JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON (Oct. 14, 2021) Capt. Gerald DeLong, middle left, commanding officer of Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) San Antonio, Capt. Linda Dunn Smith, Chief Science Director Dr. Sylvain Cardin, and Senior Enlisted Leader Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman David Snow visited Brook Army Medical Center to receive their annual influenza or “flu” vaccinations. The flu has the potential to adversely impact force readiness and mission execution. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly influenza vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against influenza and its potentially serious complications. Vaccination can reduce influenza illnesses, doctors’ visits, missed attendance at work or school and prevent flu-related hospitalizations. NAMRU San Antonio is one of the leading research and development laboratories for the U.S. Navy under the Department of Defense and is one of eight subordinate research commands in the global network of laboratories operating under the Naval Medical Research Center in Silver Spring, Md. Its mission is to conduct gap driven combat casualty care, craniofacial, and directed energy research to improve survival, operational readiness, and safety of DOD personnel engaged in routine and expeditionary operations. (U.S. Navy photos by Burrell Parmer, Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio Public Affairs)