JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (July 24, 2015) -- The Fort Sam Houston Primary Care Clinic was renamed the CPT Jennifer M. Moreno Primary Care Clinic during a memorialization ceremony in honor of the young Army Nurse Corps officer who died on the battlefield.
The clinic provides primary care for about 27,000 beneficiaries enrolled in family and adolescent medicine along with behavioral health services, physical therapy, nutritional medicine, and the ancillary support services of pharmacy, laboratory and radiology.
The ceremony was attended by Moreno's two sisters, Jearaldy Moreno and Yaritza Cordova as well as many of her classmates from the University of San Francisco along with numerous service members and civilians.
"We are honored and grateful that you have joined us all on this beautiful day to perform one of the most important and most memorable things we will participate in perhaps in our military career -- that's the remembrance of a fellow Soldier and officer who has given the ultimate sacrifice," said Army Col. Evan Renz, Brooke Army Medical Center commander.
"It is truly an honor to have the family here so we can recognize Jennifer's service," said Army Maj. Gen. Jimmie O. Keenan, deputy commanding general (operations), U.S. Army Medical Command and chief of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
The 25-year-old Army Nurse Corps officer received her training here and was assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center. She deployed as a member of the Cultural Support Team assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, supporting Joint Task Force -Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Keenan praised Moreno's success as a young Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadet at the University of San Francisco.
"ROTC provided her with the foundation to understand the Army's mission, vision and values which really shaped her brief yet heroic career," Keenan said. "As a strong, quiet professional she arrived here in San Antonio anxiously awaiting the challenges she would face in Basic Officer Leader Course and at the Leader Academy.
"She rapidly transformed from that ROTC cadet to a committed Soldier and Army officer," Keenan said. "One capable of effectively and efficiently leading our forces, one who embodied the warrior ethos and believed she must always place the mission first, never accept defeat, never quit, and never leave a fallen comrade."
Keenan explained that it was fitting that Moreno be honored at Fort Sam Houston, the home of Army Medicine. "This is where she started her career and if she would have lived she would have come back here many times," the general said.
Moreno was killed in action on Oct. 6, 2013, in the Zhari District of Kandahar, Afghanistan, while moving through an improvised explosive device belt in order to render medical aid to several casualties and assist with their evacuation.
During her distinguished Army career, Moreno was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the NATO medal, and the Combat Action Badge.
"When her team came under attack on the night of 6 October Capt. Moreno ran forward to provide medical care to a fallen comrade where others might have turned away and said 'not my job.' Spurred on by her values, training and dedication to always protect America's sons and daughters Capt. Moreno died a hero that night thinking of others instead of herself and believing her actions would make the world a better place," Keenan said.
Moreno was laid to rest with full military honors at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, Calif.
"The memorialization of the clinic was a very humbling experience," said Jearaldy Moreno. "I am extremely grateful that all these people came. So many people knew Jenny and so many people didn't know Jenny but now everybody will know about Jenny. She will be forever remembered."
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