An aging hospital in Fort Hood, Texas, is being honorably discharged. The 47-year-old Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center was initially designed to support 17,000 troops; today, it serves 45,414 active personnel and 125,000 family members and retirees. The 70-year-old, 340-sq-mile military base midway between Austin and Waco is the state's largest single site employer.
Despite several upgrades, including a $49-million expansion that doubled its size in 1984, the medical center has been unable to keep pace with Fort Hood's growing health care demands. Each day, Darnall delivers seven babies, fills 4,500 prescriptions and has 202 emergency room visits. The center has also treated more than 4,200 soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.