Focus
In the months after a roadside bomb in Iraq struck his unit's vehicle in 2008, Sgt. Shane Van Fossen knew something wasn't right when he returned home to Georgia. He started suffering from insomnia and had a really hard time remembering things. "I would write lists to help me remember, but then
Focus
To be able to provide for one's family by playing music is one thing. To do it while serving one's country is even more impressive. Tech. Sgt. Jason Crowe, a bass player with the Air Force Academy Jazz Band, considers himself a very lucky person. "This is a great job, and there's
Focus
Upon hearing about being named Air Mobility Command's Outstanding Civil Engineer Air Reserve Component NCO manager of the year, Master Sgt. Glen Tuttle's thoughts immediately turned to the accompanying award banquet this week at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. An airman who spent several deployments in war zones searching for improvised
Focus
Tech. Sgt. Ahmad Adi enlisted in the Air Force in 1997 intent on working as a linguist. The Air Force had other plans for him. And although Adi has encountered his share of career path detours, speed bumps and roadblocks throughout his 13-year military career, things recently came full circle. Adi, an aircraft
Focus
Gathered around a table at the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron headquarters at McChord Field, it didn't take long for a small group of the reserve squadron's airmen to fire off a long list why it was recently named the Outstanding Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron as part of the fiscal year 2009
Veterans
While the number of support programs and resources the military offers to widows has increased quite a bit since the days of World War II, the method of friends coming together to lend support to someone in need has stayed the same. And that's something the Tacoma chapter of the Society
Veterans
Jim Martinson hates to preach. He'd much rather let his life experience speak for him. And it speaks loudly. As a double amputee, the 64-year-old Vietnam veteran has competed in Mono Skiing in the Winter X games, won the Boston Marathon wheelchair division in 1981 and finished second three times, and won
Veterans
Throughout his 23 enlisted years in the Air Force, no matter what base he was stationed at it seemed someone in the wing leadership office - or even the wing commander himself - was always looking for Cy Reck. Good art can have that effect on people. As a favor to a
Focus
A two-time breast cancer survivor, McChord Field spouse Kimberlee Richardson wasn't about to let a small roadblock stop her from accomplishing her goal of getting her education. But with one child already in college and another less than two years away from enrollment, the family was closely watching every education dime
Focus
It seemed only natural that the Stack family joined the Civil Air Patrol's South Sound Composite Squadron together. Husband Rich, a former helicopter pilot in the Marines who later became a commercial pilot, and wife Sue, a one-time flight attendant who earned her pilot's license, had been involved in aviation their
News Articles
With the 56th Army Band providing the soundtrack, about 5,000 Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers and airmen marched by their newly appointed boss on Oct. 15 during a change of command ceremony at Watkins Field. It was a moving sight for Lt. Gen. Curtis "Mike" Scaparrotti, who took over command of I
Health
In an effort to enhance its customers' overall experience at the hospital, Madigan Army Medical Center is embarking on a review process that will help determine what areas it can improve in to better fulfill its mission. For the last few months, Madigan officials have been starting the process of applying
Focus
When the bay of his C-17 Globemaster III is lined with seats of returning troops or family members, Lt. Col. Todd Ray makes it a point to get on the intercom, acknowledge his passengers with a friendly greeting and sometimes even give them a quick weather forecast of the city
Focus
For six great years, Bud McKay got to live his dream. The Air Force veteran and retired reservist from the 446th Airlift Wing got to spend one sunny weekend after another skimming across lakes all over the Pacific Northwest at more than 120 miles per hour behind the wheel of his
Focus
Nearing the final stretch of assembling his first kit airplane in the 24 x 24-foot basement of his Tacoma home, Harold Smith ran into a problem that brought the project to a screeching halt. It had come time to mount the wings to the fuselage and there was no way that
Veterans
Rick Bulman knows first-hand that a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis doesn't have to mean the end of a productive and happy life for veterans. He's been through it, and knows there is hope for those struggling with PTSD. "PTSD is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation," said the former Marine sergeant
Operation Family Support
As the days get shorter and the leaves on the trees start to change colors, people start to get into a fall frame of mind. There are several events across Joint Base Lewis-McChord to help ring in the change of season and embrace all of the great traditions and holidays
Focus
Local Air Force JROTC cadets with a knack for knowing their way around cyberspace will get a chance this month to show off their skills and compete for a trip to Washington D.C. Air Force JROTC teams from Federal Way, Todd Beamer and Washington High Schools will compete this month in
Focus
While Victor Castillo may have had to jump through some hoops and work to solve some snafus regular business owners wouldn't have to ordinarily deal with in the early stages, now he wouldn't trade his situation for anything. He's got a loyal customer base, a supportive landlord and keeps hours that
Veterans
It just became a little easier for mobility-impaired wounded warriors and veterans who play at the American Lake VA golf course to work on their putting skills. Course officials dedicated a mini nine-hole putting green in a ceremony Sept. 17 aimed at honoring prisoners of war and soldiers who remain missing
