IT'S ON >>>

The Broncoes are playing the Chargers, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord is hosting a gathering to watch the game.

The leadership at JBLM has arranged for the Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) Real Warriors Campaign and the four former NFL players mentioned above to hang out at Nelsen Rec during today's playoff game. JBLM leadership and the former players will discuss common reintegration challenges facing service members as well as the resources available to help ease the transition from deployment to homecoming ... before everyone huddles around the television to watch the Broncos and Charges battle it out.

Get over there!

It's been a question on everyone's mind since the very first NFL playoff game when the Chicago Bears faced off with the Portsmouth Spartans in 1932. Who's tougher? An Army soldier or an NFL football player? One is paid millions of dollars to play a game with tons of rules and safety equipment built into the sport. The other is trained to close, engage, and destroy all enemies under any circumstances without rest, food, relief ... and for substantially less money.

When former NFL players Damon Huard, George Wrighster, Samie Parker and Ricardo McDonald walk into Nelson Recreation Center Sunday, you bet a few soldiers, airmen and their families will ponder such a question.

The thought process will only last a few seconds because IT'S NFL PLAYOFF TIME AND THE NFL IS IN THE HOUSE!

The leadership at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has arranged for the Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) Real Warriors Campaign and the four former NFL players mentioned above to hang out at Nelsen Rec during Sunday's Denver Bronco vs San Diego Chargers NFL playoff game. Beginning at 12:30 p.m. JBLM leadership and the former players will discuss common reintegration challenges facing service members as well as the resources available to help ease the transition from deployment to homecoming ... before everyone huddles around the television to watch the Broncos and Charges battle it out.

According to an official JBLM release ...

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has partnered with the DCoE Real Warriors Campaign to show service members and veterans that its members appreciate warriors' service to our country and care about their psychological health and wellness.

The Real Warriors Campaign and the NFL Players Association encourage all warriors who are experiencing psychological health concerns to reach out for care and support and to access available resources.

There's more information about the awesome Real Warrior Campaign after the jump.

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Brig. Gen. William K. Gayler, deputy commanding general, 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, is being assigned to director, Officer Personnel Management Directorate, U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Ky.

Gayler was promoted to brigadier general Sept. 3, 2013 at JBLM.

Here's Gayler's background, according to a release by the 7th ID last September:

Gayler, a Distinguished Military Graduate of North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Ga., received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and was commissioned as an Aviation Officer in 1988. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the National War College.

Gayler is a Master Army Aviator and Standardization Instructor Pilot in the AH-64D Longbow Apache and also rated in the OH-58 Kiowa.

In early December, soldiers of 4-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division participated in fire support certifications at Joint Base lewis-McChord. According to Sgt. Kimberly Hackbarth, "The certification tested soldiers' individual fire support specialist skills based on the training circular for field artillery gunnery including hands-on evaluations of radio proficiency, map reading and use of the M2 compass."

Read Sgt. Hackbarth's full story "Fire support soldiers certify on FO skills".

Representatives from 14 South Sound county and city organizations met Friday to sign the Memorandum of Agreement, agreeing to increase their financial support to the South Sound Military & Communities Partnership.

With federal government support shifting from the SSMCP's general fund to focus more on specific projects, the city and private organizations from Pierce and Thurston counties agreed to kick in more money.

Since SSMCP's inception in May 2011, its support has been predominately from federal funds - 90 percent federal and 10 percent local.

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The 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division's early morning Holiday Run ended with the presentation of what one individual called the perfect Christmas gift.

More than 4,000 soldiers plus a number of city of Puyallup fire fighters and police officers participated in a 4-mile Holiday Run at a 9-minute pace on Joint Base Lewis-McChord - North this morning.

"This is perfect, the perfect Christmas gift," said Connie Dotson moments after receiving two checks worth more than $12,000 from the Puyallup chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and 2nd Brigade.

Dotson oversees the Lancer Soldier & Family Fund.

>>> Col. Louis Ziesman, commander, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, talks about the Hearts Behind the Shield cookbook, part of the brigade's initiative to raise funds for a memorial. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

"We promise to raise more money; there will be more," pledged Eric Kantor, a leader in the Captain Meriwether Lewis Puyallup-Sumner Subchapter of the AUSA.

The organization turned over a check worth $2,240.

