The 5th Medical Recruiting Battalion is a geographically dispersed operation headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The Battalion is one of five within the Medical Recruiting Brigade under U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
Find information about USAREC, 5th Medical Recruiting Battalion, including the main commercial and DSN numbers for the base, information on basic services, base transportation, lodging for TDY and PCSing personnel, and inprocessing.
Mission & Units
Medical recruiting–finding military healthcare professionals who want to serve their country in uniform–is the mission of the 5th Medical Recruiting Battalion.
5th Battalion has a large responsibility–it recruits across more than 700 thousand miles through all of Texas, plus Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Louisiana, Arkansas, and elsewhere. Those assigned to the battalion may or may not work at its headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.
Contacts
Main Address And Telephone Numbers
1939 Buck Road
Bldg. 2003, Suite 34
JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234
- 210-295-0813
- 312-471-0506
Important Contact Numbers
- Executive Officer (210) 338-3462
- Operations Officer (210) 338-3477
- Operations NCO (210) 338-3474
- Advertising and Public Affairs (210) 338-3466
- Marketing (210) 338-3472
- Personnel Services (210) 338-3471
- Information Management (210) 338-3480
- Support Services (210) 338-3479
Surrounding Area
The City of San Antonio features a variety of attractions including the historic site of the Alamo, which along with several other “frontier missions”, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.
San Antonio has plenty of Tex-Mex cuisine, dancing and nightlife, and the expanded Riverwalk area is a real hit with out-of-town visitors. Texas is also known for its barbecue and music venues, professional sports including the San Antonio Spurs basketball team, museums, and an ever-growing arts scene.
You might not think of San Antonio as a golfing destination, but those who love the links will find much to appeal here including The Quarry, Cedar Creek, and Brackenridge Park golf courses.
San Antonio weather is typically hot–summer averages include highs well into the 90s between June and August, and winter lows at or near 64 degrees in December through November.
Inprocessing and Check-In
You should be assigned a sponsor after getting PCS orders; having a sponsor will be crucial for the unique assignments offered to those relocating to the battalion. Those who do not receive a sponsor or a welcome packet should call 210-338-3471 to follow up.
You will need to schedule an appointment by calling 210-338-3471 to speak to the S1 who will get you an appointment at the Fort Sam Houston In-processing Center. Bring all of the following to that appointment:
- PCS Orders
- DA 31
- Divorce Decree if divorced, single parent, with dependents
- DA Form 348 (Equipment Operator’s Qualification Record; if applicable)
- Civilian drivers license
- Medical, dental & immunization records
- Copy of your last OER/ORB or NCOER/ERB
- Copy of current Leave and Earning Statement
- Copy of current DD93 and SGLV 8286
- Training Records and APFT Card
Health Care
All PCSing troops should discuss their physical duty location with their sponsor before making choices about health care. You may not physically serve at battalion headquarters at Fort Sam Houston and the nearest military base may be farther away than you expect depending on your assignment.
Healthcare at Fort Sam Houston (Battalion headquarters) is provided by the San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMM), a Level 1 Trauma Center with a dozen operating rooms, five oral surgery suites, and four dental rooms. The appointment line is 210-916-9900.
Child Care
All PCSing troops should discuss their physical duty location with their sponsor before making choices about child care.
You may not physically serve at battalion headquarters at Fort Sam Houston and the nearest military base/Child Development Center may be farther away than from civilian child care options. On post, contact the Child and Youth Liaison, Education and Outreach Service for assistance with child care in the local area. Call them at 210-221-9802
Household Goods
All inbound troops PCSing to the 5th Medical Recruiting Battalion are directed to track and manage their household goods shipments via the Defense Personal Property Network at Move.mil. You can get local help from the Fort Sam Houston Inbound TMO office at (210) 221-1605.
Dependent And Retiree ID Card Renewal, Replacement, New Issue
JBSA offers online renewal of both dependent military IDs and military retiree IDs. This service is available via the Joint Base San Antonio official site or scheduled an appointment online using the RAPIDS system.
Schools
School options will depend greatly on where you physically serve. Do not make school choice decisions until you know where you specific duty location is. Discuss these issues with your sponsor well in advance of your need.
Housing
Not all who are assigned to the battalion will work in the San Antonio area, but for those who do, there are multiple options for housing. Fort Sam Houston housing information is available via the Family Housing website. For those living closer to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, visit the Air Force Housing website.
Randolph AFB housing is also privatized and those living closer to that base should use the Randolph Family Housing website to see if any on-base housing options are open to them.
PCS and TDY Lodging
Temporary housing at Fort Sam Houston is privatized and operated by the InterContinental Hotels Group. Reservations are available via the IHG Army Hotels website or call 210-357-2705 ext 5000.
Transportation
The usual ride sharing, commercial taxis, and shuttles may be available upon arrival depending on time of day, demand, etc. Fort Sam Houston offers base shuttle busses for on-base destinations only.
The post is served by two shuttle bus routes; the Hospital Route and the Brigade Route which serves many important destinations for check-in and in-processing including the post Finance Office, Police Station, and “Army Community Service”.
PCS and TDY arrivals should be coordinated with the gaining unit or sponsor. Most new arrivals will fly into San Antonio, but there is an airport in Austin which may also serve those relocating to the area.
Vehicle Registration And Driver’s License
All vehicles operating on post are required to carry proof of required insurance, and all vehicles are subject to 100% ID checks entering, leaving, and operating on post.
Active duty military personnel with a valid driver’s license from another state are not required to carry a Texas driver’s license or Texas license plates.
Annual automobile inspections are required in Texas. You must complete an inspection prior to registering an automobile or obtaining a Texas license plate.