Military Policy
WASHINGTON - Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston announced the Army will expand its temporary promotion policy to all non-commissioned officer ranks, giving soldiers more time to complete required training schools. "Our goal is to develop every leader for promotion," Grinston said during a media roundtable Nov 1. "This
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FALLS CHURCH, Va. — There are changes coming soon to the TRICARE retail pharmacy network. Starting Dec. 15, 2021, CVS Pharmacy will join the TRICARE network. At the same time, Walmart, Sam's Club, and some community pharmacies will leave the network. Express Scripts is the TRICARE pharmacy contractor. They manage the
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Debuting in its inaugural year in Seattle with the intent to take the tour nationally, Saddle Up Country Fest - presented by 100.7 the Wolf in partnership with Lane Records and Sky High Music - will kick off on Dec. 4 at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent. Headlining the show
Focus
ARLINGTON, Va. - In July, a class that teaches recovering soldiers to create glass artwork resumed after 14 months on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that it's back up and running, it's providing participants with a unique creative opportunity. The glass blowing class is a one-of-a-kind adaptive reconditioning option
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The U.S. military services have all set deadlines for when service members must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The first of those deadlines, for active duty Air Force personnel, arrived Nov. 2. Right now, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said about 97% of the total force has been vaccinated with at least
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YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER - Just a little over 100 miles southeast of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, nestled in the picturesque shrub-steppe desert northeast of Yakima, one can find the Yakima Training Center. Spanning more than 327,000 acres, YTC is one of the largest warfighter training areas on the West Coast. Every branch of military
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DALLAS - More than 500,000 Department of Defense and Coast Guard civilians and retirees now have access to the largest Exchange in the world, tax free, at ShopMyExchange.com. DoD and Coast Guard civilians were granted in-store shopping access May 1 after a change in DoD policy. To authenticate active and retired
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It's all about the water in Thurston County! From local brews made with artesian well water to interactive educational exhibits, there is no lack of family-friendly activities in the Olympia area. Well 80 Brewhouse, located on Fourth Ave. in Olympia, is built on the site of one of Olympia's famous artesian
Family
November is a month for family celebrations and gatherings, a time for togetherness and giving. November also provides an opportunity to honor military families, recognize their sacrifices and celebrate their service. "We have some amazing families in the Washington National Guard," said Carl Steele, Director of the Washington National Guard's Joint
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Strong relationships make for strong families, and with a strong family back at home, service members can focus on providing the nation with a strong defense. To better help service members build a strong relationship or strengthen an existing one, the Military Community and Family Policy office will host the inaugural
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JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD - The 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade certified 15 advisor teams for Indo-Pacific employment, Oct. 13-Oct. 21, 2021 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Camp Rilea, Oregon during Exercise Vanguard Focus 22-1. The exercise was a culminating training event designed as the final test for 5th SFAB's soon-to-be
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD - The Flying Tigers will gear up Nov. 6 to face the Seattle Rugby Team as part of the XV Series and the first time for a combined Air Force/Army team to compete together in the Military Match Up. "Rugby is the greatest game on the planet," said U.S. Air
Focus
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD - "The first thing that went through my mind when I was notified was that my crews are uniquely prepared to prevail in this kind of environment," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kyle Stewart, 8th Airlift Squadron commander. He was describing his mindset prior to his unit
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First Lieutenant Evan Myers watched as Raleigh Bamer pulled back the piece of tattoo tracing paper that left a stencil of a wizard on his right leg just above the ankle. This is not the first time Myers has seen this. He estimated he had been tattooed 15 times and that
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD - On Oct. 8, the Combat Logistics Battalion 23, Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group from Joint Base Lewis-McChord participated in a three-hour, 7.75-mile hike on Mount Rainier's foothills to commemorate the deaths of 32 Marines from a plane crash that occurred in December 1946. "The Marine
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MADIGAN ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, Joint Base Lewis-McChord - The way Madigan Army Medical Center's Outpatient Pharmacy operates is changing. For years, patients have come to the first floor of the Medical Mall, taken a number, waited to be called, talked to a pharmacy tech, sat back down and waited to
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The good news for the Defense Department is that the vast majority of military members have been vaccinated for COVID, so there won't be a mass exodus of troops come December's deadline. By all recent indications, roughly 90 to 95% of the force has complied with the mandate, with those numbers
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If you're looking to have a spooktacular time this weekend there are plenty of local happenings to entertain all the ghouls and goblins in your life. Friday, Oct. 29 The City of Dupont Parks and Recreation presents Downtown Trick or Treating. Dress in your craziest, scariest, cutest costumes and head downtown for trick-or-treating
Military Life
Debuting in its inaugural year in Seattle with the intent to take the tour nationally, Saddle Up Country Fest- presented by 100.7 the Wolf in partnership with Lane Records and Sky High Music will kick off on December 4th at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent. Headlining the show is the
Jobs & Education
Education is vital to the building and maintaining of a career in both the civilian and military sectors. For many working adults and soldiers, this education has to have a degree of flexibility. UMass Global (University of Massachusetts Global) is one such educational experience designed to help individuals who have busy