Resources
There is a four-step process by which veterans can receive a disability from the Veterans Health Administration for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. First, tell the truth. That's right - don't lie to the VA. The folks who work there are not stupid. They know that veterans need the
Focus
As the Stryker I rode in bounced across the rolling desert, I could feel the intensity of the training. Two Strykers about 1,000 meters to my right - dust plumes following them across the sage covered desert - bounded ahead to engage light skinned vehicles. "Targets destroyed," a voice said over my
Focus
As I walked across the sand and through the sage of the Yakima Training Center last Friday afternoon, I noticed Spc. Tyler Cross and Pfc. Andrew Moses lying on the ground, patiently tying together two large pieces of camouflage netting. 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment's Command Sgt. Maj. Peter Smith noticed
Veterans
Janice Buckley and retired Command Sgt. Major Herb Schmeling serve the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) community as volunteers. That's an understatement. They serve in ways many of us can only marvel at. They make sustained and noticeable differences - from handing out boxes of cookies and care packages to providing emergency assistance
Focus
As I walked across the sand and through the sage of the Yakima Training Center last Friday afternoon, I noticed Spc. Tyler Cross and Pfc. Andrew Moses lying on the ground, patiently tying together two large pieces of camouflage netting. 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment's Command Sgt. Maj. Peter Smith noticed
Focus
As the Joint Base Lewis-McChord community remembers those who have fallen in defense of this nation on Memorial Day, other soldiers train to defend the country to the best of their abilities. "The training has been very good for us," 1st Sergeant Carl Pinhero, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, said before heading
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Once Leah Hansen stepped over the line of departure (LD), a test of her leadership skills began. An officer candidate to earn a commission in the Washington Army National Guard (WANG), Hansen and 10 other candidates recently honed their leadership skills during a situational training exercise (STX). To become an officer in
Focus
Dr. (Col.) Mark Thompson ran in the traditions begun by the Greek Soldier Pheidippides and the American patriot Paul Revere when he successfully completed this year's Boston Marathon. "This was my 22nd marathon," the Madigan Healthcare System pediatrician said. "And the second time I've run Boston." With more than 110 years of
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The 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 2nd Infantry Division is currently conducting full spectrum training operations at the Yakima Training Center (YTC). "We're conducting training we've haven't done in almost 10 years," CSM Peter Smith explained. "For the young soldiers, this is the first time they've been exposed to this. For
Focus
The PME Hard Gauntlet is tough.Created by CMS John Troxell, the "Physically, Mentally, Emotionally Hard" Gauntlet is designed to work more than the muscles used on the Army Physical Fitness Test."The intent to to give soldiers the core strength they need to face anything on the battlefield," Troxell, I Corps
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Polo is built on horsepower - as in the four-legged kind. "You get to ride fast and bump into people," said Claudia Howell as she put a saddle onto her horse, Sierra. A rider for more than 50 years and a polo player for the past 24 years, Howell worked efficiently and
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Officially, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the country. Unofficially - and more to the point - JROTC is an opportunity for young people to gain self-confidence, leadership skills and have fun. For approximately 360 JROTC
Veterans
Bernie Moskowitz honored the 150th anniversary of the start to the Civil War by talking about Union Army Corporal Jesse Barrick. "I was honored to be the bugler at his reinternment at the Tahoma National Cemetery," Moskowitz said as he cleaned some gear. Barrick had been buried in an unmarked grave in
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Sgt. Christian Duran wore a smile. For four days, he had worked hard to earn his Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB). Introduced in 1944 by then Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Marshall, the badge is a high honor among infantrymen. Earning the badge signifies that an infantryman is a master of the
Resources
Pets are wonderful companions to have in one's home. That said, there are a number of simple precautions to be kept in mind to keep your pet safe. Whether you are thinking about getting a pet - or already have one - take the time to implement some safety precautions in
Veterans
Journalist's Note: As a measure of privacy and respect, only the first names of the veterans interviewed for this story were used. There is a distant look in Bill's eyes - framed by the deep lines on his face - of a man who has seen his share of hard times. He
Focus
Pfc. Guylaen O'Conner liked the T-shirt the Washington Army National Guard sent him. "Yes sir, I liked the shirt and decided to join," O'Conner said as he dug at the roots of an invasive plant. "Besides, I think the Guard is a great organization, and I wanted to serve." That service took
Focus
Members of the Washington National Guard serve in the spirit of their motto - "Citizens Serving Citizens with Pride and Tradition." The Guard's sense of pride and service is on display at the Washington National Guard Museum. Sometimes referred to as "The Arsenal," the museum is located in Building #2 on
Veterans
Bruce Attwood FIXXed me good and won the game. "It's an easy one to learn, but there are so many strategies to use in playing the game," he explained. Attwood had a point as he talked about his game, FIXX. As we sat in a local restaurant and played a game that
Focus
Several Soldiers peered down and into the culvert, looking for the telltale signs of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Standing nearby, Sgt. 1st Class Ian Robb triggered a simulated IED that exploded to the side of and behind the dozen-and-a-half troops. The explosion clearly caught everyone off guard. "Culverts can be a decoy,"
