Commissioners applaud Wilford Hall Published Aug. 5, 2010 By Linda Frost 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Bexar County Commissioners Court honored Wilford Hall Medical Center and its Air Force trauma team July 27 in downtown San Antonio for providing Level 1 trauma care since 1996 to Bexar county residents and South Texas. The region covers 26,000 square miles and is home to 2.2 million Texans. County Judge Nelson Wolff presented a proclamation on behalf of the commissioners to Maj. Gen. Tom Travis, commander of the 59th Medical Wing, recognizing all past and present hospital staff in delivering high quality trauma care for the last 14 years. "Countless people are alive today because of Wilford Hall's commitment to providing civilian trauma care," stated the proclamation, signed by Judge Wolff and the commissioners. On July 1, WHMC relocated its Air Force trauma mission to Brooke Army Medical Center to consolidate with its Army counterparts. The relocation of trauma services is the next of several historic moves as Wilford Hall shifts inpatients and staff to Ft. Sam Houston to create the San Antonio Military Medical Center by Sept 15, 2011, as mandated by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure law. During the brief ceremony at the county courthouse, Judge Wolff relayed his praise for the Air Force trauma team and their collaboration with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council and the Level I trauma centers at University Hospital and Brooke Army Medical Center. The proclamation, which was read during the ceremony, stated that Wilford Hall has been critical to training civilian surgeons, physicians and medical students from The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio and has done this as a vital partner with University Health System. "The citizens of Bexar County have benefited from the expertise of Wilford Hall trauma team members for many years," said George B. Hernández, Jr., president and chief executive officer, University Health System. "We are deeply grateful for your commitment to our community and country, and honored to work collaboratively with you to saves lives." The proclamation also noted that combat casualty care training at Wilford Hall and its leadership directly resulted in the development of establishing a joint military trauma system in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has contributed to the lowest combat casualty mortality rate in the history of warfare. General Travis echoed the sentiments, stating, "The trauma services our teams have provided in this region over the years has greatly improved our ability to provide trauma care during the current war. Air Force medical teams have done well over 27,000 trauma surgeries at the two theater hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan since the war began, with the highest survival rates and lowest died-of-wounds rate in history." "The 59th Medical Wing is still providing trauma care to San Antonio and to the region, but now at Ft. Sam Houston as we stand up the San Antonio Military Medical Center in the next year," the general added. "We are thankful for our partnership with the University Health System and our Army colleagues at BAMC as we continue to provide this important care," said General Travis. During the presentation, General Travis was accompanied by several members from the 59th MDW representing past and present trauma team members, including Col. Jimmie Bailey, commander, 59th Medical Operations Group; Lt. Col. Jeremy Cannon, staff surgeon; Maj. Mark Gunst, chief of trauma; Ms. Sherri Demmer, trauma education coordinator; and Staff Sgt. William Gill, emergency department technician.