William Beaumont Army Medical Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William Beaumont Army Medical Center |
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| Defense Health Agency | |
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 Location in Texas
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| Geography | |
| Location | El Paso, Texas, United States |
| Coordinates | 31°49′58″N 106°19′31″W / 31.8327°N 106.3253°W |
| Organization | |
| Care system | Tricare |
| Hospital type | Teaching hospital, General |
| Affiliated university | Paul L. Foster School of Medicine |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | Level II Trauma Center |
| Helipad | 31°50′09″N 106°19′39″W / 31.8357°N 106.3275°W |
| History | |
| Founded | 1849 |
The William Beaumont Army Medical Center is a special hospital run by the U.S. Department of Defense. It is located at Fort Bliss, Texas. This hospital provides full medical care for active military members, their families, and retired service members.
The hospital is in the central part of El Paso. It also offers emergency services for the northeast area of El Paso. A new, very large medical complex opened on July 10, 2021, on East Fort Bliss. This new complex has six buildings and is over 1 million square feet in size.
William Beaumont Army Medical Center works with the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso. It also helps train future doctors and nurses. Medical residents from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and nursing students from the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College learn here.
Contents
- History of William Beaumont Army Medical Center
- Fisher House for Military Families
- Understanding the Unit Insignia
- Working with Veterans Health Care
- See also
History of William Beaumont Army Medical Center
The William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) was once called the William Beaumont General Hospital (WBGH). It is located northwest of Fort Bliss' main area. The hospital's story began at Fort Bliss in the 1850s. It is named after Army surgeon William Beaumont (1785–1853). He is known as the "Father of Gastric Physiology" because of his important studies on how the stomach works.
Early Years and Moves (1849–1892)
The Army's medical units in El Paso moved several times since 1849. In 1854, a post was set up at Magoffin's Ranch. This post officially became Fort Bliss on March 8, 1854. It was named after Lt. Col. William Wallace Smith Bliss.
Over the years, the Army moved its base and hospital to different spots. These included Camp Concordia and Hart's Mill. Finally, in 1893, La Noria Mesa became the permanent home. This is where Fort Bliss and its medical units are still located today.
In 2012, archaeologists found parts of the original Army Hospital from Hart's Mill. This was near the University of Texas at El Paso. Soldiers built this hospital, and it was finished in December 1880.
Civil War and the Hospital (1861–1862)
During the American Civil War, Confederate forces took control of Fort Bliss in 1861. This included the hospital. When the Confederate troops left in 1862, they destroyed most of Fort Bliss. However, they saved the hospital because it held their sick and wounded soldiers.
Building a Permanent Hospital (1893–1898)
The 1890s were important for Fort Bliss. A permanent hospital was built to support the soldiers stationed there. This hospital, finished in 1893, is now known as Building 8. It is currently the office for the Fort Bliss Inspector General. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Supporting Soldiers (1898–1902)
During the Spanish–American War, the hospital at Fort Bliss supported a small group of soldiers. By 1902, after the Philippine Insurrection, the hospital began supporting more troops. However, by then, the hospital and other buildings at Fort Bliss needed many repairs.
The New Post Hospital (1903–1919)
In 1903, reports showed that the Fort Bliss hospital needed to be replaced. A new hospital building was started in 1904.
In 1917, a field hospital company left Fort Bliss to serve in World War I in France.
The first Army dental training school was started at the Fort Bliss Post Hospital in September 1916. This school helped train many dental professionals for the Army.
William Beaumont General Hospital (1920–1939)
On June 26, 1920, the War Department decided to name the new hospital at Fort Bliss after Major William Beaumont. The William Beaumont General Hospital opened on July 1, 1921, and was finished in 1922. It had 41 buildings and 403 beds. It could also add 100 more beds if needed.
This new hospital made Fort Bliss an important military medical center. For the next 20 years, it served as the main hospital for Fort Bliss. It also provided care for soldiers in Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas. The staff included doctors, nurses, and medical corpsmen.
World War II and Beyond (1940–1968)
During World War II, WBGH was one of many hospitals that cared for prisoners of war. It also treated about 6,000 patients in early 1945.
The hospital had a school to train medical technicians. They learned about surgery, dental care, lab work, x-rays, and pharmacy. It also had centers for physical therapy and occupational therapy. Later, it added special care for brain and nerve problems and bone surgeries.
After the war, WBGH continued to serve Fort Bliss. It also became a special center for plastic surgery, eye surgery, and radiation therapy. In the last year of the war, over 26,000 patients were treated here.
In 1945, Wernher von Braun and his team used one of the old WBGH buildings. This was their first lab and office for their missile work.
Beaumont was one of only ten Army hospitals kept after World War II. It provided care for wounded soldiers from the Korean and Vietnam wars. It also offered general medical and surgical services to veterans and military staff.
William Beaumont Army Medical Center (1969–present)
In 1969, the Army began building a new, tall hospital. This new building was finished in 1972. It became known as the William Beaumont Army Medical Center. The building is 12 stories high.
The hospital was first designed for 611 beds. By the early 1980s, it had 463 beds. An addition called the Omar N. Bradley building opened in 1982. This added more space for patient care and offices. Today, the hospital can hold over 150 patients. If there's an emergency, it can expand to care for 373 patients.
This modern hospital provides medical care for active and retired military members and their families. It serves people in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Charles C. Pixley was the hospital commander from 1975 to 1976. He later became the top doctor for the U.S. Army.
Fisher House for Military Families
The Fisher House Foundation helps military families. It offers free places for families to stay when a loved one is in the hospital. A Fisher House facility is located at WBAMC. It celebrated 20 years of helping families in 2014.
Understanding the Unit Insignia
The special symbol, or unit insignia, of WBAMC tells a story. It shows parts of the life of Dr. William Beaumont. It also includes details about his patient, Alexis St. Martin, the hospital's medical history, and its location in El Paso.
- The fleur-de-lis pointing north reminds us of Dr. Beaumont's work in Northern Michigan in 1820.
- The circular window in the middle of the cross represents Alexis St. Martin's stomach wound. This wound never fully closed, allowing Dr. Beaumont to study how the human stomach works.
- The white and maroon colors are the traditional colors of the U.S. Army Medical Department.
- The Maltese cross is a symbol of the medical profession. It comes from the Knights Hospitallers from long ago.
- WBAMC is in El Paso. This is shown by the vertical arm of the cross passing between mountains. "El Paso" means "the pass" in English. The blue wave at the bottom represents the Rio Grande river.
Working with Veterans Health Care
The El Paso VA Health Care System works closely with William Beaumont Army Medical Center. This partnership helps both groups use their resources in the best way. The VA buys emergency and inpatient care from WBAMC for veterans. This teamwork has also helped more patients get general surgery and vascular surgery.
See also
- MEDCOM
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
- Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
- Dr. William Beaumont
- Major General (Dr.) Charles C. Pixley
- Fort Bliss
- General Omar Bradley
- Sergeant Major of the Army William O. Wooldridge
