{"id":135462,"date":"2026-09-14T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=135462"},"modified":"2026-09-11T09:46:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T14:46:30","slug":"unmc-breaks-ground-on-infectious-disease-air-transport-training-facility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2026\/09\/14\/unmc-breaks-ground-on-infectious-disease-air-transport-training-facility\/","title":{"rendered":"UNMC breaks ground on Infectious Disease Air Transport training facility"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"panel body-content\"><div class=\"panel__container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a>University<\/a>, military and elected leaders gathered on Friday (Sept. 4) to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Infectious Disease Air Transport (IDAT) training facility at UNMC. The group also recognized the celebratory launch of UNMC\u2019s new Office for the Advancement of Military Medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a>\u201cWhat a great day for UNMC, the state of Nebraska and our nation,\u201d UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, told the crowd gathered on the southern edge of UNMC\u2019s Omaha campus. The IDAT facility, near 40<sup>th<\/sup> and Mason Streets, will build readiness for the nation\u2019s military and civilians against high-consequence infectious diseases.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis new facility is the next natural evolution of the partnership between UNMC, the Air Force and other federal partners in preparing and training federal healthcare providers,\u201d Dr. Davies said. \u201cThis training \u2013 in the safe transportation of personnel exposed to or infected with highly infectious and deadly pathogens \u2013 is a vital step in continuing the work to keep our nation safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guest speakers praised the free-standing, $17.4 million facility, which will extend programs offered by the United States Air Force C-STARS (Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills) Omaha Unit stationed at UNMC, calling it a \u201cmonumental resource\u201d and \u201cnational asset\u201d for the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The facility will house biocontainment transport modules and an aircraft fuselage designed to provide advanced training for aeromedical, healthcare and response personnel on safe transport and care of patients. Occupancy is expected in early 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project, Dr. Davies said, enhances UNMC\u2019s burgeoning relationship with the National Guard and 711th Human Performance Wing to strengthen health security. \u201cWe are incredibly honored to work closely with our C-STARS partners, particularly Col. Elizabeth Schnaubelt (MD) whose leadership has been pivotal to the success of our training programs. I want to thank our congressional delegation, especially Rep. Don Bacon and Sen. Deb Fischer, whose support was instrumental in making this a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During her remarks, Sen. Fischer said the IDAT facility \u201ccements Nebraska as a leader in national defense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Bacon agreed, saying: \u201cThis is the gold standard for partnerships with the federal government and our military.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes, MD, surgeon general and commander, medical command with the U.S. Air Force, echoed those comments: \u201cThis day would not have been possible without the visionary leadership and longstanding support from the state of Nebraska\u2026This is a national asset \u2026and hub for national and international biodefense and high consequence infectious disease capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. DeGoes was among several high-ranking active and retired military personnel in attendance. They included Brig. General Tracy Michael from the Office of the Army Surgeon General; Col. Dale Harrell, commander of the 711th Human Performance Wing; retired Lt. Gen. James Roudebush, MD, a UNMC alumnus who previously served as the Air Force Surgeon General; and retired Gen. Anthony Cotton, former commander of U.S. Strategic Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project will be funded by Community Project Funding\/Congressionally Directed Spending projects funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration and Department of Defense funding sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a>Col. Schnaubelt, director of C-STARS-Omaha, said the purpose-built, first-in-the-nation IDAT facility &#8211; and its people &#8211; will build \u201cenduring readiness \u2026for the next mission,\u201d as well as \u201creadiness to meet challenges that cannot always be predicted, but that we must anticipate.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ceremony also recognized UNMC\u2019s new <a>Office for the Advancement of Military Medicine (OAMM), which coordinates support to programs and initiatives advancing military medical capabilities, preparing for strategic health threats and strengthening civilian-military integration.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOAMM was established to bring UNMC&#8217;s world-class expertise to bear supporting the Department of War\u2019s mission, its service members and their families,\u201d said <a>OAMM\u2019s inaugural director,<\/a> Col. Lee Williames (USAF, Ret.), MD.&nbsp;\u201cOAMM will build on the decades of research, training and educational activities UNMC has contributed to ensure that existing programs flourish, while expanding engagement across the enterprise. Our partnership with the C-STARS Omaha team is a premier example of what is possible, and it&#8217;s an honor to enable their work.\u201d&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both IDAT and the OAMM \u201crepresent the culmination of several years of incredible work together with our military, university and elected officials, setting the stage to support critically important collaborative programs in a one-of-a-kind facility,\u201d said Chris Kratochvil, MD, <a>vice chancellor for external relations at UNMC, senior advisor for the OAMM and vice president for external relations for the University of Nebraska System<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moments before dignitaries used gold shovels to turn ceremonial dirt, NU President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, acknowledged the \u201chistoric day\u201d and public-private partnership project, adding: \u201cThis will be a phenomenal facility\u2026.the time is right, the place is here and the people are here.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New facility will allow advanced training for aeromedical, healthcare and response personnel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":135463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"37527,97516,45066,68319,58165,73029","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","topic-unmc-community","department-college-of-medicine","department-health-security","department-internal-medicine","department-unmc-today-todays-headlines","author_override-karen-burbach-unmc-strategic-communications"],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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