Veterans
Memorial Day reminds Americans of the death of their fellow countrymen and women during wartime. The year, the day will be celebrated on May 31. "Memorial Day is very important to those of us who served in combat and may have lost a friend," wrote veteran Larry Heires in an e-mail. Officially proclaimed
Focus
Cadet Airman William Smith sat straight in the chair, looked straight ahead and said, "Joining the Civil Air Patrol looked like fun." He wasn't kidding. A member of the McChord Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Smith is a 6th grader who is looking forward to six glider flights next
Focus
Patti Holloway does not wear an Air Force uniform. However, she exhibits an enormous amount of support and affection for the 2,400 service members assigned to the 446th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Lewis-McChord McChord Field. "I am part of the glue which helps to hold the wing together," she commented. "And
Focus
The picture said it all. Hanging in a hallway next to a conference room in the Western Air Defense Sector facility, the painting depicts the April 19, 1775, skirmish between colonial and British troops just outside of Lexington. The encounter marked the beginning of America's quest to achieve and hold its
Operation Family Support
They are all volunteers. Kristi King prepared care packages; Gina Luplow poured hot coffee; Barbara Thompson talked to soldiers; Kathy Marzolf greeted every soldier who walked in the door at the USO building at McChord Field; Freddie Ellis straightened boxes of cookies. And then there is Ella Young, a woman who has
Focus
Spc. Jonathan Castillo grabbed the Scotch broom plant and pulled. It didn't move. Undeterred, he tugged harder, and this time the plant exploded out of the ground, showering the area with dirt. "That's done," said Castillo as he began to cut through a tangle of Himalayan blackberries. "But there's a lot
Military Life
The C-17 Globemaster III's impressive size was easily matched by the awe and wonder of more than 100 Cub Scouts during a March 20 visit to the JBLM-McChord Field flight line. "You could see the awe in their eyes," said Carla Bench, the cubmaster of Pack 552 from Puyallup. "Everything about
Focus
Would you like the opportunity to test ride an All Terrain Vehicle, or ATV, this weekend? If so, show up at the Off Road Vehicle, or ORV, park on JBLM - Lewis Main on Saturday, April 17. And make the dirt fly. Billed as Demo Day, this first annual event will run from
Focus
Lt. Col. Bill Franklin likes being the host of a really great party. "It's fun; it's the one time of the year that we get to step back from our job," he said of a party he's planning. On April 30 he and his fellow Canadian Air Force servicemembers will host the
Focus
The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) offers students and soldiers the opportunity to serve in the Army. "Everyone's path is unique," said Capt. Travis Delker, the scholarship and enrollment officer for the ROTC program at the university. "There is a way to become an officer; you
Operation Family Support
"When you lose one life, you have to begin another life," said Norma Melo.For Melo, those words go a long way toward summing up how she views the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS. Melo's husband - Staff Sgt. Julian Melo - was one of six soldiers from the
Veterans
A retired Air Force officer has a retired Army officer to thank for his becoming politically involved. "I was sitting in a fireworks booth with retired Army Maj. Gen. John Hemphill when he told me I should run for a position on the school board," recalled Dick Muri."He said I had
Choice Events
One of the programs the American Legion takes a great deal of pride in is its Evergreen Boys State program. "The value of this program is that attendees gain an understanding from the inside on how Washington State government is supposed to work," wrote coordinator Bob Schwartz in an email. "The attendees
Military Life
Work on the town center at the heart of Joint Base Lewis-McChord Main is well on the road to completion. "We've got 13 neighborhoods to plan for, renovate or redevelop," said Boyd Lucas, Equity Residential's vice president for construction management. "The focus is on quality housing." One of those focus points is
Veterans
The security guards at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Main Gate know 94-year-old Chandler Caughie by the age of his identification card. "The guards comment that his military ID is the oldest they've ever seen," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Spaulding during a recent visit with Caughie. The card was issued during the
Veterans
Since leaving the Army in 1997, John Shalikashvili, who turns 74 in June, remains involved with issues concerning service members. He was appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in August 1993, culminating a career that began in 1958. Ranger reporter J.M. Simpson recently talked via e-mail with Shalikashvili to provide
Business News
Harborstone Credit Union stands steadfastly in support of the local area's military members. "We donate nearly $100,000 annually to support service members," wrote Carlene Joseph, vice president, business development and military relations. In addition, Harborstone, Ranger Publishing, and the Boeing Company have worked hard to build alliance with other 15 businesses to
Veterans
The discovery of two glass bottles dating back to the 1920s has led a Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) archeologist to shed light on a part of the post's history. "We had done a survey on the ground behind the museum, looking for a homestead," said Dr. Bret Ruby, an archeologist and
News Articles
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is taking steps toward providing soldiers, airmen and their families with high quality housing. To that end, Army and Air Force leaders celebrated the beginning of privatized housing since the inception of JBLM-McChord Field. A ribbon cutting ceremony marked the event on Tuesday at the new Westcott Hills housing
Focus
The movie "21 And A Wakeup" honors the work of doctors and nurses who served in Vietnam. The film takes place during a four-day period in the 24th Evacuation Hospital, the last hospital during the final days of America's involvement in Vietnam. Director, writer and producer Chris McIntyre produced the work
