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The boy within defined the man people knew and loved. "It was the boy in the man who cared so much for us," said long-time friend Joe Cyr last Friday afternoon during a service commemorating the life of Larry Saunders. "I loved the boy in the man." He died on the afternoon of
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Jason Alves looked carefully to ensure that the bubble in the carpenter's level rested between the lines. It did, which meant the trailer sat level with the ground. "What we're doing here is a type of therapy for veterans," a Navy veteran and the director of the Veteran's
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On Nov. 25, 1968, 1st Lt. San D. Francisco and Maj. Joseph Morrison flew a reconnaissance-escort mission along the border of North Vietnam's Quang Binh province and Laos. While he had flown his requisite 100 missions to conclude his tour, Francisco, a native of Washington, volunteered to fly that day. He flew
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Motivation empowers mentorship. "I've had fantastic mentors, both men and women," explained Lt. Col. (Dr.) Cristin Mount, the chief of Madigan Army Medical Center's Department of Medicine. She leads a team of 320 civilian and military staff that conduct 180,000 outpatient visits and sees 3,800 inpatients annually. "There is something to be said
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A little known pundit named Griff Niblack once quipped, "Sleep is the chain that ties health and our bodies together." Sleep disturbances are common to stress and are linked to an array of physical and mental health problems. Given the operations tempo placed on U.S. military forces since 2001, there is growing
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The 2015 "Health of the Force Report" is the Army's initial effort to evaluate, study and disseminate best health practices at the installation level. Some of the major findings from the soldiers surveyed are as follows: 17 percent were classified as not being medically ready to deploy within 72 hours. Non-readiness ranged from
Military Life
Some soldiers travel on the Polar Express. The title to a 2004 film starring Tom Hanks, the movie is about a boy who boards a train called the Polar Express, which journeys to the North Pole. Once there, the lad is handpicked by Santa Claus to receive the first gift of Christmas. "I
Military Life
It rained hundreds of hams. Early last Thursday morning in front of the Western Air Defense Sector at McChord Field, about 25 community volunteers unloaded a large truck chock full of hams. Operation Ham Grenade 2015 had begun. Its mission was to distribute more than 950 hams to various squadron, battalion and brigade
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Staff Sgt. Jason Grieco bent over in the cold, driving rain as he struggled to start a Homelite Pro. The chainsaw refused to start. "You try it," he gasped to his battle buddy, Sgt. Elvis Linares. Linares leaned over and pulled and pulled and pulled on the starter cord. The saw remained
Military Life
For the eighth year running, soldiers assigned to the Madigan Army Medical Center's Troop Battalion and their family readiness group, or FRG, have made Christmas a bit more special for deployed hospital staff. Operation Santa Claus, an operation that would make the jolly guy himself proud, ended successfully. Over the past several
Military Life
Books are gifts that keep on giving in their ability to entertain and inspire. Finding a bookstore that understands the need to offer a large selection of publications and outstanding customer service only heightens the experience of buying books. Welcome to Garfield Book Company at PLU. Located at 208 Garfield St., within a
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Puzzles can be a challenge to complete. "Each individual is a piece of the puzzle," began Mario Padilla, the newly elected president of American Federation of Government (AFGE) local 1504. An Air Force veteran of 24 years, Padilla is now a civilian employee assigned to the vehicle operations element of the 627th
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An explosion at a chemical weapons site wounded three soldiers and killed another. Moments later, a seven-soldier chemical reconnaissance and decontamination team arrived in full chemical warfare gear, entered the blast area, and began to assess the threat and the casualties. Satisfied with the results, first aid and decontamination procedures began. "We're in
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At the interstellar intersection of numerous Star Wars movies and national defense is an array of new weaponry and progress. Welcome to today's "galaxy far, far away." Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in a several days in theaters around the world. The seventh installment in the Star Wars film series, this
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Serendipity is a wonderful thing. Coined by Horace Walpole in 1754, the word references a Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip, in which the princes were "always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of." Carry Me Productions' (CMP) "Operation Homes for Heroes"
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About a dozen-and-a-half people stepped out of a small bus, walked to the back of a truck and began unloading turkeys. In minutes, 22 turkeys had been off-loaded and were headed into the 16th Combat Aviation Battalion's headquarters. "This is a small way to give back," Steve Bevins said, as he laid
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The eagles gathered for lunch. Known for its keen eyes, courage and strength, the eagle is a perfect symbol for the level and strength of volunteerism in the surrounding communities that support Joint Base Lewis-McChord. To celebrate this spirit of giving back, an inaugural Ranger newspaper Heroes Lunch took place last Thursday
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Yes is better than no. "This is amazing; this building was built with love," said Jodi Land, Fisher House manager at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. "It is wonderful that a lot of individuals donated their money to help others in their time of need; we can say "yes" and not "no" to those
Jobs & Education
Sgt. Jacob Howard is on his way to becoming a great aviation maintenance technician. "With a manual, I can take the world apart," the soldier assigned to the 16th Combat Aviation Battalion said. "I love maintenance; I like taking things apart, fixing them and putting them back together." Stepping back from his vision
Military Life
Never underestimate the power of a dollar bill, especially one donated to a cause dedicated to helping others. "Every gift, even as small as one dollar, goes to helping a child receive a backpack full of food during the school year, a senior citizen food and companionship, or a homeless family
