The 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division are about to get even more maneuverable on the battlefield.

This summer the brigade is upgrading their communications equipment to the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 2, a new satellite communication system that enhances a commander's ability to exercise mission command.

The upgraded equipment makes 3-2 SBCT a more adaptive and ready force for future missions around the world.  The new system helps the unit meet the chief of staff of the Army's vision of a globally responsive and modern force.

Read more...

Capt. Tania Donovan of the 17th Field Artillery Brigade takes a few moments from her Thunder Rumble training to spread the word. ...

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - This year's 2nd Annual Thunder Rumble 5k/10k run will take place August 16, in Tumwater, Wash.

More than 200 participants, military and military supporters, hit the road last August to participate in the first Thunder Rumble 5k. 

The event is a partnership project between the 17th Field Artillery Brigade from Joint Base Lewis McChord and the Tumwater-Olympia Association of the United Stated Army Sub-Chapter. The run brings the community and our Soldiers together for a fun time in our hosting cities of Tumwater and Olympia. 

More than 350 participants are expected at this year's race which has been upgraded to a 5k and a 10k run. Both organizations look forward to the relationships built between the military community and both cities as a result of this event.

For more information about this year's Thunder Rumble 5k/10k please go to https://www.facebook.com/#!/ThunderRumbleRun where Soldiers, family and friends can register to participate in this year's event.

GRAB A COFFEE POT AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 8.13.14 >>>

There is no groundswell from U.S. lawmakers demanding President Barack Obama seek their approval for new airstrikes in Iraq, a sharp contrast from his flirtation with strikes in Syria.

The military has sent 130 advisers to northern Iraq to plan for the evacuation of refugees under siege by Islamic militants

Nuri al-Maliki stuck to his guns and refused to accept his removal as Iraq's prime minister today, but his hold on power was tenuous as Iran's supreme leader, a long-time Maliki ally, publicly backed his replacement.

Reporter Medyan Dairieh gained unprecedented access to the terrorist group, spending three weeks embedded with militants across Iraq and Syria.

Crowdsource name?: Although the president has authorized the deployment of about 905 U.S. troops to Iraq, and the military is now conducting airstrikes and airdrops there, the operations still have no official name.

The threat of renewed war in Gaza loomed today as the clock ticked toward the end of a three-day ceasefire with no sign of a breakthrough in indirect talks in Cairo between Israel and the Palestinians.

Twelve Ukrainian nationalist fighters, battling a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine, were killed early today and an unknown number taken captive when rebels ambushed their bus.

Officials in Washington are increasingly worried that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said that the Russian humanitarian aid convoy to Ukraine would not be allowed in, denouncing the effort as an act of Russian "cynicism." 

Endangered Democrat's new ad says he kept the venerable A-10 "Warthog" fleet flying.

The Obama administration is not likely to make major changes to the U.S. Defense Department's ballistic missile defense programs and will focus efforts over the next two years on implementing current plans.

The Pentagon needs to fundamentally change the way it buys satellites in an effort to lower costs as U.S. defense spending contracts.

Less than two weeks after announcing that it was pushing back the initial selection of the technology demonstrator phase of the Joint Multi-Role helicopter program and working to forge a closer relationship with industry, the U.S. Army awarded two development contracts for the effort on Tuesday.

The U.S. Military's ultimate fear: Are aircraft carriers too big to fail.

The Pentagon's Special Operations Command will conduct a social research program in Colombia to help shape future propaganda efforts, newly released military records show.

Dreadlocks, cornrows, twisted braids and other hairstyles popular among African American women will be more accepted across the military after a forcewide review of hairstyle policies prompted several changes.

The Army has implemented changes to how it considers, selects and slates command sergeants major and sergeants major for the privilege of serving in Command Select List positions.

Security major: Even as the U.S. Air Force Academy has reduced the number of majors it offers recently, it has instituted a new program aimed at helping the Air Force fly, fight and win in cyberspace.

