With the recent signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the creation of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) passed a key milestone.

The final result of many months of work by planners from both bases, the agreement completes the process of creating the joint base.

JBLM is on track to initiate joint operations in January 2010 and are expected to be fully operationally by October.

JBLM will support C-17s, Strykers, Special Forces and the missions of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

Each of the 12 joint bases created by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) will operate with a unique MOA consistent with its mission.

At JBLM, the Army has the responsibility of managing and providing services to the Air Force units. As the military service component responsible for operating the base, the Army will assign a joint base commander and the Air Force will assign a deputy joint base commander.

The base commander and deputy base commander will have assigned military and civilian personnel for supporting the base. They will not, however, command any of the Army and Air Force units on the base. Those units will be under the command and control of their military service.

When the merger is complete, JBLM will be the largest power projection platform on the West Coast. The site will cover more than 400,000 acres and includes almost 23,000 square feet of work facilities.

Officials estimate JBLM's population will reach more than 100,000, including active duty personnel, reserve and National Guard personnel, family members and civilian employees.

"All of us in the Joint Integration Office and McChord's Joint Base Initiative Office are very proud our agreement was approved and signed with one trip to the vice chiefs of staff," said Col. Chris Schuster, director of the post's joint integration office.

"It shows the quality of the work by our staff and hundreds of people from both installations who had to their daily jobs plus the countless hours to build this agreement."

JBLM will begin an eight-month transitional period at the end of the month. Referred to by planners as the Initial Operational Capability date, it will put the final touches on the plan to meet JBLM's October start date.