Spc. John Alcock Jr. is known throughout his shop in the 542nd Maintenance Company on Joint Base Lewis-McChord as a mechanic who can get things done.

"I can fix pretty much anything they put in front of me," said the North Bend, Ore., native.

The Soldier's got the same reputation at home.

"I'm very blessed," said Gina, John's wife of 10 years.

John has rarely put himself first when it has come to making life-changing decisions. At 18, he dropped out of high school to get his G.E.D. so that he could raise his niece (whom he later adopted) after her mother struggled with substance abuse problems. After working for a lumber company in Oregon for several years, in 2006 John decided to transition from a career in the Army Reserve to active-duty service at age 33 to better provide for the family of five (both entered the marriage with two children from previous marriages).
"Number one, I wanted to serve my country," John said. "I also wanted to provide some stability for my family."

While the family was stationed in Germany, Gina gave birth to the couple's first child, Jordan. After a post-pregnancy procedure at an off base German hospital sent Gina to the emergency room with an infection, John stepped up to help with the healing process. Although the move to Joint Base Lewis-McChord has brought some stability, the family has also gotten bigger, as Gina gave birth to John III five months ago.
"We both wanted a large family," Gina said.

After a long day of work, as soon as he steps in the door at home, John starts tackling household chores and attending to his children's needs. The family is also involved in the Exceptional Family Member Program as Jordan tackles delayed speech challenges and Kaylee, 13, and Christopher, 14, need assistance with their attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

"I'm just doing my job as a father," said John, who deployed to Iraq in 2007. "I'm thankful that my family is healthy, happy and has a roof over their head."
John's generosity extends beyond his own family, as each Thanksgiving and Christmas that the family has been on JBLM it has opened its doors to single Soldiers from the unit that are away from home for the holidays.