JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – A new era of veterinary care and food safety began at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) with the official opening of the state-of-the-art Veterinary Treatment Facility (VTF) on April 25, 2025. The facility, a project years in the making, culminated in a Untying of the Lei ceremony under clear Hawaiian skies, marking a significant improvement in readiness capabilities throughout the Pacific.
The 12,000-square-foot facility, double the size of any other VTF on Oahu, consolidates the diverse mission sets of the U.S. Army Veterinary Service under one roof. This modernization effort streamlines operations and enhances the ability to provide comprehensive care for military working dogs (MWDs), pets of service members and retirees, and strengthens food safety and defense measures.
The VTF boasts modern spaces for preventive care, diagnostics, surgeries, and specialized treatment areas. A veterinarian of the facility emphasized the facility’s strategic importance: “Hawaii is the gateway to the Pacific theater. This new VTF provides efficient, high-quality care, a critical asset in maintaining the readiness of our forces.” This efficiency is especially crucial for MWDs, whose handlers rely on the expertise of Army Veterinarians.
“This is an exciting time for the US Army Veterinary Corps setting an important precedent for the Veterinary Services’ critical mission. Strategically, the new Veterinary Treatment Facility on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is truly a force multiplier, illustrating the DoD’s commitment to INDOPACOM while enhancing Warfighter readiness, strengthening partnerships, and projecting veterinary medicine power and presence throughout the Pacific.” said Col Gregory Reppas, Deputy Commander Public Health-Pacific.
The Veterinary Corps plays a vital role in supporting the 93,000 individuals who rely on the installation. The facility currently manages approximately 300 appointments per month for pets of military families, in addition to its other mission requirements.
The facility, completed by a civilian firm in collaboration with Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific, officially opened its doors on April 25, 2025, ushering in a new chapter of enhanced veterinary care and food safety at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.