People Rule
Accolades are not new to Carlene Joseph. She is a two-time McChord Air Force Base Volunteer of the Year (2004 and 2006); McChord Spouse of the Year (2006); and member of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Hall of Fame (inducted 2013). Last year, Joseph, president of the Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter
Military Life
It's one thing to hear about what happens during war or read about it the newspaper. It's another thing entirely to witness firsthand what the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces endure while serving downrange. For those not in the military, the opportunity to know what really happens
Jobs & Education
When my husband joined the Army in 1983, there were no cell phones, no computers and the Berlin Wall was still going strong. The Global War on Terror was nowhere to be seen - at least for most of us. Things have certainly changed during the course of what will be
Military Resources
It's difficult enough to eat right and stay healthy when there are lots of food choices and plenty of time for exercise in your life. But in the military, this isn't always the case. Soldiers often face long hours and limited healthy food selections. Chicken and dumpling MRE, anyone? Moreover,
Health
Most of us have seen service dogs. Sometimes we'll spy one at a restaurant, laying calmly by its master's feet. Or perhaps in the mall, walking sedately as its owner makes his or her way through hordes of people. Usually distinguished by their tell-tale vests, service dogs are trained to
Military Resources
When a family is dealing with a medical crisis, the last thing they want to think about is paperwork. But for military families traveling to Madigan Army Medical Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord and hoping to stay at the nearby Fisher House, paperwork - sometimes lots of it - is
Military Life
Moving to a new base, and a new city, every few years is something most military spouses get accustomed to. For most, packing, unpacking and learning the lay of the land gets easier with each move and eventually becomes almost second nature. What never gets easier, however, is finding new
Family
Jasmine Meredith spends nearly every afternoon working at the Teen Zone on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. But the Lakes High School freshman,14, doesn't get paid - she does it all as a volunteer. For her dedication to volunteering and efforts last year, Jasmine was recently selected as the 2014 Boys and Girls
Military Life
It's every parent's worst nightmare - a phone call from the hospital telling you that your child has had an accident and is on life support. Teresa DeLeon-Cook got that call March 18, 2009, an hour after her son, Dustin, 19, fell more than 40 feet off a bridge into the
Military Resources
You know how when you move to a new place and want to check out the neighborhood, but don't really feel like driving around aimlessly and getting lost? Fear not, Joint Base Lewis-McChord newcomers, because the JBLM Newcomer's Bus will do the driving for you. On the fourth Tuesday of every
Arts
It's hard to think of Tacoma as a frontier town. We think of it as Grit City, the City of Destiny, T-town. It's a working-class hub of industry and art, not an outpost. But in the early-to-mid part of the 20th century, Tacoma, multi-cultural and economically booming, was a frontier for
Military Life
Servicemembers come from all walks of life. As such, their hobbies can vary greatly. Some like to work on motorcycles or cars, others like to compete in marathons or skydive. And some, like Chief Warrant Officer 3 Arthur Mills, Jr., like to write stories. Mills, who is stationed on Joint Base
Family
All children carry with them parts of their parents. This usually comes in the form of DNA and, for good or bad, a genetic inheritance. For Kamrin Cramer, however, it comes quite literally: he carries inside of him one of his mother's kidneys. The 13-year-old Joint Base Lewis-McChord boy received the
Heroes & Awards
The word "hero" is bandied about a lot lately, and often rightly so. Servicemembers returning from war are heroes, and wounded warriors are heroes for persevering in the face of adversity. November is National American Indian Heritage Month, and a perfect time to pay tribute to a group of often-overlooked American
Family
Ill and injured servicemembers and their families are often enduring the most difficult days of their lives. To help ease their burden and help their healing, the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fisher House offers them a place to stay. But it is much more than a hotel. The modest, two-story brick
Health
Looking for a healthier alternative to cigarettes? Want to help out local veteran service organizations? Then start smoking. That's right - smoking. Not smoking in the traditional sense, of course. That stuff is loaded with hundreds of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals like arsenic (used in rat poison), formaldehyde (used to preserve dead
Business News
Most new parents take lots of pictures of their newborn babies. It's only natural to want to preserve those precious moments because they pass all too quickly. Even before daughter Grace (now almost 9) was born, Casey Stewart and her sister Amy Apelar were busy capturing the moment. Once Grace was
Focus
The world of Special Operations Forces (SOF) is a tight-knit community, none as tight perhaps as the brotherhood that makes up the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment. Falling under the purview of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), the elite regiment is comprised of four battalions - 1/75 at Hunter
Business News
They say you only have one chance to make a first impression. For military units and businesses, one way to make a lasting impression is to adorn a headquarters building with memorable, custom-made artwork. Though door mats may not often be thought of as art, the mats supplied by Maingate
Business News
Lakewood Ford likes to thank local Servicemembers. From donating a van to McChord's Airman Against Drunk Driving program in 2011 to collecting frozen turkeys for a Joint Base Lewis-McChord Thanksgiving Feast and care package items for deployed troops, the dealership has lived up to its motto of "veterans serving veterans." And with