Downrange Journal
Capt. Albert Lim: "I want my parents in South Korea to know that I love them and that I will see them after the deployment. I am well, so stop worrying."
Downrange Journal
Sadozai Toorjan could not explain why he rode a bicycle away from the village of Hajji Mussah. "Where were you going?" asked MSgt. Joseph Stalinski as Sgt. Nicholas Martinez thoroughly searched him. Toorjan looked puzzled for a moment and then spoke a few words in Pashtun. "He says he's going to his uncle
Downrange Journal
DFAC @ HR2: The center of HR2, or Haji Rahmuddin, this small DFAC provides soldiers with two great meals a day.
Downrange Journal
5/20 Gym: Sgt. Connor Brown works out in 5/20's gym at FOB Pasab.
Downrange Journal
SSgt. Edwin Summers: "I want to wish a happy birthday to our daughter, Lucy. I also want my wife, Leah, and our son, Quinn, to know that I love you, miss you and can't wait to see you." CW2 Jeremy Jones: "I can't wait to see my wife, Susan. I love
Downrange Journal
SSgt Mario Huerta: "I love and miss my wife, Elena, and our children, Natalia and Analia."
Downrange Journal
SSgt. Bruce Huntress: "To my wife, Nancy, and our sons, Steve, Nathan and Charlie I want them to know I am doing well and can't wait for Christmas."
Downrange Journal
Pfc. Geoffrey Tate and Pfc. Joseph Phelps, 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 5-20 Inf., cut wood to build an addition to the dining facility.
Downrange Journal
HR2 - or Haji Rahmuddin - is a very small dot on the map of Afghanistan. In reality, it is small rock and dirt encampment approximately 65 miles southwest of Kandahar. Hesco barriers, T-walls, guard towers, concertina wire and cameras surround the area. Everyone enters through a steel gate, which is secured at
Downrange Journal
Growing up on the tough streets of East Los Angeles, Gilbert Polanco took note of street art. "The graffiti caught my attention," the Specialist assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, said. "It wasn't long before I began to put my name on trains, busses and lamp posts." Judging from what Polanco, who
Downrange Journal
Forward Operating Base, or FOB, Pasab is about 60 miles southwest of Kandahar. For the time being, it is home for the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Rectangular in shape, the FOB is comprised of a dozen LSAs, or Life Support Areas. It is a fairly bare bones facility
Focus
Ken Still told me he's had a wonderful life. "I've been blessed," the retired Professional Golf Association (PGA) and Senior PGA Tour golfer said as we sat in a comfortable dining room at the Fircrest Golf Club last Saturday morning. "I've had a lucky life," added the Tacoma native. A warm, generous and
News Articles
Myles Grant had reason to be happy. "Today is the rededication of a historic structure," the director of the Lewis Army Museum said moments before a ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place on Feb. 21. "I'm very excited about this day and what it means to Joint Base Lewis-McChord." Wade Perrow Construction of
Deals
In these tough economic times, helping others is never a bad idea. "Helping non-profit organizations seems to me to be a win-win situation," Anna E O Barnett, a marketing representative with the Lakewood GEICO, said during a telephone interview. Beginning in March, GEICO (located at 12930 Pacific Highway SW in Lakewood) will
Business News
Larry Tillotson paused for a moment in front of a simple round table. Referred to as the "white table," it is graced by a white tablecloth, a black napkin, a single white candle, a lemon and a small, white plate of salt. A single chair completed the memorial. "It's hard to put into
Focus
Kari Binns sighted an M249 Squad Assault Weapon (SAW) on a paper target 50 meters away. She pulled the trigger and didn't stop firing until the belt of 7.62 mm ammunition ran out. At that instant, the firing line on Range 6B went silent. "Boy," a Soldier standing behind me said. "I
Operation Family Support
Operation Homefront of Washington does not take its mandate to help Soldiers and their families lying down. "We're here to help Soldiers in any way," Tracy Curran, operations manager, Operation Homefront of Washington, said as vehicles lined up next to semi trailers full of mattresses Saturday morning in Lakewood. Operation Homefront provides
Health
Every so often, this fine publication asks me to write a story about an individual's transition from military service to civilian life. These are fun stories to do; I get a glimpse of different individuals' lives and how their military experiences shape their civilian occupations. But in the case of Dr. Tracy
Business News
Pacific Automotive Service Center wants to serve the Joint Base Lewis-McChord community. "They are very friendly to the military and civilian community," Capt. Arslan Chaudhry, commander, Bravo Company, 47th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), wrote in an email. As a promotion to acquaint itself with the local area and the military, the newly
Focus
Standing in a patch of tall grass and brush, Mike Cooke looked at his compass, checked his map and headed off in a northwesterly direction. His objective - which was a red topped, white post - was more than 1,300 meters away. Lucky us, I thought, this was no walk in the
