Baseball fans rejoice, for spring training is right around the corner and Opening Day will be here sooner than you think.

The Seattle Mariners released details about the club's 8th annual Salute to Armed Forces Night. 

(This from the 446th Airlift Wing PA.)

The Seattle Mariners professional baseball team is hosting its 8th annual Salute to Armed Forces event April 17. The Seattle Mariners will be playing the Detroit Tigers in a game that starts at 6:10 p.m.  Salute to Armed Forces begin at 5:30 p.m., with a special pre-game program honoring the United States Armed Forces, service veterans and support organizations.  

This year the 446th Airlift Wing will represent the Air Force in on field activities, to include first pitch and accepting a plaque honoring the Air Force. 

Reservists can obtain discounted tickets through the 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs office.  Order and pay for your tickets by April 5,  by stopping in at the PA office, Bldg. 1214, Room 110 during duty hours. 

Discounted tickets are: View Reserved seats are $10, Field seats are $25 and Terrace Club seats are $30. Reservists who'd like to go as a group should buy their tickets at the same time. Checks will only be accepted. Please make them out to "446 Orientation Tour."  For more information, call (253) 982-3330.    

The Seattle Times' Hal Bernton wrote an interesting piece on McChord's Operation Deep Freeze mission.

Read it here.

This year's Northwest Pacific Joint Service E-9 Ball will be sponsored by the Air Force.  The ball is set for 6 p.m. Feb. 6 in Hangar 9 on McChord. All E-9s, including active duty, reserve, guard, retired, and their guests are invited to attend. Attire is mess dress or service equivalent for military members and formal for civilians. To sign up, contact one of the following service representatives no later than Jan. 20.

For Air Force, call Chief Master Sgt. Charles Bell at (253) 982-0064; Army: Sgt. Maj. Robert Carmel at (253) 948-2968, Coast Guard; Master Chief Petty Officer John Dunn at (206) 220-7192, Marines; Sgt. Maj. Richard Smith at (360) 265-5248, retirees; Harry Schreiber at (253) 661-9064.

According to one 62nd Airlift Wing deputy commander, this is the busiest season yet of Operation Deep Freeze at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. 

Crews from both the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings are fully entrenched in the mission, which supports the National Science Foundation's research.

Read more about this year's mission here.

McChord Center United Service Organization Manager Tracye Kakely said today the center put together 100 holiday baskets full of non-perishable items for needy military families. Donations for the baskets came in from various volunteers and local businesses.

Representatives from the Marines and the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings picked up the non-perishable items to deliver to the families in time for Christmas day.

Also, for more information on what the USO Puget Sound is doing in the local military community, become a fan on Facebook. In the search area, type "USO Puget Sound." 

Nearly 2,000 emergency services vehicles from all over the U.S. and Canada gathered at McChord Dec. 8, lining up for the miles-long funeral procession for the slain Lakewood police officers. One airman from the 446th Maintenance Squadron stood at attention for nearly four hours as the procession exited the flightline. Read more here.

Aircrews from the 446th Airlift Wing flew some unique cargo recently. Read more about it here.

Four reservists from the 446th Airlift Wing have earned 2009 Fourth Air Force Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez awards in their respective categories.

• Civilian manager - Ralph Myers, 446th Aircraft Maintenance Group
• Senior NCO Aircraft Maintenance - Master Sgt. Brian Goodin, 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
• NCO Aircraft Maintenance - Tech. Sgt. Anna Jezek, 446th AMXS
• Airman Aircraft Maintenance - Senior Airman Joshua McCabe,446th AMXS

The award is presented to maintainers who have demonstrated the highest degree of sustained job performance, job knowledge, job efficiency and results in the categories of aircraft, munitions/missile and communications-electronics maintenance.

Retired Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez, now 77, visited McChord in April to partake in the 62nd Maintenance Group’s Knuckle Buster award ceremony.

After serving at McChord as a maintenance officer in the 325th Fighter-Interceptor Wing in 1962, Marquez later became commander of the 325th Organizational Maintenance Squadron in 1964.

“I fell in love with maintenance guys here at this base,” Marquez said on his visit.

When you think about local companies that support their reserve and guard members, Boeing automatically comes to mind because of all its close work with the government.

But Microsoft was recently awarded the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award — the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers who support guard and reserve employees.

Maj. Stephen Oliver, a reservist with the 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and a Microsoft employee, was one of two reservists who submitted the company for the award.

Check out the print paper in the near future for more on this story.

Armed Service Blood Bank Center hosts a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Chapel Support Center. The blood collected from the drive goes directly to aid wounded servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Interested donors (ages 17 and older) should weigh at least 110 pounds, have been feeling well for at least three days, be well hydrated and have eaten something prior to donating.

According to Victor Shermer with the ASBBC, the goal is to top the previous record of 56 units, which set at a blood drive at McChord earlier this year.

All of the blood donated will go to military members. After the quota for the blood headed to the area of responsibility is met, the remaining units will go to military hospitals in the Pacific Northwest.

For more donation guidelines and to check eligibility, visit www.militarylifeforce.com