U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — The U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Program will return to the U.S. Virgin Islands in June 2027 for a major health and wellness mission, spending two weeks in each district providing no-cost healthcare services to Virgin Islands residents, the VI Department of Health is proud to announce today.

The Department received official notification on Friday that its FY 2027 USVI Health Wellness project has been selected for an IRT partnership, clearing the way for the VI Department of Health and military planners to begin preparations for the mission.

“We are truly excited to welcome the IRT back to the Virgin Islands,” said Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion. “We have seen firsthand what this partnership means for our community. It brings much-needed services directly to our residents, at no cost to them, and allows us to reach people who may not always have easy access to care. The men and women of the IRT come into our communities ready to serve. They work alongside our teams, they connect with our residents, and they become part of our community while they are here.”

The 2027 deployment will build on the major IRT health mission conducted in June 2024, when approximately 300 military service members deployed across St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John and delivered an estimated $2.25 million in healthcare services to Virgin Islands residents.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tai Hunte-Ceasar, who serves as the department’s lead for the IRT partnership and has spearheaded the Department’s applications to the program each year since 2023, said the selection represents both the continuation of an important partnership and an opportunity to again significantly expand access to care.

“This is exactly why we have continued pursuing this partnership year after year,” Dr. Hunte-Ceasar said. “IRT brings a tremendous level of medical capacity into the Territory for a concentrated period while giving military personnel the real-world training they need to remain mission ready. It is a true partnership. Our residents receive valuable healthcare services, our local healthcare system receives additional support, and the military teams gain hands-on experience working in a unique community environment. We are incredibly grateful that IRT has chosen to return in 2027.”

The 2027 mission also continues a growing relationship between IRT and the Virgin Islands.

Following the 2023 pilot pediatric medical deployment and the 2024 medical deployment, IRT returned to St. Thomas in June 2025 for a veterinary mission conducted in partnership with the VI Department of Health and the Humane Society of St. Thomas. Military veterinary teams delivered more than 1,100 no-cost veterinary services valued at more than $127,000, including 443 wellness exams, 534 vaccinations and 181 spay and neuter procedures.

The IRT also returned to the territory in July 2025 to conduct cybersecurity training to Schneider Regional Medical Center and the Juan F. Luis Medical Center following cybersecurity attacks in both hospitals. This mission provided no-cost assessments of each Health Informatics and Technology (HIT) systems providing insight on vulnerabilities to prevent future cyber-attacks. This deployment was not publicized at mission time due to the sensitive nature of the service to maintain mission integrity. The VIDOH applied for all these no-cost healthcare related missions and are truly grateful for this ongoing partnership.

For the upcoming 2027 mission, military medical personnel will spend two weeks serving residents in the St. Croix District and two weeks in the St. Thomas-St. John District. The mission is expected to offer the same broad range of basic healthcare services provided during the large-scale 2024 deployment.

Commissioner Encarnacion also recognized the continued support of Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., who has made significant contributions to the success of previous IRT missions in the Territory. The Governor has provided funding for supplemental mission supplies and supported outreach and promotional efforts to ensure residents were aware of the no-cost services available to them.

VIDOH and its IRT partners will now begin the detailed planning process, including finalizing dates, locations, services, staffing and other mission logistics. Additional information on services, eligibility and how residents can participate will be announced as planning progresses.

“We know from our past experience that Virgin Islanders will welcome this opportunity,” Commissioner Encarnacion said. “Over the coming months, we will work closely with our military partners, the Administration, our healthcare partners and our community to make sure we are ready to reach and serve as many residents as possible in 2027.”

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