Any member of the military, regardless of branch, has attended a Hail and Farewell. The traditional event, used to mark both the arrivals and departures of a unit, brigade or battalion, is often held as a dinner or other social event to promote interaction among the families, as well as the servicemembers.

These off-base venues are happy to host a Hail and Farewell and will be busy doing just that in the coming months as the soldiers Joint Base Lewis-McChord transition in and out.

Though the Ram has multiple locations in the area, the Lakewood restaurant, located at 10019 59th Avenue, is the best one for a large function since it has a private room. Choose from buffet style dinners, like the Pacific Seafood Buffet, which includes Alaskan salmon and shrimp scampi with various sides, or the Big Horn Slow Roasted BBQ Buffett, which offers ribs, wings, pulled pork and all the best barbeque fixings. Plated dinner options consist of many entrees, sides, appetizers and desserts from the regular American fare menu. For more information, call (253) 584-3191.

The Talking Room at McNamara's Pub & Eatery is just that, a large room designated for groups who want to chat over food and drinks. Though the room can only hold 30 people, it does come equipped with a flat panel LCD television that can be used for presentations or slide shows. Parties at McNamara's can choose between ordering from the full menu or creating a custom menu specific for the occasion. Either way, the food is typical Irish and pub-fare, like Guinness Stew, Shepard's Pie and burgers. 1595 Wilmington Drive in DuPont, (253) 964-9200.

To add some entertainment to the event, try taking the group to Cheney Stadium, 2502 South Tyler Street in Tacoma, home of minor league baseball team, the Tacoma Rainiers. The Muckleshoot Casino Party Decks, which were just added this past season, are located along the third base side of the stadium and can hold groups of 50 to 500 people.

The all-inclusive event for 50 attendees includes tickets for up to 50 people; a private group area with umbrellas; a buffet, including hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, cookies, sodas, water, wine and a keg of beer; in-game group recognition on the scoreboard; a hospitality attendant during the game and six parking passes that can be used for group transportation, like buses. For an event here call (253) 752-7707 or email tickets@tacomarainiers.com.

Both the Parkland and Tacoma Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza locations have semi-private rooms that have capacity for about 35 people. Groups can order from the regular menu, which features pizzas running the gamut from plain to gourmet, or look into group orders which are a little more limited. Contact the Tacoma restaurant, 3518 6th Avenue, at (253) 759-1999 and the Parkland restaurant, 210 Garfield Street South, at (253) 535-2405.

If you're looking for a great view to impress the guests, try Jake's Bar & Bistro, 215 Wilkes Street, in Steilacoom. The Celebration Room, situated directly beneath the main restaurant's rooftop deck, has a wrap-around wall of windows overlooking the Puget Sound and can hold up to 65 people, with a minimum of 25 people per event. The menu can range from just casual appetizers and drinks to formal plated meals and the room comes with a fully stocked bar. To reserve the space, call (253) 365-9981.

Head downtown to Tacoma's Museum and University District and check out the Harmon Brewery & Eatery, located at 1928 Pacific Avenue South. Though there is no private room, large groups can be accommodated in two areas within the main restaurant; the spot towards the front can seat 45 people and the section in the back can comfortably fit 100. The best part of the Harmon is truly the flexibility since groups of any size are free to order directly from the wide-ranging everyday menu, consisting of everything from fish & chips to stone-baked pizzas. Members of a large group can also request as many separate checks as needed. Call (253) 383-2739 to book a spot.

Last but not least, the Varsity Grill, at 1114 Broadway in Tacoma, is well equipped to handle events of any size with four separate rooms available for rent. The Upper Dining area, which can hold up to 100 guests, is semi-private and the totally private Vault, located on the second floor, can accommodate up to 300 people are both suited to Hail and Farewells. Depending on the size of the group, dinner can be served plated from the regular menu, which offers a wide array of salads, sandwiches and grilled favorites, or in a buffet style. For additional details, call (253) 627-1229.