The new 947,000 square-foot medical center is approximately 60 percent larger than the existing 45-year-old Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. It specifically addresses Fort Hood’s most pressing needs in the areas of behavioral health, medical and surgical specialty clinics, and pediatric primary care.

Construction will be accomplished using a "design-build" acquisition strategy in which a single firm coordinates the design and construction. This is both the largest design-build medical facility project and the largest ARRA project in the Department of Defense to date. Construction started in June 2011, the scheduled construction completion date is May 2014 with the medical center being fully operational in August 2015. New hospital features include:

 Three parking garages: 5,117 total spaces; 2,622 covered, 2,495 outdoor

 Utility plant and interstitial mechanical flooring

 Approximately 66,000 square feet for behavioral health services

 Fitness center for staff; fitness trail and track; outside healing gardens

 LEED Gold Energy Certification

 Automatic guided vehicles for deliveries and supplies

 151 beds

 Six-story tower

Design and construction of the 680,000 SF JBSA – Lackland AFB ACC is being accomplished in four phases. The 2005 BRAC commission directive initiated the conversion of Wilford Hall Medical Center complex from an inpatient to an outpatient care facility. The groundbreaking ceremony was held April 20, 2011.

All of the inpatient care was transferred to the former Brooke Army Medical Center, since renamed the San Antonio Military Medical Center. Before the transfer of inpatient care responsibility, Air Force medical leaders reassessed the requirements for WHMC and determined that it should be realigned as an Ambulatory Care Center to provide outpatient medical services to basic trainees, the local military and the larger retiree communities.

Designed as a World Class Medical Facility, the JBSA – Lackland AFB ACC incorporates the advanced healing tenets of Evidence-Based Design, environmental sustainability (minimum LEED Silver certification) as well as design innovations to promote patient centric care in support of our warriors and their families.

Current construction of the first phase, a FY 2010 project, consists of an administrative wing, a central energy plant and a 2000 car parking garage.

The second phase, a FY 2011 project, awarded September 2011 consists of clinical and surgical wings. The third phase, a FY 2012 project, to be awarded August 2012 consists of clinical and other medical support facilities. The fourth and final phase, a FY 2015 project, will consist of the demolition of WHMC and final site restoration.

JBSA –Lackland AFB ACC will focus primarily on ambulatory care for the military and retiree population with complete beneficial occupancy expected in March 2015.

On June 14th, 2010, the Army signed an agreement to create a hybrid airship to provide the Army with constant reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence. This football field sized aircraft is known as the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle, awarded to Northrop Grumman. HQUSACE, Combat Readiness Support Team has tasked their SWF Forward Support Office to identity and validate facility and infrastructure requirements for the proposed new equipment system. The LEMV is a manned or unmanned airship with the capability to remain in the air for more than 21 days and operating at 20,000 feet above sea level, continuously gathering intelligence. This spring, the LEMV will be tested and if successful will be fielded and used in theater.

The Fort Bliss Training Complex consists of three major areas -- McGregor Ranges, Dona Ana Ranges, and the North and South Training Areas. McGregor Ranges include McGregor Range, Meyer Small Arms Range, SHORAD Range, and Oro Grande Range. Each of the ranges has an appropriate complement of range support facilities. Within the FBTC, there are three base camps (McGregor, Dona Ana, and Oro Grande).

The training activities occurring on these ranges are extremely diverse and are dependent on the unique characteristics of the terrain of each area. The type of training varies from small unit ground troop maneuvers, to aerial training missions including parachute drops, helicopter and other aircraft operations, live artillery fire, combat vehicle maneuvering, and high altitude missile firings. Fort Bliss supports the training requirements of a variety of U.S. and allied military units as well as other federal agencies.

The natural environmental setting and diversity of the Fort Bliss Training Complex are unique among U.S. military installations. The combined ranges and training areas encompass more than 1 million acres, approximately 70 miles from north to south and approximately 30 miles from east to west. Elevations range from 3,900 feet near the South Training Area to 8,600 feet in the Organ Mountains. Within its boundaries are grazing, forest, and remote areas that support hunting and other forms of public outdoor recreation. These lands also contain sensitive ecosystems, and protected cultural and historic resources.

