One thing was abundantly clear during Tuesday’s regular Facebook Live townhall at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, COVID-19 still dictates base life, however, finding a sense of normal keeps officials motivated to adapt.

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Lt. Gen. Randy George, I Corps and JBLM commander told viewers “we are seeing a bit of an uptick in Covid cases in the local area.” George added that the base population has “generally done a really good job with” following the rules.

With that, he announced AAFES would likely re-open movies at Carey Theater on JBLM-Main around the first week of November. He also greenlighted unit holiday parties, with the caveat that preventive medicine officials on base would soon release the parameters to make that happen.

COVID will also not stop Halloween from moving forward on base, he said. (See story on page 15).

Since March, base officials have maintained tight restrictions on programs and facilities that bring soldiers and family members together. Starting in May, some of those were relaxed as the state moved from lockdown to phase two in Pierce County. George has maintained that the base would follow the same rules provided by state officials. Since then, it has been a slow trickle of further expansions, including some sports camps for children, more openings at base childcare facilities, and most recently, the return of indoor church services. Overall, however, the base remains far from where it was at the start of the year.

George reitierated the same message national leaders in medicine have expressed, namely that the fall and winter could see a resurgence in COVID cases, and in order to keep ourselves, family, and the most vulnerable in our society safe, we must “remain vigiliant on our mitigation efforts.”

Following Tuesday’s townhall, base officials released the following updates:

FITNESS CENTERS:

• Reservations will no longer be required for family members at all JBLM gyms.

• Interested in becoming a fitness instructor? Call MWR at 253-967-5975.

• For more information, visit https://jblm.armymwr.com/categories/sfa. For more information on dress codes at the JBLM Fitness Centers, visit https://jblm.armymwr.com/happen.../fitness-center-dress-code.

MWR HIGHLIGHTS: To see more about current MWR events, visit https://jblm.armymwr.com/

• Haunted Crooked Road is safe way for the family to get out and have some spooktacular fun from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 24 and cost $10 a vehicle. For those with smaller thrill seekers, the Not-So Scary time is from 2 to 4 p.m. and the cost is $5 a vehicle. For more information, visit https://jblm.armymwr.com/.../haunted.../4749998/53393

• MWR is hosting a progressive virtual race series. (See page 2)

• Child and Youth Services is adding a total of 118 spaces within child development centers and school age centers based on utilization numbers. Parent Central will contact families who previously had care as long as they are dual or active service members or active duty with spouse working 30 hours or more. Any remaining spaces will be filled using the new DOD priorities for care. For more information, visit https://jblm.armymwr.com/directory/66661.

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