and fully mission-ready.
Dedicated biomedical equipment technicians across Defense Health Network Central play an indispensable role in our healthcare delivery system. By ensuring medical tools and clinical spaces operate at peak performance, they empower our providers to deliver safe, high-quality care to our service members and beneficiaries while keeping our joint warfighters medically ready for any mission, anytime.

Read more: https://www.mcconnell.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4626475/a-day-in-the-life-at-mcconnell/

Military Health
Defense Health Agency
U.S. Air Force Medical Service - AFMS
McConnell Air Force Base
AFMS - McConnell - 22d Medical Group

10/16/2026

Optimizing health and readiness at every stage of service is vital to mission success.
The Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have jointly released the updated 2026 Clinical Practice Guideline on Menopause, offering 43 evidence-based recommendations to help clinicians deliver unified, individualized care across our military medical treatment facilities and the VA.
From addressing sleep disruptions, mood changes, and hot flashes to supporting long-term bone and cardiovascular health, early symptom detection and treatment ensure female service members and beneficiaries remain supported, healthy, and mission-ready. Effective care keeps warfighters ready, fosters retention, and ensures our patients receive the high-quality, comprehensive healthcare they deserve.
Talk with your primary care provider at your local MTF to discuss personalized treatment options, or learn more about the updated guidelines and patient resources here: https://www.healthquality.va.gov/HEALTHQUALITY/guidelines/WH/menopause/index.asp

Military Health
Defense Health Agency

10/16/2026

Central Pulse: This Week in DHN Central
Here’s what’s been happening across our MTFs this week:

Scott AFB Clinic
DHN Central Spotlight: TSgt Markisha Suggs
This week our DHN Central Spotlight is shining on TSgt Markisha Suggs from the Scott Air Force Base Clinic.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C87DsJfqp/

Holloman Medical Group
SrA Anylah Wilson from our MTF at Holloman AFB was featured as Holloman’s 49er of the Week.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ETZNNX8qh/

Bassett Army Community Hospital
The U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command Surgeon Team visited Bassett Army Community Hospital.
The team received a capability brief highlighting BACH’s Arctic medical readiness operations, direct care delivery, and continued commitment to service members and families.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C63wXs4Mo/

AFMS - Andersen - 36th Medical Group
Our MTF at Andersen Air Force Base earned Joint Trauma System validation for its Valkyrie program, capping three months of dedicated preparation and a rigorous week-long audit.
By working alongside regional U.S. Navy partners, the team established a standardized, combat-relevant training framework that sharpens critical trauma and tactical medical skills. Valkyrie ensures medical personnel are agile tactical operators ready to save lives in contested, austere environments.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14uK57mwH1n/

AFMS - Yokota - 374th Medical Group
TSgt Robert Taitano, from our MTF at Yokota Air Base, was featured as Yokota’s Samurai Spotlight.
Taitano’s leadership improved performance standards, modernized critical medical equipment, and safeguarded care delivery across multiple clinics – sustaining surgical operations, labor and delivery support, and comprehensive diagnostic services for thousands of service members and families.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CUU7uDPjb/

Bassett Army Community Hospital
Bassett Army Community Hospital hosted the annual Norwegian Foot March for Fort Wainwright.
Approximately 700 determined candidates pushed through the grueling 18.6-mile trek, showcasing incredible stamina, grit, and resilience.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/198TbSgGbp/

Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi
Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi hosted its monthly awards ceremony, honoring outstanding active-duty service members and dedicated civilian staff.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1MJkzF4G5H/

Bassett Army Community Hospital
Bassett Army Community Hospital highlighted LTC Heidi Radmer, service line officer in charge and a certified nurse midwife.
Behind every clinic appointment, surgical procedure, and delivery is an intricate schedule that balances provider coverage across Labor and Delivery day and night shifts, operating room surgical days, post-shift recovery, and daily outpatient appointments. LTC Radmer works extensively with hospital leadership and administration to balance clinic needs with operational mission requirements – all while identifying, coordinating, and implementing clinical workflow improvements that directly enhance the quality and safety of patient care.
Even with these administrative and clinical planning responsibilities, she continues to pull regular shifts on the floor delivering babies, supporting mothers, and providing direct patient care alongside fellow clinic providers.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14ttR2SsWxT/

Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi
Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi featured a provider spotlight on LTJG John Taylor, physician assistant.
Taylor shared his thoughts on what inspired his calling to Navy medicine, the importance of listening to build trust with patients, collaborating across the healthcare team, and staying motivated by the mission to support warfighter readiness and care for military families.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Dem4XKgBm/

10/15/2026

Catch up on the latest headlines from across the Military Health System!
In this week’s edition of “Around the MHS” (Oct. 12–16, 2026):
• Accessible Mental Health Support: Explore updated MHS mental health resources designed to connect service members and families with trusted care when and where they need it.
• Advancing Medical Education: Learn how the Uniformed Services University is awarding college credit for corpsmen training, investing in the professional growth and wartime currency of our military medical personnel.
• Cutting-Edge Readiness: Discover how digital dentistry is streamlining dental care to keep our warfighters mission-ready and fit to fight.
Watch the full episode here: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/1026396/around-mhs-october-15-2026


Military Health
Defense Health Agency

News from around the Military Health System for the week of Oct. Oct. 12-16, 2026, includes the MHS’s updated mental health resource, the Uniformed Services University awards college credits for corpsmen training, and digital dentistry enhances readiness for medical warriors and warfighters.

10/15/2026

Readiness starts with total health — and mental fitness is just as critical to mission success as physical strength.
The Military Health System’s “Mental Health Resource Guidebook” brings together comprehensive tools and support services designed for service members and military families throughout every step of their career. From confidential care through the Brandon Act to telehealth support via the BRAVE program, access to care is always within reach.
Help is available 24/7. Connect with care through your local military hospital or clinic, or call the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline (dial 988, then press 1 for the Military Crisis Line).
Explore the full digital guidebook and local resources: https://health.mil/News/Dvids-Articles/2026/10/09/news565403

Military Health
Defense Health Agency

The Military Health System’s Mental Health Resource Guidebook is a digital, concise, and comprehensive guide for warfighters and families wherever they are in their mental health journey.

10/15/2026

When seconds count, muscle memory and battlefield medical readiness save lives.
Airmen at the Yokota Air Base MTF took part in the Valkyrie Program on Oct. 1, 2026, sharpening their emergency trauma and life-saving resuscitation skills. Training like Valkyrie ensures our military healthcare professionals maintain the critical clinical currency needed to respond rapidly to emergencies—anytime, anywhere.
Watch the full video on DVIDS: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/1025657/valkyrie-program-2026

Military Health
Defense Health Agency
U.S. Air Force Medical Service - AFMS
Yokota Air Base
AFMS - Yokota - 374th Medical Group

Airman from the 374th Medical Group at Yokota Air Base participate on the Valkyrie Program on October 1st, 2026. The Valkyrie Program helps train medical personnel on how to save lives during emergencies. (U.S. Air Force video by Airman 1st Class Ferald Dublado)