News
Champions for Veterans is an organization that helps those who have served maneuver the Veterans Affairs' system by providing the tools necessary to effectively obtain the disability rating they have earned. "We help veterans get the VA disability they deserve," said CEO Gino Johnson, "through the use of an online course,
News Front
This past Monday afternoon during a Change of Responsibility Ceremony at I Corps Headquarters, America's First Corps said farewell to Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Pospisil as it welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Carns. "They are the first example to our soldiers; they are the backbone of our Army; they are leaders
Benefits
Olivia Burley, a military spouse, made it clear to a United Service Organizations (USO) Transition Program member at USO Northwest (USO NW) what she did not want to do in her next career move. "She was very clear about that," began Patrick Creighton, a decorated Army veteran and a senior member
Focus
While a Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadet who majored in business analytics at Auburn University only to be branch detailed into the infantry, 1st Lt. Gavin McGettigan is now not only an infantry officer but a Good Samaritan. Cadets have the opportunity to rank their choice of branches in the Army
News Front
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) representing the South Sound asked the Department of Defense last week to add more homes on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, citing low housing supply and skyrocketing costs as the reasons. With more than 45,000 service members and civilian workers at JBLM, it is the fourth largest military installation
Health
Jim Anderson self-describes as an eccentric. "I realized from a young age that I was different from most other people," the Steilacoom resident began. "When you hear someone describing something or someone as ‘outside of the box,' I would dare say that I've never been ‘in the box' with my ideas,
Military Life
Darlene Pacheco is a collaborative person who truly enjoys being a part of something larger than herself. "I strive to help navigate families to the different resources and the professional help available to them," began the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) Specialist aligned with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 2nd
News Front
The Army will soon be replacing the M4 Rifle and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. With the awarding of a ten-year, $20.4 million contract to Sig Sauer, the XM5 Rifle and the XM250 Automatic Rifle will become the new standard small arms weapons for soldiers. Soldiers will also switch from using 5.56mm
News Front
The sound of demolition, mortar and artillery training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord - particularly at night - ofttimes leads to complaints from the surrounding communities. "We owe the people in those communities an explanation for the noise," began Joe Piek, a public affairs officer at JBLM, "and we work very hard
Family
Jocelyn Suarez knows about foreshadowing in telling a good, scary story. In her short story "Beach," she clues the reader into how a woman turns into a dog by writing, "The beach was as dry as a dog's tongue." Her younger brother, Knight Cassady, wrote a suspense filled mystery entitled "The Ghost
Focus
Lakewood City Councilmember Don Anderson was recently elected to the board of the Association of Defense Communities (ADC). He has served on the Lakewood City Council since 2008. "It is a wonderful opportunity to continue to work toward building community relations with Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) and the South Sound area," Anderson
News
House Bill 1181 honors veterans in a way that is a first for Washington state. Passed unanimously by both the House and Senate earlier in March, Governor Jay Inslee is expected to sign it. The legislation not only calls for a new memorial - The Washington State Global War on Terror
Explore
Blizzard, an Arctic Tundra polar bear, is waiting to meet you. Born in 1995, and soon after orphaned, he now lives at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium (PDZA) in Tacoma. Nearby, red wolves thrive in safety due to the PDZA's work in helping to restore their population after years of
News Front
Military members and civilian workers may receive a 4.6% pay raise - the largest in 20 years - under the Pentagon's annual budget request. This represents a 2.7% increase over the 2022 pay raise, but remains well below the current inflation rate. "This is the largest pay raise in 20 years
News Front
A recently released audit by the Office of the Inspector General determined that the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and military services did not complete screening and treatment of alcohol misuse by service members in a timely manner as per Department of Defense (DoD) guidance. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
News Front
PFC Gerald Burke values and respects the meaning of the word resilience. "My grandfather taught me the value of resilience," began the intelligence analyst assigned to 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, part of the 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. That lesson learned has led to Burke's earning an appointment to
Health
In a just released study, Israeli researchers say that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms can be reduced through the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). "We've started in this research to treat PTSD in a way that seeks to have an effect on the actual physical changes in the brain," said
Military Life
Oliver Space says that it has built a better way to buy furniture. Founded in 2019 by Chan Park, former Head of Expansion and General Manager of Uber Asia, Oliver Space works to remove the hassles surrounding furniture and furnishing selections, letting customers make better use of their time. Park came up
Focus
In an article entitled "Lakewood Mayor Jason Whalen on Ukraine," which appeared in the Suburban Times on Feb. 25, he wrote the following: Lakewood is a military community, home to generations of active and retired military members and their families. Lakewood is also a global community, home to expatriates of Ukraine
News Front
Sonia Garza's love of service began while a student at Sam Houston State University. "The school's motto is ‘The measure of a life is its service,'" she explained, "and it is that founding principal that has guided my decision to serve in capacities that serve my greater community." Her belief that
