Health
In August of 2009, TRICARE began a pilot program in the United States to evaluate the use of web-based technologies to deliver counseling services to beneficiaries, as well as to determine if such access could increase effectiveness and indentify behavioral health earlier. Due to the positive response and high number of
Focus
Sgt. Lester Perez has always enjoyed shooting some hoops, but he thought those days were behind him after he suffered critical injuries last year while deployed with the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. An IED explosion broke both of Perez's legs and, after undergoing eight surgeries at Walter Reed Medical
Health
Military medical coverage is free and all-inclusive most of the time, but there are certain conditions and cases that are not entirely covered by TRICARE, like being overweight. For those who qualify, TRICARE will cover surgical options such as gastric bypass, gastric stapling and gastroplasty. Locally, these procedures will be done
Health
If you've waited in line at the Madigan Army Medical Center's pharmacy and watched those numbers tick by slowly, the idea of going to an outside pharmacy may have crossed your mind. The following is list of some retail pharmacies in both Pierce and Thurston counties that accept Tricare. Note: for
Health
Military healthcare has many moving pieces - from being seen at a military or civilian medical facility to dental and vision plans - and it can be hard to keep track of all of them. The following websites help explain and provide information that can help servicemembers and their families
Military Life
When Chuck Trakel found out that his wife, Master Sgt. Dana Trakel, was set to deploy with her Washington Army National Guard Unit, the 168th Task Force, he had an idea that he shared with their son, Easton. He thought that Easton's baseball team, the Yelm-based Milltown Bombers, could wear Master
Housing
Prior to last September, there were no laws governing home inspectors in Washington. The only licensing that an inspector could obtain before then was a Structural Pest Inspector's license with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, enabling them to recognize things like wood decay and termite damage. While knowledge in
Veterans
Dr. Stephen Shaffer has spent more than 30 years either serving in the military or serving the people in the military, and luckily for locals, once he was assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 1984, he never really left. In 1989, as a captain, he left active duty and simultaneously entered
Focus
Sgt. 1st Class Jose Weeks, 38, is glad that he made the choice to stay in the Army and credits his own mentors for turning him into the Soldier he is today. Weeks, a platoon sergeant with the 2-12 Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Stryker Combat Brigade Team, was recently given
Schools
Students nowadays are already way ahead of the ball when it comes to the technology of their parents, and the curve just keeps getting younger. One class of eighth graders at Pioneer Middle School in DuPont is learning all things multimedia thanks to the school's digital media enrichment course. The 57-minute
Veterans
Military veterans are often entitled to discounts on Veteran's Day in November, but what about the rest of the year? Discounts, benefits and advantages are available to veterans in the state every day, though certain stipulations may apply. Disabled veterans are eligible for a discounted combination fishing license (for fresh water,
Focus
The way to a soldier's heart may indeed be through his or her stomach, but the nurses at Allergy & Asthma Specialty Services in Puyallup have found that a more direct route might be through his or her sweet tooth. "Our nurses are selfless," said Dr. W. Pierre Andrade, a retired
News Articles
On Dec. 3, a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier and his family got to plug in the lights on a 25-foot tall Noble Tree sitting in the State Capitol Rotunda in Olympia, an unofficial signal that the holidays have officially arrived. "This year the governor's office asked JBLM to select a soldier
Veterans
The city of DuPont, hailed as a community with at least a 40 percent military population, has made a gesture that exemplifies its dedication to those who serve. On Nov. 11 - Veterans Day - at precisely 11 a.m., the Global War on Terrorism Memorial in DuPont was unveiled. The
Focus
For the third year in a row, members of Madigan Army Medical Center's Troop Command and their family readiness groups got together on a Saturday to collect donations and assemble boxes that will be sent downrange to deployed hospital staff. At any given point, MAMC has anywhere from 60 to
Operation Family Support
On Friday, Pioneer Middle School in DuPont held a Veterans Day assembly. But unlike other schools, the students had something tangible they needed to give to the soldiers - items they'd been collecting for care packages. Denise Dhane, who founded Operation Make a Soldier Smile in 2006, has worked with the
News Articles
In honor of Veterans Day, Joint Base Lewis-McChord held a special naturalization ceremony on Nov. 9 to welcome 15 new citizens and to pay tribute to the newest recipient of the Outstanding American by Choice, Oscar Bautista Hilman, a retired brigadier general and former I Corps deputy commanding general. The
Veterans
For 105 years the Sacajawea Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Olympia has been working to preserve history, promote education and patriotism. Currently, it has 94 members, many of whom are retired military themselves, who keep busy with a variety of endeavors to further their goals. From participating
Veterans
Retired Major General John A. Hemphill may have paperwork that says he retired from his career in the service 25 years ago, but in many ways, he is still serving the members of both the military and the community in which he lives, every single day. Hemphill is not a man
Veterans
For some local military daughters, encouraging citizenship is a basic fundamental. However, it stems not only from their patriotic lineage, but also from their membership in the Rainbow Girls, a global service sorority that was founded in 1922. The girls of Faith Assembly #145 gathered on national Make A Difference Day