Shock waves from battlefield explosions are invisible threats for U.S. Soldiers and their top-of-the-line combat helmets, but with new studies in synthetic human physiology, researchers are learning how to lessen blast wave effects on the brain.

Watching these guys do their job makes our stomach clench.

"YMCA" music-less video makes the Village People look even more ridiculous.

This video essay highlights some of Robin Williams' most notable roles.

More politicians could certainly learn from The Dude.

Baskin-Robbins has some unusual flavors in stores this summer - like "State Fair Fried Dough"!

Welcome to Whip Wednesday ...

LINK: Original photo by Eric Steen

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 13 2014 >>>

1. Washington state is home to such oddities as a giant coffee pot by the side of the road; a garbage-eating goat sculpture in Spokane; mysterious bumps in the landscape near Olympia called Mima Mounds; a replica of Stonehenge - Stonehenge! - in Maryhill. There's even a Menudo Festival in Granger! All of these oddities, and more, have been cataloged into Washington Curiosities by author Harriet Baskas. She'll be on hand at noon in the Washington State History Museum to tell more stories and sign copies of her book.

2. Tacoma's Mad Hat Tea Co. and local band The Cloves teamed up to create a special tea blend. Mad Hat's Tobin and Maureen made their own unique mix of black tea, cinnamon and cloves to spawn "Tea Time with The Cloves." The band will be playing an acoustic set at this favorite Tacoma hideaway on Commerce Street at 4:30. Come have a sip and celebrate this tasteful collaboration.

3. There's street art and then there's graffiti. One can be beautiful, creative and inspiring; the other can be destructive, ugly and a huge nuisance. But the dividing line is difficult to determine. For proof of that, at 4:30 p.m. head to downtown Tacoma's Post Office Building for a graffiti forum featuring representatives of Tacoma Police Department, BIA, Tacoma Arts Commission, Downtown Merchants Group, Fab 5 and the City's Graffiti Task Force. After the panel answers directed questions the floor will open for audience comment.

4. Northwest composer/pianist Scott Cossu has been erroneously slotted into the neo-classical new age section of the record store. Sure, his stuff is mellow, laid-back and relaxing, but Cossu pushes the musical boundaries further than Yanni or John Tesh ever did, would or could. In other words, he's uncategorizable as he flirts with everything from jazz, blues, world and classical. at 7:30 p.m., Cossu, accompanied by John Croarkin playing flute and harmonica, will present a variety of music styles including jazz, blues and his own compositions, which he has described as "heavy mental" and "cosmic national geographic" at the Olympia Timberland Library.

5. Maurice The Fish Records grabs Jazzbones' stage for its Wednesday Sessions series, this time featuring The Thrill, Dear Darkness, Breakaway Derringer at 8 p.m.

LINK: Wednesday, Aug. 13 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Weapons training, obstacle courses, and zodiac boat races are not typically the domain of Army spouses, but the families of Phantom Squadron 3-38th Cavalry are not your typical families. Aug. 1 the 3-38th Cavalry Squadron held a family "Spur Ride" to let families get a taste of what their Troopers do as Cavalrymen. Family members of all ages participated in an obstacle course, treat a casualty lane, individual movement lane, weapons practice at a simulator, a radio communications exercise, and a zodiac boat race on American lake. A "Spur Ride" is a cavalry tradition dating back to the original American Cavalry units where new Soldiers proved their worth as Cavalrymen by completing a series of grueling tasks. In addition to challenging the family members, the event provided an excellent opportunity for families to strengthen relationships in the unit, build trust through shared experiences, and for the squadron leadership to disseminate command information pertinent to family members.

>>> Christian Gomez climbs while his mother, Yaelmine, steadies the rope ladder during the 3-38th Cavalry Squadron family "Spur Ride." Photo crdedit: Patrick McGinniss

At the obstacle course, spouses helped each other over a high wall while children giddily and effortlessly crawled under simulated barbed wire and navigated rope ladders. Once they were through, the families conducted an individual movement lane using Nerf guns and water balloons. Jammed weapons stressed the participants and simulated real world conditions while Lt. Col. Bruce Vitor, the squadron commander, was known to stand in as a target for the simulated hand grenade throw.  After being given a chance to throw a water balloon at the squadron commander, participants evaluated and treated a casualty before pulling them to safety using a foldable plastic litter.

