Where Wagging Tails Meet Mission Readiness Published July 20, 2026 By Airman 1st Class Izcalli X Martinez 375th Air Mobility Wing SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – Whether it’s a salt-and pepper face or a cold, wet nose, pets bring an incredible amount of love to a household. Naturally, keeping them healthy requires commitment from the families who love them, and the Scott Veterinary Treatment Facility staff can help with that. They handle the unique demands of the mobile military lifestyle, tackling vaccinations and routine check-ups for 2,200 furry patients a year, providing mission ready healthcare to the military working dogs and serving the entire base community by monitoring and verifying nutrition for all personnel on base. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Erin May Long, veterinary corps officer and emergency/critical care specialist, draws blood from a patient on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, July 13, 2026. The Scott Veterinary Treatment Facility offers routine check-ups, including bloodwork, vaccinations and examinations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Izcalli X Martinez). Photo Details / Download Hi-Res “We offer comprehensive and low-cost healthcare for your pets,” said Dr. Chyna Wagoner, Scott AFB VTF veterinary medical officer. “In most cases, we’re pretty cost effective. Our examinations aren’t particularly expensive, and our basic amenities are also pretty competitive as well.” In addition to money-friendly costs, Wagoner said all of their records are accessible to any base that has a veterinary treatment facility and that they excel in providing health certificates especially for those moving to overseas bases that require certain testing and documentation. While supporting family pets is a major component of the facility’s daily operations, the clinic’s primary mission lies in maintaining one of the installation’s most lethal defenses: the Military Working Dog. Wagoner said a core component of keeping “K-9 defenders” fit for duty are routine exams and teaching their handlers to understand emergency care in deployed and hostile environments. A microscope used for examining microscopic samples at the Veterinary Treatment Facility on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, July 13, 2026. VTF personnel use these microscopes for fecal examinations, skin and ear scrapings, cell analysis, and other tests involving small parasites and infections. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Izcalli X Martinez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res “The military working dogs are part of the backbone of the security installation. They need to be at their best in order to do their job to keep people on base safe. We train their handlers so that when they get deployed, they can provide emergency first aid. We teach them how to place catheters, how to intubate their dogs, how to treat initial gunshot wounds, triage, and more.” Another primary mission of the VTF is working hand-in-hand with key base agencies such as Public Health, 375th Force Support Squadron and the Child Development Center to monitor and mitigate biological risks, manage zoonotic diseases, as well as monitor food the commissary purchases from vendors. “For instance, if the CDC wanted to bring a petting zoo on base, I’d work with Public Health to make sure those animals are healthy, and then they would make sure the humans are healthy,” said Wagoner. Capt. Djanai Butler, Veterinary Readiness Activity Fort Knox, Fort Campbell branch chief, emphasized that this wide-ranging mission reaches the entire installation. “When it comes to representation and service, we strive to be the ultimate guardians of public health,” Butler said. “By seamlessly bridging the gap between animal medicine and human safety, we ensure the base’s population remains healthy, the food supply remains secure, and the military working dogs are ready to deploy.”