Last Updated on October 23, 2026 by Dr. Julie Kim
Military life asks a lot of the whole family. Deployments and TDYs, long shifts on the flight line, PCS moves every few years, a spouse holding everything together at home. It’s no surprise that depression shows up in military households. Too often, it goes untreated because people worry about their career, their clearance, or simply finding the time.
If you’re part of the Davis-Monthan AFB or Fort Huachuca community and medication hasn’t been enough, TMS therapy may be worth a look. Your Tricare benefit can help cover it.
Depression In Military Families Is Common, And Treatable
Service members, veterans and military spouses all face higher rates of depression than many civilians. The causes are familiar:
- Separation and uncertainty during deployments
- Isolation after a move to a new base, far from family
- Sleep disruption from shift work and high-tempo operations
- Transitions like separation or retirement from service
Many people try one or two antidepressants and stop there when the side effects outweigh the benefits. That’s exactly the point where TMS becomes an option.
How TMS Works
TMS therapy uses gentle magnetic pulses to stimulate the area of the brain involved in mood. It’s:
- Drug-free, with no systemic side effects like weight gain or fatigue
- Non-invasive, with no anesthesia and no downtime
- Quick, with sessions of about 30 minutes that you can fit around a duty day
You can drive yourself to and from every appointment, so it doesn’t take you away from your family or your unit.
Who Tricare Covers In Your Family
Tricare West covers TMS for major depression for eligible beneficiaries 18 and older, including:
- Active-duty service members, who pay $0 for covered care
- Spouses
- Retirees and their families
- Adult children on Tricare Young Adult
- Guard and Reserve members on Tricare Reserve Select
To qualify, you’ll generally need to have tried at least two antidepressants without enough relief, and the treatment must be preauthorized by TriWest. Every patient starts with an initial consultation with our provider. If you’re on Tricare Prime, your PCM submits a referral to Tricare for that visit. Tricare Select members can book directly. Brainwave handles the TMS authorization after your consultation.
Close to Base, Built Around Your Schedule
Brainwave Neuro Performance Center is on North La Cholla Boulevard in northwest Tucson.
- Davis-Monthan AFB families can reach us with a short drive across town.
- Fort Huachuca and Sierra Vista families have no TMS clinic closer to home. Many plan their sessions around early or late appointments, or around other trips to Tucson. Our coordinator will help you build a schedule that’s realistic for your family.
“Will This Affect My Career?”
It’s one of the first questions active-duty members ask, and a fair one. Your health records are protected by HIPAA. DoD rules allow providers to notify command only in limited situations, such as a serious safety concern or a condition that affects your fitness for duty. We’ll go over exactly how that works at your consultation, before you start anything.
Seeking care is a sign of readiness, not weakness. Untreated depression is what puts careers and families at risk.
A Veteran-Owned Clinic That Understands
Brainwave is veteran-owned and proud to support the Southern Arizona military community, including through Operation Resource Arizona and Paths for Heroes. Veterans, service members, and first responders also receive 20% off self-pay services such as MeRT, which Tricare doesn’t cover.
Get Started
Call (520) 633-0206 or request a free consultation. Tell us you’re a Tricare beneficiary, and our coordinator will walk you through referrals, authorization, and scheduling, start to finish.
Dr. Julie Kim is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician with over 25 years of clinical experience and has served as Medical Director of the Brain Treatment Center since 2013. She specializes in advanced brain health therapies, including TMS and MeRT, and has treated patients with PTSD, TBI, addiction, stroke, autism, and other neurological conditions. As a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, she is recognized for pioneering safety protocols and physician training in MeRT therapy. Dr. Kim is highly rated for her compassionate, patient-focused care and frequently invited to speak on brain health and performance optimization.