Spouses
Amber Strickland-Mearns' legs burned more than ever. The steep climb and sharp switchbacks weren't exactly what she had imagined when she mapped out a nearly four-mile hike near Mount Rainier National Park's Narada Falls recently. Hiking for Strickland-Mearns, 27, has become a newfound hobby since her husband, Staff Sgt. Thomas Mearns,
Focus
Some deployments are harder to deal with. While deployed with the 62nd Airlift Wing's 8th Airlift Squadron to Kyrgyzstan and Turkey, Capt. Daniel Hewes missed a couple of key moments in his infant son's development. Of his four deployments, he said, this one was the toughest. "You can see how much has changed,"
Focus
It was an experience Nellie Veitenheimer will always remember. A Glee Project Season 2 contender, Veitenheimer gracefully soared through the air with U.S. Air Force Thunderbird Capt. Michael Fisher, performing barrel rolls and loops July 19 in a F-16 fighter jet during a rehearsal prior to the start of Joint Base
Explore
It didn't take long for Army veteran Matt DeTienne to get hooked on Airsoft. After a general discharge from the Army in September 2010, DeTienne, a Lakewood resident, stumbled upon a new community of military veterans and Servicemembers involved in Airsoft, a simulated combat activity. Airsoft is a recreational activity where opponents
Military Life
Every weekend is an adventure for Senior Airman Audra Stillions and her husband Devon. Along with their 4-year-old son Tobe, the family of three enjoys just about every type of outdoor recreation. From jogging, rock climbing and biking in the summer to camping and cross country skiing in the winter, there's
Focus
Every weekend is an adventure for Senior Airman Audra Stillions and her husband Devon. Along with their 4-year-old son Tobe, the family of three enjoys just about every type of outdoor recreation. From jogging, rock climbing and biking in the summer to camping and cross country skiing in the winter, there's
Focus
Jordan Haines wants kids to dream when he rolls out his one-of-a-kind CoinForce.com jet car. Haines never imagined being involved in the air show industry, much less co-owning a vehicle that shoots flames and reaches speeds of 400 mph in less than nine seconds. But when you work hard and dream,
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When Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Ginn and his wife Michelle celebrated the birth of their third child, now 2-year-old Mary, they didn't know there would be a fourth. This one, however, sleeps in the garage. As a kid, Ginn dreamed about flying planes. Later, that dream turned into owning a
Education
Her last name rings of a fictitious character who built a supreme robot in the Hollywood blockbuster movies Ironman and The Avengers. But this is no performance with million dollar special effects. This is the real deal. Shira Stark, a seventh-grade middle school teacher at Harbor Ridge in Gig Harbor, knows thing
Focus
Now the eyes and ears of the enlisted force at McChord Field, Command Chief Master Sgt. Gordon Drake recently began his new job at the 62nd Airlift Wing and will serve as the main advisor to more than 1,670 enlisted members. The 48-year-old married father of two has been assigned to
Focus
Senior Airman Leah Young has done nothing but learn since she arrived at McChord Field in May of 2010. And when she departs by the end of the month, she plans to bring with her the same mentality as a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs,
Military Life
If you're looking to join a new club, find a place to get away from the everyday stresses of life and hang out with some fun and sociable ladies, then the McChord Field Enlisted Spouses' Club (ESC) may be for you. Whether you're retired, a stay-at-home mom or working and married
Focus
Servicemembers protect our country and our freedom. But one duty that is sometimes overlooked is when they volunteer in surrounding communities. Airmen from the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron at McChord Field spent June 6 volunteering at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville. More than 20 Airmen dressed in civilian clothing conducted
Military Life
It's a thankless job, but Jennifer Schnoebelen is more than happy to do it. Sure, it's an unpaid volunteer position. Yes, it's a part-time job, but it feels more like a full-time job. When you're the new McChord Officers' Spouses' Club (OSC) president, that's just the way it works. Schnoebelen, 31, was
Focus
Nanette Cruz is a small woman with a big heart. Lt. Col Richard Hayes presented the mother of two and grandmother of seven an award and plaque for her volunteer work through the Red Cross May 23 at the McChord Field medical clinic. Cruz has volunteered more than 900 hours over six
Veterans
U.S. veteran James Nakamoto's vision has slowly worsened over the last few years. He recently retired as an architect and simply wants to maintain a high quality of life, do more cooking for his wife and be more socially responsible when in public. "In the last years, I can't take notes in
Military Life
It's a thankless job, but Jennifer Schnoebelen is more than happy to do it. Sure, it's an unpaid volunteer position. Yes, it's a part-time job, but it feels more like a full-time job. When you're the new McChord Officers' Spouses' Club (OSC) president, that's just the way it works. Schnoebelen, 31, was
Focus
From the Harley Davidson comfort bikes to the high performance Ducatis, safety on two wheels was the mission for nearly 100 military riders on May 24. The group began its 20-mile mini trip at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, cruising through Lakewood, University Place and finally to Point Defiance in the Ruston neighborhood
Focus
At an early age, Shawn Bowen's life was challenged with an illness everybody dreads. The Carter Lake Elementary student began a tough battle against lymphoblastic leukemia and endured more than three years of chemotherapy. Only about the last half of his life hasn't been rough. But on May 17, Shawn, 9, felt as
Operation Family Support
It's been more than three years since Tacoma Airman Staff Sgt. Timothy Davis was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED), one of the deadliest kinds of attacks on American troops, in Afghanistan. Losing Davis at the age of 28 has been a difficult process for his family. Lately, however, it
