Striving to differentiate itself from American Idol, The Voice and karaoke night in the mental ward, here comes another season of Operation Rising Star, the singing contest for soldiers and military family members based on the American Idol format.

Yo, Joint Base Lewis McChord! Do you want to host the rapid fire of hopes and dreams realized and shattered and realized and shattered, like an endless loop of Aerosmith songs - at times, entertaining; at others, it dragged on?

Installations and garrisons interested in hosting 2013 Operation Rising Star events must apply by July 29. Local competitions will be contested in September and/or October. Fort Hunter Liggett in Jolon, Calif., was first to apply this year.

Here is the sales pitch from a news release:

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There's the old proverb, "The best-laid schemes of mice and men go oft awry in golf, which, even if you play against a scratch mouse who should theoretically be an expert, you'll find its best to plan your post-game strategy before it goes hopelessly out of bounds, 'cause if the mouse loses he'll probably get frustrated and throw a club and a ball in the pond, and then you're unsure how to respond, like should you humor him or point out it's just a game, but the thing is, to him it isn't just a game, it's his life, so you have to sit there silently and wait for him to calm down."

What can we learn from this? You should most definitely sign up now for the America's Credit Union's Nov. 8 Charity Golf Tournament at Eagles Pride Golf Course. Here are the details:

Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), WA - America's Credit Union (ACU) is pleased to announce its 13^th Annual Charity Golf Tournament in support of the troops, also known as the Turkey Shoot, which will be held at Eagles Pride Golf Course on November 8th, 2013 with a 10 a.m. shotgun start.

Over 4,000 Soldiers and Airmen are returning from Afghanistan throughout this summer and fall. ACU is raising money for a much anticipated and challenging holiday season. With a perfect storm brewing between the sequestration, cut backs, and the struggling economy we at ACU and the community have an opportunity to support our troops on the most basic of levels; through the Food Basket Program on JBLM, The Madigan Foundation, and Santa's Castle.

Twelve years ago, ACU started the Turkey Shoot to raise additional funds for struggling families on JBLM. With the help of community partners, ACU has raised over $222,000 in donations over the last 12 years.

"We are very pleased with how this event has been able to positively impact the lives of military families," said Ken Leonard, ACU President/CEO. "It's a great venue for community partners to contribute to the JBLM community."

We are looking for sponsors and golfers to become involved. There are multiple advertising & sponsorship opportunities, and teams are welcome. Contact Amy Tiemeyer at 253.912.3214 or atiemeyer@youracu.org to get involved.

Bring your mouse friend.

Thousands attended Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Freedom Fest at Memorial and Cowan stadiums. 

"I've been coming here since 1995," Kingsley Hoover, owner of King's Original Kettle Korn, said as he and Ryan Whittington stirred a large kettle of popcorn.

"And it's great to be here on the Fourth. I love this place."

While vendors offered everything from food and drink to balloons and T-shirts, the infield of Cowan Stadium was covered with classic cars.

"This event is a lot of fun to come and see these classics," Wendy Minnieweather said as she cleaned the engine of her 2005 Mustang Coupe.

"I can't get enough of this place."

Below are seven scenes from yesterday's Fourth of July celebration at JBLM.

>>> 1934 Ford Owner:  Norm Treen, an Army vet, checks over his 1934 Ford during Freedom Fest.

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Ever feel like Joint Base Lewis-McChord is more than just your duty station? Like maybe it's a part of you that just can't be extricated or erased from your brain? Then you might be a JBLM native. One definition of the word native reads ‘living naturally in a particular region' and while you might be questioning how a military installation can be thought of as an entire region, remember that JBLM has its own zip code, a variety of places of employment, tons of housing, a hospital and even an H&R Block storefront - so yeah, there is such a thing as a JBLM native.

Here's how to know if you are one...

10. You're still looking for the proverbial Battle Bean and have purchased a mug, T-shirt or other item emblazoned with that caffeinated combative's cheerful face.

9. You've sat in traffic on I-5 for 30 minutes ... and only made it three miles out of the gate ... any gate ... and you're not even surprised.

8. You know which CDC is best to book in advance and which one will incite an influenza outbreak in your home.

7. You know where the old post office was, where the current post office is and, most importantly, to never go at lunchtime or anytime during the month of December. 

6. You've either moved into more than two neighborhoods on base or you've moved from off base to on base and vice versa.

5. You know to avoid downtown DuPont at lunchtime during the week and, as a result, you've learned all about Galloping Gertie's, $1 Chinese and Norma's Burgers.

4. You still have to stop and think about what JBLM stands for ... so you're more likely to say you work at "Lewis" or "McChord" than use any official BRAC language.

