News Front
In single file, the eight Blackhawk helicopters appeared from the south as they approached the Marion landing zone. Slowing to a hover, they gently touched down. Moments later, approximately 80 soldiers assigned to Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, spilled out of the birds, huddled
Outdoors
Put one foot in front of the other. It's called walking, and health professionals have been saying this for years - walking is good for you. What follows is a sampling of where to take a good walk in the South Sound area. Tacoma Nature Center: Located at 1919 Tyler St., Tacoma, this
News Front
First Lt. Erico Sanchez pushed a dirt roller around some playground equipment at the Harry Todd Park. Doing so only strengthened the community connection between the City of Lakewood and the 2nd Infantry Division. "I wanted to come out and help," said the newest officer to join the 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry
Military Life
Sgt. 1st Class Jennifer Cox had a tumor the size of a golf ball in her brain. Talk about something loose in the cranium. Doctors call this an olfactory grove meningioma; she skipped the science and simply named it "Lotto." "It's kinda rare to get a brain tumor," wrote Cox in an
Outdoors
Think of Lakewold Gardens as an artist's studio. Landscape architect Thomas Church drew the principals that provided the intellectual easel for the creation of the gardens. But Eulalie Wagner, the last matron of the Wagner House, provided the vision and drive that resulted in the creation of a gardening masterpiece. "It's tranquil
Jobs & Education
Transitioning from military service to a civilian career field just got a whole lot easier with a brand-spanking new initiative called VIE-25. "The program is an opportunity for readiness in securing very good employment," said Jennifer Weinmann, a worker-retraining advisor at Clover Park Technical College (CPTC). "The majority of servicemembers transitioning
Travel
I watched as the bituminous coal glowed red in a forge. Blacksmith Ray Baker looked and said the coals' temperature exceeded that of molten lava. He shoved a steel rod into the coals; minutes later, he withdrew it and used a pair of tongs to twist it into a circle. This was
Military Life
For automobile owners looking to add a bit of color to their ride, GT Auto Sales and Services is worth visiting. Located at 7004 South Tacoma Way for the past two-and-a-half years, the family-owned independent automotive dealership specializes in affordable used cars and trucks. "GT Auto Sales and Services in Tacoma is
News Front
Comprised of empathy, courage, fortitude, honesty and loyalty, character shapes and guides leadership. "The foundation of our profession is centered on trust ... it will take every measure of competence and commitment to forge ahead," wrote former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, in a recent press release. "Above all
Travel
As I stood inside the Orr Wagon Shop in downtown Steilacoom, I could hear the rain drumming on the roof. Through a westward facing window framed by Nathaniel Orr in 1870, I could see Puget Sound and another gray wall of rain headed my way. Across from me, about a half dozen
News
At 25.7 miles, Army veteran Ron O'Ferrall marveled at a wall of stones and clay to his left and the peaks of White Sand to his right. "I will never forget this wall," he wrote in an email not long after returning from the 27th annual Bataan Memorial Death March held
Benefits & Deals
Christine Kilduff (D-University Place) works for veterans and their families. "One of my goals is to (do) right by veterans and military families who have sacrificed and served our country," the state representative from the 28th Legislative District wrote in an email. To this end, Kilduff has sponsored three bills to benefit
News Front
Dr. (Capt.) Morgan Bernal and Dr. (Maj.) Kimberly Yore each wore a blue glove on one hand and a light yellow one on the other. Was this a fashion statement? "No, it's just the way things happen around here," commented Staff Sgt. Lester Cannon from under his surgical mask. He was grinning. The three
Features
Charlie Wilkins recently brought the cuisine and culture of the Hawaiian Islands to downtown Olympia. The Lanai Café, located at 514 Capitol Way South, opened at the end of August last year. "Hawaii is the only place in the world I know of that welcomes and sends away strangers with affection," Wilkins
Military Life
Divine Cox is a sneakerhead. As such, he admires and collects sneakers as a hobby. He is also experienced in telling the difference between real and fake replicas of sneakers. "I've been collecting sneakers since high school," the young airman with the 62nd Airlift Wing's Public Affairs office related. The birth of the
News Front
Hockey is a full contact sport featuring two teams of half-a-dozen individuals apiece on ice skates trying to put a vulcanized rubber puck into a net. "It's a great sport, and for a full tilt, high functioning dude like me, it's wonderful, " commented Master Sgt. Ty Henrichsmeyer, Team America's goalie,
News
Roger Shaffer thinks sailing Boru, his 34-foot yacht, is akin to flying an airplane. "Sailing is simply flying with a vertical wing," explained the retired Navy and airline pilot. "Navigating a sailboat is also like navigating a plane. It's challenging but fun." Come this Saturday morning, he and approximately 75 to 85 other
News Front
Community partnerships are just as important to the Washington National Guard as they are to the active-duty military. "There are not as many programs to support transitioning Guardsmen as there are for the active-duty soldiers," explained 1st Sgt. Dana Trakel, of the Washington Army National Guard and coordinator for the Joint
News
On the back of Marcus Domingue's shirt appeared the sentence, "I shall either find a way or make one." The sentence suits him in that the Latin word "inveniam" means to find a way, and it happens to be the name of his business, Inveniam Athletics. "I have a soft spot for
News Front
About 150 meters to the right side of the special action vessel, or SAV, a Chinook helicopter slowly moved forward as it maintained an altitude of about 10 feet off the cold water between Ketron Island and Solo Point. The sound and fury of the Chinook's powerful, 3,750 horsepower driven tandem