Ft Bliss has experienced a significant population growth and with it a need for new facilities. This increase was driven by three Army initiatives: the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure, the Integrated Global Posturing and Base Stationing initiatives and the Army’s Modular Force Initiative. As a result, more than 20,000 soldiers and 30,000 family members were brought to the Installation.

The SAMMC consist of a 305,000 square foot renovation of the existing Brooke Army Medical Center combined with a new 767,000 square foot Medical Tower, a 5000 vehicle parking garage and a Central Energy Plant.

The addition of the new hospital tower was necessary to provide new clinical and administrative space needed to accommodate additional patients and increased military population as resulting from the 2005 BRAC commission directive.

The 760,000 square foot facility is internally connected with the original BAMC on five floors. This addition includes a seven-story inpatient bed tower, four-story ancillary care center, and three-story outpatient clinical and administrative section.

The new facility includes an expansion to the Emergency Department and the U.S. Army Institute for Surgical Research Burn Center; provides new and additional locations for outpatient clinics, intensive care units, a behavioral health inpatient unit, nursing units; as well as provides 15 operating rooms and houses additional administrative space.

The tower includes a unique rooftop helipad, the only one in the Department of Defense to facilitate emergency treatment.

SAMMC is one of 15 hospitals in the United States that holds both Level I trauma certification and accreditation from the American Burn Association. The facility is the only Department of Defense Level I trauma center in the continental United States and houses the only burn center in the DOD. This world class facility will serve a large retiree population and contingent of wounded warriors requiring rehabilitation services. Partial beneficial occupancy was taken in FY 2011 with a phased transition into the facility and full beneficial occupancy is expected in FY 2012.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System Projects are air defense systems to detect incoming threats, acquire targets, and direct defensive action. The THAAD system is a weapons systems component of the air defense system. JLENS acquisition and tracking system is capable of working hand in hand with other weapons systems in other service branches.

THAAD

The FY 10-12 THAAD Program at Fort Bliss and Fort Cavazos consists of constructing operations and maintenance facilities. The program calls for Tactical Vehicle Maintenance Facilities with Tactical Vehicle Parking, and Company Operations Facilities with covered vehicle parking and a private vehicle parking Lot. The program cost for THAAD is $95 million.

JLENS

The FY 10-13 JLENS Program at Fort Bliss consists of the construction of facilities for operations and maintenance of several batteries, Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel Housing facilities, a classroom and training building with a concrete training pad, and tactical training sites on Fort Bliss Ranges located in New Mexico.

Design of the Fort Bliss Replacement Hospital is underway. The new Fort Bliss Replacement Hospital Project includes the Construction of a new facility to replace the existing William Beaumont Army Medical Center. The facility will consist of a main hospital, clinics, administrative building, clinical investigation building, central utility plant, access control points, and surface parking. The Fort Bliss Hospital Replacement is designed to be a 1,132,460 square foot World-Class Medical Facility replacing the current William Beaumont Army Medical Center on Fort Bliss. The project is being designed by HDR Architects in coordination with the Fort Worth District and Health Affairs Planning Agency. The project will be constructed through the Design-Bid-Build procurement process. The Project Delivery Team has endeavored to incorporate in this project state of the art planning and design ideas including the latest research in Evidence-Based Design and sustainability as well as design innovations promoting family and patient-centered care. The commitment of the PDT is to attain and achieve the long term goal of a World Class Medical Facility in support of our Warriors and their Families. The new hospital is expected to open in fall 2020. The design effort has adopted the following guiding principles:

 Develop a ‘State-of-the-Art’ World Class Military Medical Center.

 Provide a sustainable, adaptable, and flexible facility supporting the required healthcare delivery to military personnel and their families.

 Achieve minimum LEED Silver Certification.

 Incorporate Evidence Based Design and Patient/Family Centered Care concepts and design elements.

 Design an aesthetically pleasing facility within the southwest regional environmental context in cultural harmony with Fort Bliss and El Paso communities.