U.S. Transportation Command conducts unique aeromedical evacuation of Veterans Affairs patients in Texas

One of eight spinal cord injury patients from Audie Murphy Veterans Affairs Medical Center, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, is moved onto a U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Airfield, Texas, Tuesday, July 14, 2020, for a brief flight to Dallas Love Field Airport, Texas. The STVHCS successfully transferred the individuals to the VA North Texas HCS’ SCI Center, Dallas, Texas. Two days prior to the patients’ movement, the VA requested the Department of Defense’s assistance. As the DOD’s single manager for global patient movement, U.S. Transportation Command executes this critical mission through the U.S. Air Force’s aeromedical evacuation system. Members of USTRANSCOM’s Command Surgeon Directorate coordinated, organized, and implemented the patients’ movement within the Lone Star State. The transfer of the eight veterans enabled the STVHCS to expand its COVID-19 capacity to support other VA medical facilities and community hospitals in San Antonio and surrounding locales. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sarayuth Pinthong