News
This March, the Schultz Family Foundation gave a boost to statewide efforts to support veterans with the launch of WAServes. Launched in partnership with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, it's part of the growing AmericaServes network. The idea for the network itself is pretty straightforward.
News Front
The South Sound Military & Communities Partnership has completed its survey of area residents associated with the military for 2016. Formed in 2011, the SSMCP tracks how the military and local communities interact with one another socially and economically. Patterns over the last five years have shown a strong co-dependency -Joint
News
On Aug. 29, 1969, things weren't looking good for Gary Birka and Rick Adler. The two men were fighting for their lives in Vietnam, surrounded by North Vietnamese Army troops. Mortars and small arms fire tore into their platoon's position as they fought for survival. Of their 25-man element, all
Military Life
Children looked on in silence Tuesday as Boris, a working dog at Joint Base Lewis-McChord's K9 unit used his keen senses to seek out an "bomb" - in reality a toy. Boris's trainer, Kennel Master Caleb Christie, had told them to stay as quiet as possible as they watched so
Military Life
"I averaged about a purple heart a year; it's an award that doesn't take a lot of brains to get," Jake Robinson said with a chuckle. Robinson is a retired Green Beret with two decades of service under his belt. He did multiple tours in Vietnam and was wounded several times.
News
On April 23, the Northwest Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of The Bulge met for their Spring Luncheon Program. They met to commemorate World War II's Ardennes offensive and the subsequent allied counter attack. At the luncheon, attendees swapped stories and photos. Bob Parker, who fought in the battle
News Front
On April 26, the Tacoma-Pierce Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Tacoma celebrated the close relationship between the Tacoma community and the military with the presentation of the annual Howard O. Scott Citizen-Service Member Award. The award is named after Kiwanis member Howard O. Scott, a World War II
News Front
Former Green Beret Marcus Domingue, owner of Lakewood cross-fit gym, Inveniam Athletics, has a life story that reads like a manual in manliness. The seasoned combat veteran at first glance seems to be an unlikely champion of women's empowerment. But this year he plans to launch a special program at
News Front
"You never know which organization will work best for the veteran," said Josh Wheeldon, leader of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in Washington state. He was chatting with other veterans and advocates at the Cask and Trotter in Seattle last Thursday as they shared their experiences over drinks
Military Life
When a servicemember dies, it's not just the death of a warrior. It's the death of someone's child, parent or sibling. Over the weekend, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) hosted families of America's fallen military members at its TAPS Joint Base Lewis-McChord Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp for
News Front
The U.S. and Japan have a close alliance. Ironically, this alliance is in many ways the product of the bloody rivalry between the two during World War II and which culminated in the Americans dropping the first nuclear bomb - the most destructive weapon in human history. But the American occupation
News Front
It's not that I don't like American cigarettes, I'm just not used to them," a Chinese officer told a U.S. marine major through an interpreter. The two were chatting after lunch during last week's joint Disaster Management Exchange at Joint Base Lewis-McChord that paired up U.S. troops with the Chinese
News Front
Rain fell at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Monday afternoon. It was a chilly and damp autumn day as members of the 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery's Bravo Battery stood in formation before their families. A cold wind chilled the audience, many rubbed their hands together for warmth. But many of the
News Front
Brass at Joint Base Lewis-McChord broke ground for the new Intrepid Spirit Center, a facility that will help servicemembers suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Oct. 29. Privately funded by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF), the $11 million facility will be the sixth such center in the country and
News Front
Last week, nine students graduated from the American Red Cross' Dental Assistant Program. They were recognized during a ceremony held Oct. 15 at Four Chaplains Memorial Chapel on Joint Base Lewis-McChord before an audience of their friends and family. The program is the first of its kind offered on JBLM
Jobs & Education
De Espresso Liber, a South Sound based coffee roaster is carving out a name for itself in Washington's vibrant coffee scene. It's a small veteran-owned enterprise. Its founder, Alex, is a former Green Beret. Because of the sometimes sensitive nature of special operations, Alex prefers to keep his last name out
News
The veteran community is changing. Women are taking a much more active role in the military, with more jobs opening up to female servicemembers. Combat positions are gradually opening up to female applicants, though several women have already received awards for bravery in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, many women
Outdoors
The fall hunting season is upon us. The Pacific Northwest is famous for its green forests and the wide variety of animals that inhabit them - many of them legal game for hunters. Washington state is home to several varieties of deer, as well as elk, pheasants, grouse, waterfowl, wild
News Front
On the 14th Anniversary of 9/11, Joint Base Lewis-McChord's 2nd Ranger Battalion received two valorous unit awards for combat actions in Afghanistan. The first recognized the members of A Company for actions during Operation Bulldog Bite in November 2010. They were supporting members of the 101st Airborne and the Afghan National
News Front
The Army retired the colors the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, then redesignated the unit the 1st Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Tuesday. Units reflag frequently. It's a part of the realities of force restructuring as the military grows and shrinks to meet demand. And as personnel and budget cuts loom large
