Benefits
Q: Why did the military retirement system change? A: Under the traditional system, only those who serve 20 years receive a retirement benefit. That means about 81% of service members leave with no benefit. Under the Blended Retirement System, about 85% of service members will receive a retirement benefit, even
Entertainment
As evidenced by such recent films as Halloween Kills and Ghostbusters: Afterlife and The Matrix Resurrections, it can be a tricky thing to stage a reunion of beloved characters from a franchise that debuted long ago, so we hoped for the best but feared for mediocrity when it was announced
News Front
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army, for the first time, is offering a maximum enlistment bonus of $50,000 to highly skilled recruits who join for six years, The Associated Press has learned, as the service struggles to lure soldiers into certain critical jobs amid the continuing pandemic. Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, head
Veterans
The Washington National Guard is comprised of more than 8,000 citizen soldiers and airmen dedicated to the mission of safeguarding Washington state and, if need be, the United States. "The National Guard is the only service where you can fill up sandbags and help your neighbor, put out a fire, and
News Front
DHAKA, Bangladesh - A Maneuver Advisor Team with Force Package 22-1, 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade participated in Bijôy Dibôsh, or the Victory Day Parade, Dec. 16, 2021 in Dhaka, Bangladesh celebrating Bangladesh's 50 years of Independence. The 5th SFAB's MAT 5311 was provided a tour of the country led by
Health
Last month, the Defense Health Agency announced that TRICARE Online Patient Portal (TOL PP) outreach materials will be accessible without login on TOL PP. The portal was expanded to make access of TOL PP outreach materials more accessible for patients and military medical treatment facility (MTF) administrative staff. To access, beneficiaries need to go to the pre-login
Military Life
The spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Sharene Brown, has announced a Five & Thrive initiative, which increases focus and attention on the top five quality of life challenges military families face. The challenges - childcare, education, healthcare, housing and spouse employment - are directly tied to
Entertainment
The numbers are staggering. According to Variety, there were 1,923 series on various platforms in 2021, shattering the record of 1,628 set in 2019. This is why I can't really say my Top 10 list represents the "best" series of 2021; so, let's just call this my 10 favorite new
Focus
Sgt. Laurie Wash believes that journalism is a great way to learn valuable lessons and apply them in her role as a non-commissioned officer. "I think journalism is a great place for people who have a diverse number of interests because it allows you to peek behind the curtain into many
News Front
WASHINGTON (AFNS) - Airmen and guardians who are eligible and elect to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are authorized a four-hour pass, or up to four-hours administrative leave for Department of the Air Force civilians. "We strongly encourage all airmen, guardians, and DAF federal employees to receive a
Explore
We know the weather might not scream "let's visit a waterfall" but Salish Lodge can change that. Salish Lodge and Spa located about an hour from Joint Base Lewis-McChord could be just the winter escape you're looking for. The lodge grants visitors a truly Northwest experience with its cozy interior and
News Front
MilTax is here to support you in navigating the 2020 filing season. This suite of free tax-filing services is available to service members (including members of the National Guard and reserves), immediate family members, eligible survivors and retired and honorably discharged service members (including Coast Guard veterans) until 365 days
News Front
On April 9, 2021 Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III established the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group to examine how the services are implementing these actions and reviewing and updating the definition of extremism in Department of Defense Instruction 1325.06. The full report of the working group was released Dec.
News Front
SEATTLE - As a child, Allison W. Pride was always fascinated with space. Not the space in a galaxy far, far away but in architecture and design. It was this fascination that led Pride, lead architect with Seattle District's design branch, to receive the 2022 Black Engineer of the Year Award
Explore
Winter has officially kicked off, so it's time to plan adventures outside of the obvious movie marathon and Netflix binge weekends. For those seeking an adventure beyond just a day trip we suggest planning a staycation in the Olympia region. It's easy to plan a weekend in Olympia despite what the
Archives
UPDATE: Ken Miller awarded $500,000 in court. This month, Ken Miller will find out if his proverbial fight with city hall was worth it. For the past three years, Miller has spent the better part of his days fighting to keep property that regional transportation authority Sound Transit says it needs
Archives
Club Adrian is what you might call the underdog of the Tacoma underage music scene — not quite as hip as Viaduct nor as publicized as Club Impact, but none the less frequented in droves by scenesters of the local all-ages music scene. I’ve often heard rumors of its existence,
Archives
It sounds too good to be true, but all accounts indicate that the recently-announced Sound Community Initiatives fund will play a brilliant role in revitalizing poor neighborhoods in Tacoma and beyond. Organized by members of the Martin Luther King Housing Development Association and local mogul Larry Kopp, the SCI fund
Archives
What I blew my paycheck on this week. Lover’s Package Plain and simple, I think Valentine’s Day blows. It’s just another holiday pushed by the greeting card companies, the chocolate factories, florists and every restaurant around (does anyone really need an excuse to go out to eat?) via every media outlet known
