Focus
Matt Gillooly found his retirement gift in the form of a rusting hulk of an automobile in a farmer's pasture in Alberta, Canada. "There were bullet holes in it; it had been used for target practice," Gillooly, a targeting officer with the17th Fires Brigade, said with a smile. That's just the half
Focus
"Can we hire him?" That question was asked about 10 months ago after Matthew Kiepert entered Sweet Melissa's bakery to buy a cupcake. "One of our employees talked with him and was impressed with his knowledge of baking," explained Amber Arrant, the store's manager. "When she asked if we could hire him,
News
The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) casts a large net in order to help veterans. Lourdes E. Alvarado-Ramos, the newly appointed director of the WDVA, believes that your (her emphasis) Department of Veterans Affairs is "one of the best in the country." What follows is a baker's dozen of some
Archives
A sales tax is a good and bad thing. For many individuals, an increase in the sales tax is not welcomed, particularly in an economy that is only marginally better than it was five years ago. For agencies like Pierce Transit, however, an increase in the sales tax means that it can
Focus
The key to understanding and appreciating James Collins (Jimmy to his friends), a retired Weyerhaeuser executive and Army major general is to read between the lines of his life. The man's experiences span both the civilian and military worlds, and his life is an instructive read. "I become involved in things that
News Articles
The news conference was about cause and effect. On Monday, John McHugh, the 21st Secretary of the Army, signed a memorandum at Joint Base Lewis-McChord ordering the development of an Army-wide Ready and Resilient Campaign Plan to standardize and synchronize support programs. The campaign is one part of the Army's attempt to
Focus
An engine run on a F-4 convinced Gordon Drake to join the Air Force. "The recruiter took me out, let me climb into the back seat and experience an engine run," the 62nd Airlift Wing's highest ranking enlisted Airmen at McChord Field said. "I was hooked." Trained as an aircraft mechanic, 62nd
Focus
Moments after a gray van crashed through Gate 6 at McChord Field, the Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, on Joint Base Lewis-McChord Main sprang into action. "There's a level of synergy in here," Ed Wood, Joint Base Emergency Manager, said as he stood at the back of the EOC. "None of
Focus
Col. Wyn Elder said everyone has a role to play and that every role matters. I told him he had articulated classic Stoic philosophy. Elder's actions last Monday proved me right. Located at McChord Field, the 62nd Airlift Wing is part of Air Mobility Command and provides the Department of Defense with
News Articles
Moments after a gray van crashed through Gate 6 at McChord Field, the Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, on Joint Base Lewis-McChord Main sprang into action. "There's a level of synergy in here," Ed Wood, Joint Base Emergency Manager, said as he stood at the back of the EOC. "None of
Focus
Col. Wyn Elder said everyone has a role to play and that every role matters. I told him he had articulated classic Stoic philosophy. Elder's actions last Monday proved me right. Located at McChord Field, the 62nd Airlift Wing is part of Air Mobility Command and provides the Department of Defense with fast,
Military Life
Joint Base Lewis-McChord definitely has a warm and welcoming Holiday hostess in Patti Brown. In keeping with the holiday season, she and the Lewis Community Spouses' Club (LCSC) will host the Joint Base Lewis-McChord's (JBLM) Holiday Tour of Homes. "We are forging a strong bond in both the JBLM and surrounding communities,"
Veterans
When President Warren G. Harding signed the Second Langley Bill in May, 1922, he appropriated $17 million for the construction of neuropsychiatric and tuberculosis hospitals. That piece of legislation led to the funding for the construction of the American Lake Veterans Hospital. Work on the American Lake facility - built to care
Focus
Twenty-three years ago, a PBY Catalina OA-10 arrived at McChord Field. "The idea was for a Catalina to fly here," explained Raymond Jordan, the administrative curator of the McChord Field Heritage Center. "Instead, it came through the front gate in pieces by truck." So begins a remarkable tale of restoration. In December of 1987,
Focus
At 25 meters, the target - the silhouette of the upper part of the human body - looked very small. "It's scaled down to look as though you're looking at someone 300 meters away," Sgt. 1st Class Angelo Bumagat explained. I watched Bumagat run a safe gun line on Range 16 last
Focus
Twenty-three years ago, a PBY Catalina OA-10 arrived at McChord Field. "The idea was for a Catalina to fly here," explained Raymond Jordan, the administrative curator of the McChord Field Heritage Center. "Instead, it came through the front gate in pieces by truck." So begins a remarkable tale of restoration. In December of 1987,
Focus
After eleven years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Obama administration is shifting U.S. attention to the Pacific in order to counter-balance China's rising clout and North Korea's sometimes erratic foreign policy. To those ends, I Corps' leadership discussed how that affects local troops here, during a round-table discussion with
Focus
Sweat poured down Spc. Richard DeJesus' face. "Pretty good workout," he said as we caught our breath. "What a way to start the day." Assigned to 1st Platoon, C Troop, 3rd Regiment, 38th Cavalry Squadron, DeJesus and 20 other Soldiers in the platoon had just finished carrying three litters (with patients), two
Focus
When military members join forces with the American Lung Association, good things will happen. This past weekend, the ALA hosted its second annual "Fight for Air Climb" at the Two Union Square Tower in downtown Seattle. In the middle of the 51-story climb were five airmen from the 5th Air Support Operations
Focus
Last Thursday morning, I breakfasted on cat food and rice. In the early hours of the day before, I had joined 3rd Squad, 2nd Platoon to participate in a 56-hour event called the I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Senior Leaders Mangudai. "There will be little sleep and less food; we'll carry
