Focus
If you had told new recruit Dan Yeomans - a computer maintenance technician - that in 40 years he would rise through the ranks of the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) and become its 23rd international president, he would have dismissed you as crazy. But that's exactly what he did. He contributes
Focus
Dr. Bridget Cantrell, a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), PTSD expert and author of several books, including "Once a Warrior: Wired for Life" (2007), is currently offering a military special on the book and its accompanying workbook, "Once a Warrior: Wired for Life - an Interactive Workbook." "The interactive workbook doesn't
Schools
Operation Homefront Washington (OHWA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial and other assistance to Servicemembers, military families and wounded warriors, hosted a Back to School Brigade (BTSB) event Aug. 18 for Joint Base Lewis-McChord families at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood. "We partnered with Dollar Tree for the BTSB,"
Focus
McChord Field Airmen conduct daily missions to Afghanistan and other combat operation zones throughout the Middle East. However, airdrops are only a small part of what these highly skilled and talented Servicemembers do. They're also the driving force behind numerous humanitarian missions in Haiti, Japan, Pakistan and even on U.S. soil.
News Articles
House Armed Services Committee member and U.S. Congressman Adam Smith (WA-9) recently introduced a bill designed to ensure equality of benefits and treatment for all military and veteran spouses - regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identification. The Military Spouse Equal Treatment Act of 2012 was introduced by Smith to
Deals
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) - a Japanese technique known for stress reduction, relaxation and healing, and great treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder - is now free on Fridays for military personnel at Puyallup Valley Reiki on 5th Street in Puyallup. "It's a simple, safe and natural method of healing," said owner Sara-Michelle
News Articles
Amidst overcast skies and a mild summer breeze, the Joint Base Lewis-McChord flag fluttered gently Tuesday morning - as if in reverence of the scene unfolding below. Col. Thomas H. Brittain relinquished command of JBLM to Col. H. Charles "Chuck" Hodges Jr., at a Joint Base Garrison Change of Command ceremony
Neighborhoods
When the class heard that its final exam would be community based, most of the students collectively groaned. But four teenage girls saw an opportunity to give back to the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) community. What began as an assignment in a Beginning Leadership class at Washington High School in
Focus
When an out-of-state, anti-military group picketed outside Joint Base Lewis-McChord on July 27, more than 200 military families, community members and nonprofit organizations, including the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) and the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR), showed up to support JBLM and its Servicemembers. "We attend events that have to do
Veterans
More than 30 years ago when (then) Fort Lewis base commander John Zimmermann left for Vietnam, he never dreamt that on his 90th birthday, the Lakewood American Legion Art Wrye Post 187 would honor him with a new Flags Program. "It's a great feeling to be honored this way," said Zimmermann,
Schools
Monday's official groundbreaking ceremony held on Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM's) Hillside Youth Center also signaled the beginning of construction of two new Clover Park School District (CPSD) schools - Carter Lake and Hillside Elementary. Under the Education of Military Children Covenant, educators, civilian and military leaders and elected officials collaborated
News Articles
As Betsy Reed Shultz shook hands with President and Mrs. Obama last Memorial Day, a wave of sadness washed over her. Exactly one year earlier, she was at Dover Air Force Base receiving the remains of her son, Capt. Joseph William Schultz, a Special Forces Soldier who had been killed
Focus
A thunderous roar engulfed the runway Tuesday at McChord Field as a large grey aircraft touched down gently. The newest C-17 Globemaster III had arrived at its new home safely. "It's an honor and privilege to be here," said Gen. William M. Fraser III, U.S. Transportation Command commander and the pilot who
Focus
St. John Bosco Catholic Church (SJB) in Lakewood will soon be joining an elite group of parishes that have funded and built a Habitat for Humanity (HFH) house. In partnership with the Tacoma Pierce County HFH, the church, located at 10508 112th St. S.W., will fund $65,000 and build a
News Articles
Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Moore of the 627th Force Support Squadron's Honor Guard at McChord Field never thought she'd be nominated for anything special when she accepted the special duty assignment two years ago. However, in Dec. 2011, Moore was nominated for the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Honor Guard Program Manager of
Spouses
Army National Guard Sgt. Leigh Flanigan stood rooted to the spot, eyes glued to the screen in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC). She watched as two men were being chain-sawed to death. But this wasn't another grindhouse movie - it was a confiscated DVD recording of two captured Afghanistan insurgents
Kids
On a whim last fall, 9-year old MacKenzie Booth googled beauty pageants on the Internet and found one in Tacoma. She entered her name. "I was so happy when I passed auditions," MacKenzie said, "that I screamed and jumped for joy." On Aug. 9-12, she will be represent Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the
Military Life
Excited to tell her mother the good news, Casandra Liston anxiously picked up the phone - only to learn that her mom was hospitalized, fighting cancer for a second time, and hadn't told anyone. It was Mother's Day and Liston had just found out she was pregnant again - months
Schools
When Raquel Shoch took a card-making class offered by Totally 4 Troops (T4T), she had so much fun she decided to bring the concept to work. Shoch - an alumnus of Carter Lake Elementary on McChord Field - is also the school's behavioral health social worker and a Madigan Healthcare System
Veterans
The Pierce County Marine Veterans (PCMARVETS) is a new, nonprofit organization created in partnership with American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 1 in Tacoma to assist veterans in filing claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). "The program allows us to reach veterans who have no means of getting to an