The soldiers and airmen of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the fourth largest military installation in the country, are always busy. With 27,000 servicemembers reporting to the base, it should come as no surprise that their list of accomplishments keeps growing - and 2013 was no exception.

Here, the guys who pen the headlines in public affairs share what stood out most over the past 12 months.

"From shutdowns to milestones, and from saving lives to delivering cargo, the citizen airmen of the 446th Airlift Wing continue to exceed their standards, and thrive through difficult times - and they have the awards to prove it - just ask the Seattle Seahawks," summarized Master Sgt. Jake Chappelle, 446th Public Affairs.

The 2,200 reservists who make up the unit were even recognized on a national stage when the 446th AW was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The secretary of the Air Force awards the AFOUA to units that showcased exceptional service or achievements, which set the unit above and apart from similar units. This was the sixth time the 446th AW have received the award.

But the awards didn't stop there; the 446th Safety Office was named the AFRC Safety Office of the Year and received the Air Force Flight Safety Award since they reported no Class A mishaps in the last five years.

The airmen from the 446th, as well as the 62nd Airlift Wing, also completed Operation Deep Freeze - a mission that saw them successfully move almost 1,700 passengers and more than 2.1 million pounds of cargo from Christchurch, New Zealand, to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The endeavor took a total of 42 C-17 Globemaster III missions and almost 450 flying hours.

Over on Lewis, the year began with a visit from Secretary of the Army John McHugh, who made his third trip to JBLM since taking office in 2009. Over the course of a few days, McHugh saw the Flight Simulator Training Center to see how Army aviators train and watched 17th Fires Brigade conduct live, virtual and simulation training at the Mission Command Training facility. He also visited with the Army Medical Command at Madigan and toured the National Center for Telehealth and Technology.

In June, the Army released the news that the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Division, would be inactivating in March 2014. The most significant challenge is figuring out where the 4,223 soldiers - ranging from colonels to privates - still in the brigade will be placed next, according to Col. Jody Miller, 4/2 SBCT commander.

August saw another notable piece of news for JBLM when 7th Infantry Division soldier Staff Sgt. Ty M. Carter was awarded the Medal of Honor and inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes. Carter received the country's highest award due to his heroic actions during a 2009 battle in Afghanistan.

Yet the best stories coming from 7th ID this year all revolved around a singular topic: redeployments and reunions with loved ones. Soldiers from the 2nd SBCT, 3rd SBCT, 4th SBCT, 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade and 555th Engineer Brigade all returned home to JBLM.

"Over the past year in the 7th ID, we had the honor of welcoming home and receiving many of our brigades that were deployed at the time of our reactivation. Once we had all of the team back, we were able to more thoroughly implement leader development systems and Ready and Resiliency programs," said Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, 7th ID commanding general. "These efforts have allowed us to improve readiness and ensured that we are capable of providing trained, ready and disciplined brigades in support of the I Corps and Pacific Command missions."

Professional athletes also took the time to recognize JBLM this year. In August, the Seattle Seahawks announced that they would adopt the 446th AW as the official military unit of the 2013-14 season ... and what a season it's been.

"The Seahawks and the 12th Man represent one of the cornerstones that make up one of our Air Force core values, ‘excellence in all we do,' which makes this honor even more gratifying," said Col. Bruce Bowers, 446th AW commander.

Then, in December, the WWE's 11th annual Tribute to the Troops was held at JBLM. The daylong event, which included wrestling matches, autograph signing, photos and even wrestlers reading to kids, was created as a way for these famous, eccentric entertainers to say thank you to the military. More than 3,500 servicemembers and their families attended that day and for those who missed out, the event will be broadcast on NBC Dec. 28.

Here's to an even better 2014 for all those that serve on JBLM!