The "turkey shoot" at the marksmanship lane was a hit, no pun intended, where families were familiarized on the M4 carbine before shooting enemy fowl that appear on screen. Like a modern Army version of Duck Hunt the simulator uses compressed air to cycle the weapons and lasers to determine where the families were shooting. When the participants hit the turkeys they were rewarded with gratuitous Hollywood-like explosions on screen.

A short bus trip took families to American Lake where they were showed how to talk on the radio and practiced with soldiers on the other end. After a short safety demonstration families raced each other in zodiac inflatable boats and saw firsthand how important teamwork and communication is when conducting waterborne operations.

After the event concluded everyone returned to the squadron headquarters for a barbeque and awards ceremony. Marie Meyer, wife of Sgt. Michael Meyer from B Troop, was chosen as the "Spouse of the Quarter" and presented with a certificate of appreciation from Vitor. He and Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Alfieri, then congratulated all the participants and handed out commemorative gifts while posing for pictures to capture the special day. The families might have been covered in sweat, mud, and camouflage face paint but all you could see were smiles from the newest Spur Holders of the Phantom Squadron.

Capt. Patrick McGinniss is the 3-38th Cavalry Squadron Fire Support officer.

You know it's the peak of summer in Olympia when all the couches have sprung. They appear in front lawns, in alleys and on street corners - loveseats, davenports, hide-a-beds - all varieties of couch are in full bloom.

Some are stained.

Some are cushion-less.

Some couches are in near-perfect condition.

Some are littered with beer cans and garbage.

Some have signs stating they're free.

Some couches are occupied by folks - surprised they could sit in an empty lot - with feet crossed and basking in the sun.

And each of these couches is beautiful - bleached by weather, patterned with flowers, or cigarette burns, perhaps with the loving scratch of a passerby cat.

We adore Olympia and her blossoming of summertime couches.

Please enjoy the following gallery of Olympia couch beauties ... and the world's ugliest, but most comfortable, chair.

>>> Quince Street on Olympia's eastside

>>> Capitol Way, Near Wildwood and close to Vic's Pizzeria, Spud's etc.

>>> This one is on Phoenix Avenue by Skateland.

>>> Here's another couch on Phoenix Avenue by Skateland.

>>> Here's a couch from Olympia's South Capitol Neighborhood.

>>> I found this one on Legion Way.

>>> I can't remember where I snapped this photo. My guess is somewhere in Lacey.  I was so dumbfounded by its beauty.

GRAB A COFFEE CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 8.14.14 >>>

An Israeli request for a transfer of Hellfire missiles from the United States was put on hold after the White House and State Department learned they were kept in the dark concerning ammunition transfers to Israel in July.

The Pentagon announced Wednesday it had landed a team of less than 20 troops on Mt. Sinjar in northern Iraq to assess the situation for thousands of Yazidis, an Iraqi minority group that fled there after being targeted by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria fighters. 

The governor of Iraq's Sunni heartland Anbar Province said he has asked for and secured U.S. support in the battle against Islamic State militants because opponents of the group may not have the stamina for a long fight.

The Obama administration is grappling with how to bridge the gap between its increasingly dire assessment of the threat posed by the Islamic State group and the limited, defensive air campaign it has so far undertaken.

Hundreds of hardline extremists in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, have begun to openly pledge allegiance to ISIS.

Artillery shells hit close to the center of Ukraine's separatist-held city of Donetsk for the first time today, killing at least one person, as a large Russian aid convoy rumbled toward the border.

As the key battle looms, a report from Ukraine's front lines.

Six former platoon mates of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who spent nearly five years as a Taliban captive in Afghanistan, are shopping proposals for a book and movie that is sharply critical of him.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter test fleet will be able to fly six hours between engine inspections for weapon test and refueling missions, as restrictions on the fifth-generation fighter continue to ease.

