Operation Family Support
When Noah Schachter was 2 years old, his father, David Schachter, threw a whiffle ball to the youngster. To his father's amazement, Noah was able to hit the ball with a bat. "I thought it was really weird that a child that young could hit the ball with a bat," David Schachter,
Veterans
For starters, the father of six and grandfather of 11 served as an aerial navigator in the U.S. Marines for 12 years, including Vietnam. After being medically discharged in 1972, he worked as a general contractor, building single family residential homes for more than 20 years. Upon his retirement from
Operation Family Support
Thirty-five kids sat at tables stamping, glittering, gluing and writing Merry Christmas messages on folded green or red paper at a local daycare to honor deployed parents and 5th Stryker Brigade soldiers. Gavin, spelled out "honored," repeating letters with marker as a volunteer named their order. Nearby, Nan, addressed her
Operation Family Support
When their car broke down, Sgt. Nick Kirk and his wife, Jaime, had to use their rent and grocery money to repair it. Living from paycheck to paycheck, the couple, who support five children, had no choice. They went for help and were referred to an organization called Operation Homefront, a
Veterans
During his military service, the USO and the American Red Cross were Larry Smith's favorite volunteer organizations. The USO brought blankets to the airport when he and his family were stranded during a PCS move. The American Red Cross was always doing something for the troops, he said. "When I got out of
Stage
I am about to say something that many lovers of modern art will consider downright sacrilegious. Here it is: I do not care for Agnes Martin's paintings. Never have. To me they are boring, and the new show at Tacoma Art Museum has done nothing to change my mind. We
Music
Xylophones. What's the deal with this band? After recently playing Colonies' CD release show at The Den, Xylophones will plug in again this week for a 21-plus show at The New Frontier Lounge on Saturday.Even on vacation, cranberry sauce stains on my warmup pants, I still have questions - like
Focus
Before the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Strykers deployed this past September, Col. Norris, brigade commander, was looking to build a stronger relationship between the local business community and his soldiers. He wanted to establish an Adopt-A-Company program, which would pair businesses with a specific company. The thought was that this would
Focus
Forward Operating Base Lagman, Afghanistan - Everything the two mechanics do at Lagman is a work in progress. A very small place about four hours east northeast of Kandahar Air Field (KAF), Lagman is a vital cog in making sure 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division's vehicles are combat ready. "We fix just
Focus
In talking with Afghanis, one learns quickly that indirect and nuanced conversation is the manner in which business is done. "Being direct does not get us anywhere," Lt. Col. William Clark told me as we headed to a meeting. And speaking of meetings, the Afghanis are not known for being on
News Articles
The Army wants to decrease the weight soldiers carry on missions, and Fort Benning's Maneuver Battle Lab is part of the effort. Last week, 10 Soldiers evaluated a lightweight base plate being developed for the M224 Lightweight Company Mortar System during a series of live-fire, static and movement exercises at McKenna
Deals
A family portrait is something that is usually displayed prominently in your home, saved forever and typically a reminder of fond memories. So when shopping around for a photographer, why not find one that make your portrait truly unique and your experience fairly painless? The first step is booking a session
Focus
Gun 1, Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, fires on a target in the Tora Ghar Mountains.
Focus
I departed FOB Blackhawk in what is my first step to returning home. The convoy back to Kandahar Air Field (KAF) was stopped for a while when a civilian Afghan vehicle detonated an IED buried on the side of the road. The signature weapon of this conflict did its job -
Veterans
Pele Pelekane, Post 138, American Legion, holds the colors prior to the start of the Fifth Annual Remembrance Service at the Tacoma War Memorial Park.
Music
Kids and concerts. Two words you don't normally hear in the same sentence. When I think of concerts, I think loud, crazy and fun. When I think of kids, I think the same thing. So why aren't these two things combined more often?I remember the days of carefree concerts. Going
Downrange Journal
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