Medical Education and Training Campus Fort Sam Houston Texas Patch

Formations & Origins
The Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, was established in 2011 as a consolidated joint service facility for enlisted medical training across the U.S. Department of Defense. It combined the training programs previously conducted separately by the Army, Navy, and Air Force into a single, centralized campus to improve efficiency, standardization, and inter-service cooperation. METC was designed to be the premier institution for training combat medics, corpsmen, and other enlisted medical professionals, reflecting the growing need for highly skilled medical personnel to support modern military operations.

Notable Commanders
Commanders of METC have been experienced military medical officers, often with backgrounds in both clinical practice and medical education. Their leadership focuses on maintaining the highest training standards, integrating new medical technologies and teaching methodologies, and ensuring graduates are fully prepared to meet the demands of combat casualty care, humanitarian missions, and peacetime healthcare. These commanders foster a culture of excellence and adaptability within a multi-service training environment.

Major Campaigns/Operations
While METC itself is a training institution rather than a deployable unit, its graduates have been integral to every major U.S. military operation since its formation. From Iraq and Afghanistan to humanitarian missions worldwide, METC-trained personnel have served as frontline medics and corpsmen, saving countless lives under combat conditions. The campus also supports ongoing medical readiness and training updates aligned with current operational needs and lessons learned from active theaters.

Specialized Role/Equipment
METC specializes in the initial and advanced medical training of enlisted personnel across all branches. Courses cover a wide range of military medical specialties including combat medic, hospital corpsman, dental technician, surgical technician, and more. The campus is equipped with cutting-edge medical simulation labs, trauma training centers, and classroom technology to provide realistic, hands-on training. The emphasis is on skills essential to battlefield medicine, trauma stabilization, patient evacuation, and support for both deployed and garrison forces.

Acts of Heroism
While METC is a training command, its greatest contribution to acts of heroism comes through the lives saved by its graduates in combat and humanitarian missions. Many METC alumni have earned medals for valor, including Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts, for their bravery and skill under fire while providing lifesaving medical care. The institution takes pride in instilling both technical proficiency and the courage to act decisively in crisis.

Legacy & Notable Achievements
METC has transformed military medical training by unifying education across the services, creating a joint culture of excellence and interoperability. Its graduates are the backbone of the military’s enlisted medical force, widely respected for their competence and readiness. The patch symbolizes this joint heritage with elements representing the Army, Navy, and Air Force, highlighting their unified mission to train the next generation of military medical professionals. METC remains a cornerstone of military medical readiness, continuously adapting to meet the challenges of modern warfare and humanitarian assistance.