As to the brigade's $10,000 contribution toward establishing a memorial, Zeisman touted the unit's Hearts Behind the Shield cookbook.

"This is a wonderful collection of recipes from the soldiers who come from all parts of the country," he said.

"I have to tell you - the hot crab cake dip is great!"

He said that more than 1,700 copies of the book had been sold. 

>>> Col. Louis Zeisman, commander, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza, commander, 7th Infantry Division, led 4,000 soldiers on a 4-mile Holiday Run this morning at JBLM. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza, commander, 7th Infantry Division, ran alongside Zeisman.

"The Army is the most trusted institution in the nation, and I am most proud of this unit."

The money marks the brigade's first step toward the raising of $40,000 needed to construct a memorial honoring its fallen soldiers.

"This gift means a great deal; it is very important that this brigade - which is the only brigade that does not have a memorial - establish one," Dotson pointed out.

Operation Homefront is dedicated to providing emergency assistance to servicemembers and their families 365 days a year and right now that includes providing them with a holiday meal.

The annual Holiday Meals for the Military event creates 7,500 meal kits, which include all the grocery items necessary for a holiday meal for four people - including a $30 Wal-Mart gift card for the purchase of perishable items - and then distributes them to lower and mid-grade ranking military families, E-1 thru E-6, at 22 military installations, including Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which will run the program between Dec. 13-20.

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Spc. Josh Saye smiled broadly as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Superstar John Cena autographed a target for him.

"Josh, thank you for teaching me how to make this target very dead!!" Cena wrote in blue ink on the target after he had fired a M4 rifle and perforated it with more than 50 bullet holes.

"Thank you!" said a very enthused Saye as Cena handed over the target.

"You are the man!"

Indeed.

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Christmas arrives today at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The Lewis Community Spouses' Club (LCSC) is sponsoring its annual Holiday Tour of Historic Homes in the Broadmoor neighborhood tonight from 3 to 7pm.

An earlier tour was held last evening.

The tours begin at the LCSC Cottage and will include 20 homes decorated for the season.

"This is my favorite time of the year," Gwyn Nielsen said as we walked through her home. 

"We have 12 trees decorated because we were married on the 12th day of the 12 month at 12 noon."

Nielsen's husband, Lt. Col. Shannon Nielsen commands 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment.

>>> Cookies await Santa at the home of Maj. and Mrs. Daniel Rempfer.

Not too far distant, Jannette Rempfer looks forward to opening her home for the second time.

Her husband, Maj. Daniel Rempfer is currently deployed to Japan with I Corps in support of Yama Sakura.

"There was a lot to do to prepare for the tour," she said, "but I enjoy doing this."

>>> A unique combination of lighting and decoration gives this room in the Rempfer home the unique feel of "Jack Frost."

Of note was the cookie jar for Santa and the Jack Frost motif in an upstairs bathroom.

"This is our first time having Christmas on post," Rempfer continued.  "And it is good to know that we take care of each other when away from family."

For more information about the tour, visit 1stvice@jblmlcsc.org.

>>> Guests during JBLM's Christmas Tour of Historic Homes will be greeted by the Nutcracker in the home of Maj. and Mrs. Daniel Rempfer.

>>> Christmas cheer begins at the front porch at the home of Lt. Col. and Mrs. Shannon Nielsen.

>>> A veteran of many Christmases, a gumball wreath adorns a door in the Nielsen home.

>>> A large tree lights the living room in the Nielsen home.

"The crossfit community is very tied to the military and law enforcement communities, so it makes sense for us to get involved," said Camille St. Onge, who is an elements coach at CrossFit Finish First in Olympia.

CrossFit Finish First is preparing to host the Northwest Battle of the Beasts this August and test the strength, determination and heart of crossfit athletes from not only their gym, but from Oregon, other areas in Washington and Canada.

"We decided that when we did this competition that we would support our military members and all of the warriors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord by giving a portion of the proceeds to the JBLM Fisher House and the Wounded Warrior Project," St. Onge continued.

The competition, which is part of the national Garage Game series, will take place on Aug. 3-4 at North Thurston High School, 600 Sleater Kinney Rd. in Lacey. Although the specific WADS haven't been released yet - in order to maintain an element of surprise according to St. Onge - there will be individual men and women events in both RX and Scaled divisions, as well as RX two person teams (same sex).

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