The Davis Global Center and the Global Center for Health Security hosted visitors from the National Guard at UNMC on October 24, 2025. The guests included Major General Craig Strong, the Nebraska adjutant general, and Brigadier General Michael Cruz, the adjutant general from Guam.
Col. Elizabeth Schnaubelt, MD, director of the Centers for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills-Nebraska (CSTARS), hosted the visitors at the UNMC campus, along with Chris Kratochvil, MD, the UNMC vice chancellor for external relations and NU vice president for external relations.
The group observed a CSTARS training in progress, heard presentations from Col. Schnaubelt and Dr. Kratochvil, and toured the iEXCEL program and the Training, Simulation and Quarantine Unit, as well as seeing the portable biocontainment unit and the negatively pressurized Conex.
Col. Schnaubelt said it was an honor to host the group.
“I’m deeply appreciative of our collaboration with UNMC and the Global Center for Health Security, and grateful to General Strong and General Cruz for taking the time to visit. Their support strengthens our shared commitment to building the readiness required to meet future biological and operational challenges.”
General Cruz called the Global Center amazing.
“Given our world’s experience with what happened during Covid, and how that can actually change the world, having the kind of capability that we saw today is important, not only for the defense of our nation, but defense of society and mankind as a whole,” he said.
“I’m the Adjutant General for Guam, and we represent the forward edge of our nation out in the Pacific, so any novel or consequential infectious diseases coming through would not only be a devastation for us as an island, but to the nation as a whole,” he said. “So, I’m very appreciative of being able to see the capability and what we are working on here.”
Gen. Strong took the time to thank members of Col. Schnaubelt’s team for their dedication during the tour.
“We’re your biggest fans,” he said.
Dr. Kratochvil said he is always proud to discuss the university’s partnerships with the Department of Defense.
“Gen. Cruz spoke movingly about the importance of defending our service members against high-consequence infectious diseases,” he said. “It was exciting to be able to show him and his team how we at UNMC are supporting the military to help keep them safe and to explore potential ways to further our partnership in the future.”