Army solider Paul Ieti performed One Direction's "You & I" on last night's live broadcast.

Seven books that teach our troops how to win wars.

Use a remote-controlled robot to tour a closed museum.

What do you do when you log onto Twitter and find out your honey's unfollowed you? Or you try to friend her on Facebook but she never accepts? What if you're also a teen and you just got braces? You fire up this ballad and you double tap, baby.

Here's an amusing PSA about character actors.

Dreams do come true: David Lynch is going to direct a Duran Duran concert.

It's time: Metal album covers featuring sharks

Finally: The height of heroes in the Marvel universe

Robots have all ready taken over the world ...

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Staci Miller

THURSDAY, AUG. 14 2014 >>>

1. CannaCon opens today at 10 a.m. in the Tacoma Dome and runs through Sunday. The cannabis convention is more home-and-garden show than a public smoke-out as marihuana smoking will not be allowed. More than 500 exhibitors - Pipes, vaporizers, dirt, nutrients, lights and everything else but no medicine, because it has to be I-502 compliant. Also expect a whole section about hemp, from biofuels to paper, makeup, all the things that can be made out of hemp.

2. Tacoma Runners was founded over beers. When the weekly running group launches its 3-mile run at a brewery, it's almost like coming home. We have no idea what that means, so meet at 7 Seas Brewing in Gig Harbor at 6:30 p.m. and get in on the party. 7 Seas Brewing was named Best Brewery in Pierce County in the Weekly Volcano's 2014 Best of Tacoma issue.

3. Old Growth Poetry Collective is hosting a weekly poetry open mic at Cafe Love every Thursday at 7 p.m. A different featured spoken word artist from the Cascadia area is featured every week.

4. Not sure what this means astrologically speaking, but it's time again for another Jazz Under the Stars concert, which kicks off at 7 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater of the Mary Baker Russell Music Center on the Pacific Lutheran University campus. The Jazz Sound Trio is in the house, which is comprised of PLU faculty members David Deacon-Joyner on piano, Clipper Anderson on bass and Mark Ivester on drums. In this performance, the trio will back Scott Whitfield, one of the world's greatest jazz trombonists, and his wife, Ginger Berglund, the newest addition to the legendary Modernaires. Show organizers say the event series has only been rained out twice (it heads indoors if it rains), so pack yourself a picnic.

5. New York City-based comedian Joe Zimmerman is praised for his accessible style of comedy that combines absurdity with a fun loving demeanor. He has been selected by Ricky Gervais as a Conan contest finalist and can be heard regularly on SiriusXM and Pandora. He is an original member of the Beards of Comedy. Catch him at 8 p.m. in the Tacoma Comedy Club.

LINK: Thursday, Aug. 14 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

When local runners don blue in DuPont Aug. 16, it will not only be about honoring those who have fallen, but also about raising funds for the men and women who have served and are suffering from post-traumatic stress.

That day the weekly wear blue: run to remember event will be teaming up with VetREST, a nonprofit dedicated to "helping veterans address their challenges and find peace from their hidden battles," which was founded by Maj. Gen. Daniel York.

VetREST finds veterans with PTS and then matches them with a coach who is prepared to help the veteran across all aspects of their life. However, coaching is only the first line of effort. VetREST also focuses on getting veterans involved with organic gardening, paired with companion dogs and, at the end of these modules, veterans receive recommendations for personal mentors to offer long-term guidance.

York, who still serves as an Army reservist, is a recreational runner and beyond the concept of the 501(c)(3) itself, he believed that organized races could be a way to fund this important work. So began Onaway Runs, which was created to manage a countrywide series of races to benefit VetREST. Onaway is a Chippewa word meaning "ready and alert" which York felt fit the tempo of the military and the goal of his nonprofit.

Presently, there are three VetREST chapters: in Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado; and San Diego, California. A fourth chapter is being developed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which is why a race just outside those very gates made sense.

