Articles

June 13, 2025

CRDAMC welcomes its newest teammate: 2nd Lt. Solomon, the facility dog

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — A new teammate joined the ranks at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center—and this one has four legs, a wagging tail, and a heart trained to heal.CRDAMC officially commissioned 2nd Lt. Solomon, a 2½-year-old black Labrador retriever, during a ceremony held Friday afternoon in the hospital atrium. With his calm demeanor, sharp intelligence, and

June 13, 2025

Chief Warrant Officers Keith Yoakum and Jason Defrenn, Army aviators who stayed in the fight to protect their wingmen

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Born on Nov. 24, 1965, in Hemet, California, Keith Yoakum enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from Hemet High School in 1984. A passionate aviator, he earned his pilot's license in the 1980s and became a flight instructor. Yoakum's military career spanned over two decades, during which he served as an Apache helicopter pilot.In 2005, he

June 12, 2025

Sgt. Russell L. Collier, a combat medic who risked his life to save fellow soldiers under fire

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Born in Harrison, Arkansas, Collier dedicated 18 years to military service across the Navy, Army, and National Guard, and planned to retire after two more years of military service.On October 3, 2004, Collier was killed in Taji, Iraq, while serving as a Medical Aidman with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 103rd Field Artillery Brigade. At the time, his

June 11, 2025

Pfc. Charles Thomas Moore, a combat medic who served on the front lines in Vietnam

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Private First Class Charles Thomas Moore was born July 15, 1948, in Ottumwa, Iowa. Drafted into the Army in 1969, just two months after marrying his wife, Judy, Moore trained as a medical corpsman and deployed to Vietnam with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.On Jan. 5, 1970, during intense combat in Phuoc Long

June 10, 2025

CRDAMC, STRONG STAR Consortium lead the fight against combat-related PTSD

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – For Soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center and the STRONG STAR program provides access to the latest, most innovative care available for the treatment of this common warfighting mental health condition. Headquartered at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, STRONG STAR operates one of its largest clinical research hubs at Fort Cavazos, in close partnership with CRDAMC. Through collaborations with more than 150 investigators across over 50 academic, military, and VA institutions nationwide, the consortium's mission is clear: to develop and deliver evidence-based strategies that improve the psychological health of service members and veterans—helping them remain mission-ready and resilient in the face of adversity.

June 10, 2025

Fort Cavazos and CRDAMC Army Public Health urges vaccination for measles

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – Fort Cavazos families should be fully vaccinated to protect themselves and our community against this highly contagious virus, following the report of a confirmed case of measles in Bell County, June 3, 2025, according to the Army Public Health Nursing team at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. Since January, the Texas Department of State and Health Services has reported 744 measles cases in the Central and South-Central region of Texas, including 96 hospitalizations. The Centers for Disease and Control has reported over 1000 cases since 10 June in many other states https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025.

June 10, 2025

Cpl. Thomas W. Bennett, a medic who served without a weapon

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Born on April 7, 1947, in Morgantown, West Virginia, Bennett was a conscientious objector who chose to serve as an unarmed medic during the Vietnam War. Assigned to the 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, he consistently risked his life to provide medical aid to his fellow soldiers under intense

June 9, 2025

Pfc. James Howard Monroe

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Born on October 17, 1944, in Aurora, Illinois, Monroe grew up in Wheaton, Illinois, where he graduated from Wheaton Central High School in 1962. He attended Washington and Lee University in Virginia, studying political science before being drafted into the Army in 1966.Monroe deployed to Vietnam in November 1966 and was assigned as a combat medic

May 28, 2025

Self-Care: A Necessity, not a Luxury

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles the CRDAMC behavioral health team is offering to help enhance the mental health and wellbeing of our Fort Cavazos community. FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - In today's fast-paced world, where constant busyness is the norm, making time for personal well-being often falls to the bottom of the priority list and is treated as an afterthought. However, self-care is not simply about indulgence—it is a vital component of maintaining balance between life’s responsibilities and personal health. When neglected, stress can accumulate, potentially leading to burnout, anxiety, and even physical health issues.

May 13, 2025

CRDAMC Nurse Alma Jeanne Mitchell Honored with Inpatient DAISY Award

Fort Cavazos, TX. — FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Jeanne Mitchell, a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, has been recognized with the DAISY Award in the inpatient category. Mitchell has been a nurse for 21 years and has served at CRDAMC since 2009. Her experience spans medical-surgical, step-down, and intensive care nursing. She