3. Seeing a Stryker pass you on the road barely raises your level of awareness and C-17s or Blackhawks taking off 100 feet away make you yawn.

2. You know that the McChord Exchange has higher-end goods and more selection, but that the Army side of the house boasts the superiorly stocked Class 6.

1. When picking up prescriptions at the Madigan pharmacy, you know to do one of three things: bring War and Peace and expect to finish it, heck, maybe bring Great Expectations too; send your spouse in uniform to take advantage of the better number system; or to just suck it up and dole out the co-pay at Rite Aid and reclaim an entire day.

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013 >>>

1. Well, in Tacoma there's Freedom Fair. Duh. Find details right here. 

2. Then there's a huge celebration at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Click here for details.

3. What's that? You live in Tumwater. Well, they really know how to celebrate the Fourth of July in style with the Artesian Family Festival and Thunder Valley Fireworks show.

4. The picturesque town of Steilacoom also knows how to party on the Fourth of July. Here's a link to Steilacoom's Fourth of July celebration. 

5. Honestly, you should just check in with our Fourth of July Command Center for all the goods.

6. You could blow your fingers off ... but that kind of sucks.

LINK: Thursday, July 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

It's often a highlight of the summer Olympic Games - a team of flexible, coordinated and impossibly strong young gymnasts who put aside pressure and leap, flip and swing their way into history and our hearts.

But they gotta start somewhere - and that somewhere is often the local Y.

Last week, more than 2,000 gymnasts from 107 YMCA gymnastics teams around the country - including 30 from the Lakewood Family YMCA - converged on Savannah, Ga., for the annual YMCA National Gymnastics Championship and Invitational.

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The women were different. The colorful tattoos and body piercings were hard to miss.

"We break stereotypes," Cara Ballinger, the spouse of a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier and member of the Modified Dolls, said matter-of-factly.

"Our tattoos and body piercings do not make us bad women."

Founded by Holly Roettger and granted non-profit status in 2012, the Modified Dolls is a worldwide organization dedicated to living their mission statement of, "We are the Different making a Difference."

Body modification is the deliberate altering of the human anatomy.  It is often done for aesthetics, group membership, body art and self-expression.

Body piercing, ear piercing and tattooing are common modifications.

One looks different.

To Amanda Tomasura, another JBLM spouse, body modification is about art and self-expression.

"I like to think of my tattoos and piercings as art," she said. 

"Some people buy works of art to hang on the walls of their homes; I put art on my body."

>>> JBLM spouses Amanda Tomasura, Jennifer Whitaker, Em Seymour and Jackie Fenton of the Modified Dolls took part in a bake sale last Saturday at Old Navy in the Lakewood Towne Center.Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

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Have you heard about the Facebook page dedicated to the restoration of Wasabi Funyuns? The Walkie Talkie blog hopes it receives thousands of "likes," and hopes even more fervently Frito-Lay will bring them back. Sure, regular Funyuns are awesome; portable, shelf-stable onion rings is an invention right up there with the creation of the vacuum cleaner. And the concept of adding a light dusting - albeit uneven layer - of pale green wasabi powder to them brought tears to our eyes, both figuratively and literally.

Speaking of Frito-Lay, Army and Air Force Exchange Service shoppers will have a shot at winning a $1,000 shopping spree this summer courtesy of the Exchange and Pepsi/Frito Lay. From now through July 25, shoppers can enter at any Exchange store for the chance to win one of 15 $1,000 gift cards redeemable at any Exchange store or online at www.shopmyexchange.com.

Let's face it. Joint Base Lewis-McChord life can get a bit overwhelming, especially with talk of deactivations, Soldier 2020 plans, Interstate-5 traffic hell and trips through The Gauntlet — especially after a year's deployment in Afghanistan.

Sometimes you need to let off a little steam.

Sometimes you need to squirt kids with water guns.

Charlie 52nd Infantry Regiment (Anti-Tank) dropped by Chambers Prairie Elementary School in Lacey earlier in the month for some fun and games. The 3-2 SBCT has partnered with the school, proving a leadership model for the kids, helping them with sports and putting smiles on their faces.

They also squirt the kids with water guns.

Check out the fun and games below.

Aside from being an auto enthusiast with sleeved tattoos, Daymon Fritz, a Tacoma native, is also a talented musician. He jams an acoustic guitar at a local tea and coffee house during open mic nights and is a member of an up-and-coming band, DedElectric.

Fritz's lyrics range from topical to deeply personal, covering relationships, religious jewelry, and even siblings. After finding out that his brother was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan, he begrudgingly promised to play at his funeral.

The song turned into a celebration of his life, said Frtiz. His brother likes to live fast and take life head on and he wanted the song to reflect that passion. Like his brother, Fritz is no stranger to life in the Army.

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