"We have a lot of connections through JBLM and then we learned about wear blue: run to remember.  We reached out to them to see about working together," said Brian MacArthur, race director for Onaway.

"The JBLM chapter of wear blue: run to remember is proud to support the VetREST race, as what they are doing for our United States Armed Forces is consistent with wear blue's overall mission of honoring the service and sacrifice of our American military," stated chapter co-presidents Rachel Elizalde-Powell and Curtis Brake. "The reality is that the war is not over for far too many just because they come back home."  

Registration will open that day at 8 a.m. in Powderworks Park and the run will begin at 9 a.m. All runners will be given a race T-shirt, water and energy bars prior to the run as part of the $45 entry fee. Following the race there will be an awards ceremony with medallions for top finishers.

"The event will be timed and conclude at 10 a.m., but this is primarily a group run, not a race," explained MacArthur.

A raffle for assorted prizes will also be held afterward; both spectators as well as runners are welcome to participate and purchase tickets. To register for the run in DuPont, go to http://bit.ly/1tCoCPH.

Following the run near JBLM in August, there will be runs in Boulder and Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the West Point Military Academy and then 2014 will conclude with a turkey trot in Belton, Texas, near Fort Hood.

"The goal is to make these annual events," said MacArthur. "In years to come we really want to turn this (in DuPont) into a larger-scale run."

For more on VetREST, visit www.vetrest.org. 

GRAB A COFFEE POT AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 8.15.14 >>>

Israel secured supplies of ammunition from the Pentagon last month without the approval of the White House or the State Department.

Op-ed: Time to rein in the Pentagon's mysterious slush fund.

Late Thursday night armored vehicles and military trucks from Russia crossed the border into Ukraine near Donetsk.

U.S. President Barack Obama declared Thursday that U.S. airstrikes had broken the siege of an Iraqi mountain sheltering civilian refugees and that troops conducting reconnaissance there would be withdrawn.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he has agreed to leave office and clear the way for his designated successor to take over.

The Obama administration's Iraq policy seems premised on the idea that the terrorist Islamic State is so toxic that it will be self-limiting and ultimately self-defeating. But that's not the view of senior U.S. intelligence officials.

Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said that troops would continue to monitor and assess  "human suffering" throughout the country, even as he acknowledged that the situation of thousands of members of an Iraqi religious sect who had been marooned on a mountaintop in Iraq is much better than first thought.

The United States will supply Lebanon's army with additional munitions and ordnance in a bid to bolster the force after clashes with jihadists, the US ambassador to Beirut said Thursday.

The Defense Department's spokesman on Thursday said military leaders remain committed to carrying out President Obama's pivot to Asia, despite ongoing unrest in other parts of the world.

In just the past year, the Pentagon sprinkled $500 million worth of military equipment to local law enforcement.

Groups on the left and right are uniting behind calls to end what they say is the rise of a "militarized" police force in the United States.

The most senior U.S. military officer to visit Vietnam for decades held talks with Communist Party officials in Hanoi on Thursday, in the latest boost to ties between the former wartime foes.

The U.S. Army plans to hold a competition in fiscal 2016 to develop the next phase of its controversial battlefield intelligence system.

Deaf and hearing impaired people say a bill opening up the Air Force to them is a call they do hear.

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III has issued a call to all Airmen, to help create the 2015 CSAF Professional Reading Program.

Consumer agency: "Fee scam" cheated troops of $5 on financing contracts.

A plush-disguised camera lets drivers keep an eye on back-seat infants.

Here's a clever way to rid your home of unsightly cables: just hide them in plain sight.

A thousand tiny robots swarming into shapes like intelligent insects.

Here's the winning game board from the National Scrabble Championship.

Tom Hanks' new app turns mobile devices into typewriters.

Enjoy a prog-rock playlist curated by the Flaming Lips.

Finally: Fourteen Things You Don't Know About Back to the Future.

Of course someone has made an eight-bit version of the Twin Peaks intro. ...

LINK: Original photo by Justin Connaher