News Articles
With the talk of joint basing dominating headlines at both McChord and Fort Lewis for the last couple years, it was only natural for Air Expo 2010 planners to follow suit and incorporate it into the largest event on the installation open to the public. "That's one of the themes we're
Focus
The chances are good Airman 1st Class Joshua Henry will never forget his first deployment. Nebaa, a 10-year-old Iraqi girl, certainly won't. That's because the two are forever linked in life, as the 21-year-old airman from the 62nd Security Forces Squadron at JBLM-McChord Field performed emergency care on Nebaa after she stepped
Focus
Sgt. 1st Class Eric Richardson had a simple request for his family members back home who wanted to send him a Christmas gift last year: Do something good for Iraqi elementary school students instead. Richardson, a platoon sergeant from the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, asked his parents and family members
Focus
Sitting on a couch watching television and drinking coffee isn't how 86-year-old Ella Young wants to spend the final years of her life. She'd much rather spend her time making people smile. Young is able to do just that as a volunteer at the United Service Organization's McChord Center, where she's been
Focus
With a congregation full of active and retired servicemembers every Sunday, Rev. Bonnie Chandler-Warren is no stranger to the challenges each family faces throughout a career in the armed forces. But that's not to say she can't use more avenues to better embrace and support her military parishioners. Chandler-Warren, who's been the
Focus
The University of Washington's Air Force ROTC program is among the best in the country - and it has the hardware to prove it. The program (Detachment 910) was named the 2007 "Right of Line" Winner, an annual award handed out to the best large detachment in the nation. The award
Operation Family Support
Originally started July 4, 2008 as a way to celebrate troops' safe return home in conjunction with the patriotic spirit of Independence Day, BuildASign.com decided to give away 10,000 free banners to families interested in ordering one for their loved one. Company executives figured it would take a few months before
Veterans
When the duty to volunteer calls, there are some things Herb Schmeling is never caught without: a blanket and a cot. While conducting deployment briefings on what the United Service Organization offers to troops and handing out bags filled with goodies, the 61-year-old retired command sergeant major is often prepared for
Focus
Before putting out her feelers to gauge interest in garnering volunteers to help feed the less fortunate at the Tacoma Rescue Mission, Staff Sgt. Lisa Wood didn't know what kind of response to expect. After all, it was only the first time the 5/6 Club at JBLM-McChord Field had done any
Focus
It might have taken nearly 10 years and six auditions, but Tech. Sgt. Katie Badowski can finally call herself a member of Tops in Blue. Badowski was selected last week as a member in the singing ensemble of the 2010 team, an all-active duty Air Force special unit made up of
Focus
Throughout his deployment to Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Staff Sgt. Christian Hamilton was constantly tossing around ideas about ways to help his wounded comrades. One finally came to him while playing a game of poker, and the inaugural "Hold'em for Heroes" poker tournament was born. "He's a big poker player, and that's
Focus
It started out as a routine appointment to get some professional photos shot to send to her deployed husband. But before Joint Base Lewis-McChord spouse Bethany Lord knew it, she and photographer and fellow spouse Kara Trimmer had decided to start their own magazine. "I just wanted some pictures for my husband
Focus
Heather Murray was devastated after she had to pull out of last year's Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walk without completing the 60-mile trek through Seattle. Plantar fasciitis - an irritation and swelling of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot - sidelined the 37-year-old Murray after
Focus
Growing up with a mother in the Air Force, Airman First Class Anthoney Williams knew what he was getting into when he decided to enlist after graduating from high school. As for his experience in Tops in Blue, the Air Force's all-active duty entertainment showcase? That's an entirely different story. "It's been
Focus
How do different temperatures affect honey? Does white bread, wheat bread or sourdough bread grow the most mold? Which brand of popcorn leaves the fewest un-popped kernels? More than 50 Joint Base Lewis-McChord airmen spent part of Wednesday morning pondering the answers to those science questions as part of their volunteer
News Articles
In the small city of Concrete, located about 25 miles west of Sedro Woolley in Skagit County, Staff Sgt. Paul Rider might be the hardest working guy in the town of 845 residents. Rider, an air guardsman with the 194th Regional Support Wing headquartered at Camp Murray, wears many hats in
Focus
There's no doubt the wide array of weather conditions prevalent in the Puget Sound area don't appeal to everyone. Rain, snow, fog, wind or overcast skies can dampen spirits and even cause bouts of seasonal depression in some people. But the inclement conditions provide the perfect environment for learning to fly a
Focus
Growing up as a child in Oklahoma City outside of Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.,Lt. Col. Rod Lewis developed a deeper love for aviation each time an aircraft flew over his house. The fire burning inside him to become a pilot grew even hotter after his parents received an extra set
Operation Family Support
President Barack Obama's fiscal 2011 budget request calls for a record $8.8 billion for military family support programs. First Lady Michelle Obama told military spouses at a luncheon last week at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. the request represents a three percent increase over current funding, and includes more
Focus
Bud McKay has very thick skin. There are some days when he comes to work and angry callers unleash their wrath on him over being awoken from a deep sleep by a noisy aircraft. "They call me all kinds of names," McKay said. As one of his responsibilities working in the 62nd Airlift
