_{Balboa High School, in Balboa on the Pacific side of the isthmus, was one of 16 schools of the former Canal Zone Government school system that were transferred to the Department of Defense Dependents Schools System (DoDDS) on October 1, 1979. Balboa High School was the site of the flag incident that led to the riots of January 1964. (Photo courtesy of Canal Zone Brats Web site; used with permission.)}

Education. The former Canal Zone Government school system (kindergarten through junior college) was transferred to the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) system, with the establishment of a new DoDDS region in Panama. In addition to the transferring function were transfer to DoDDS of the employees and teachers, the 16 schools in the former Canal Zone -- some of which were on military installations -- and the property of the school system. The assumption of the Panama Canal Junior College marked the first college operated by DoDDS. Base operations support to the schools was provided by the Army component (the 193 Infantry Brigade (Panama), later reorganized and redesignated U.S. Army South in 1986).

_{Medical care for U.S. community in the former Canal Zone (including the Gorgas Hospital complex -- shown above -- on Ancon Hill adjacent to Panama City) and was transferred from the Canal Zone Government Health Bureau to the Department of Defense (Army Medical Department Activity-Panama) on October 1, 1979. (Photo courtesy of Canal Zone Brats Web site; used with permission.)}

Medical and Veterinary Care. The U.S. Army Health Services Command (in Panama called the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity Panama or MEDDAC Panama) assumed responsibility for the provision of health care during the Treaty period to U.S. citizen employees of the Panama Canal Commission and their dependents and certain other categories of personnel in addition to DoD military and U.S. citizen employees and their dependents. (Previously the Health Bureau under the former Canal Zone Government provided medical, dental, and veterinary care to the U.S. community in the Canal Zone, including military and DoD civilian personnel and dependents of both.) Gorgas and Coco Solo Hospitals were transferred to MEDDAC Panama, as well as the small animal hospitals at Corozal and Mindi.

The employees of the Canal Zone Government Health Bureau who operated the facilities transferred with their functions, thereby increasing significantly the MEDDAC Panama organization and the population served by it. The Army in Panama assumed operation of the Health Bureau's mortuary since Army Medical Department Activities do not provide this service.