Monday night the city of Lakewood took a major step in charting the region's future growth and development with Joint Base Lewis-McChord, at least according to the news release.

On Monday night, the Lakewood City Council awarded a contract for professional services to AECOM Technical Services, Inc., to assist the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership (SSMCP) in completing a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) for JBLM and surrounding communities.

The purpose of the JLUS is to create a long-term planning partnership that balances the protection of the health, safety, quality of life, and economic prosperity of local communities while ensuring the continuation of the military missions of the area. The study will emphasize ways to promote coordination, maintain the positive economic impact of the installations, and preserve critical civilian and Department of Defense investments.

The JLUS is a cooperative process among state, county, and local governments, the public and JBLM. The study examines land use, growth trends, and civilian and military activities in a region that hosts a diverse range of critical military operations, highly urbanized and growing population centers, and uniquely valuable environmental assets. The study area consists of portions of Thurston and Pierce Counties, the cities of Lakewood, Tacoma, University Place, Roy, Yelm, Lacey, DuPont, and Steilacoom, the Nisqually Indian Tribe Reservation, JBLM, and Camp Murray.

The project will officially begin in April 2014 and will include multiple opportunities for public participation and comment. The projected completion date for the study is September 2015.

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Russian troops backed by unarmed volunteers stormed Ukraine's naval headquarters in the Crimean port of Sevastopol and raised the Russian flag, as Moscow tightened its control of the Black Sea peninsula.

Ukraine and the art of crisis management.

Officials might not know for years whether Snowden divulged war plans to China and Russia.

Of the three primary missions the Defense Department expects to tackle in the coming decade - protect the homeland, work with allies to increase global security and prepare for a major conflict  - at least one is being cornered by U.S. Special Operations Command.

The Pentagon is making another deposit in its surge to build an arsenal of long-range missiles aimed at breaking down the defenses of potential adversaries, such as China and Iran.

A senior Pentagon official fired back at House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon, who rejected the U.S. Defense Department's latest military strategy review earlier this month.

B-1B, F-16s could be next if Congress blocks Air Force plan to retire A-10.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has told the Navy in no uncertain terms that he wants a second opinion on the controversial Littoral Combat Ship.

Disagreements over fees for MultiCam, a top-performing contender to be the Army's main camouflage pattern, have emerged as the main reason the Army has gone in search of a new pattern.

A Eurofighter Typhoon combat jet is due to fly for the first time with an active electronically scanned array radar later this year.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III discusses the impact sequestration has on the Air Force and why certain choices are being made to achieve the required savings.

The Grunts: Damned if they kill, damned if they don't.

Abby Martin speaks with host and founder of The Young Turks, Cenk Uygur, discussing why he left his job at MSNBC, the corporate media's superficial coverage of news events and the recipe for success in alternative media.

With great power, comes great responsibility. ESPN is touting President Obama's bracket picks for the NCAA basketball tournament.

Wow. Marvel just released the first 11 minutes of Captain America 2: Winter Soldier - which will premiere on April 4.

J.J. Abrams has revealed a few more details about the new Star Wars movie.

Is anyone watching Lindsay Lohan's show Lindsay? Apparently it's quite good.

Bob Balaban isn't the most famous person in Hollywood, but as you can see when connecting the dots of the many "crews" he's been a part of, he might be the best connected.

Seriously, what is Lollapalooza anymore?

Yar, there be Medieval Barbie to slay said dragons!

Finally: Taco Bell socks.

What's that definition of insanity again?

For the first time since 2006, the Air Force and Army at Joint Base Lewis-McChord partnered this week for a joint training on the rapid air deployment of the Stryker.

About 25 Strykers were flown from McChord Field on C-17s to the airport at Moses Lake. The Strykers were then driven to the Yakima Training Center for a three-week exercise.

"The bottom line is this is a great opportunity," Maj. Reed Burggrabe said, a battalion operations officer in the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. "And it can only be done at this location."

With the military's mission focus shifting from the Middle East to the Pacific, JBLM's preparedness for moving an early entry force becomes a focus. That requires being air mobile, a readiness to load and ship armored vehicles.

"To be an early entry means you have to be air mobile," Burggrabe said. "So, we're able to deploy by air to get where we need to go. It gets us in quickly."

It's a concept that hasn't been practiced because the armored vehicles in the Middle East were already in position for use.

"Our focus has been on OIF and OEF for a long period time," Burggrabe said. "Now, we're moving our focus to the Pacific and this is an opportunity to work those roles and build the relationships."

The partnered training Monday and Tuesday at JBLM prepared soldiers and airmen for rapid deployment in support of the Pentagon's shift to the Pacific Theater of Operations.

"This is something we haven't done in a while," Burggrabe said. "Each day we're getting better and better."

The 2-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, the 7th Infantry Division and the 62nd Airlift Wing partnered in this training.

Depending on how much other equipment is loaded, a C-17 can carry two or three Strykers. Since the state DOT requires two Humvees to escort a Stryker on the highways, about 50 Humvees were also transported.

"You can learn it in a classroom," Burggrabe said. "But you can't actually do it until you do it."

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 3.18.14 >>>

At the White House today, 24 people, three of them living, are receiving the Medal of Honor for their valor in wars of past decades.

President Vladimir V. Putin declared today his intention to make Crimea a part of the Russian Federation, defying the United States and Europe just hours after they imposed their first financial sanctions against Moscow since the crisis in Ukraine began.

Foreign policy analysts warn U.S.-Russian relations are heading into a deep freeze.

Don't just sanction Russia, deter it.

A detailed analysis of satellite imagery published Monday provides additional evidence that a Chinese rocket launch in May 2013 billed as a research mission was actually a test of a new anti-satellite weapon based on a road-mobile ballistic missile.

The Philippine government would allow U.S. forces to use its military bases as part of a new security deal expected to expand rotational deployments to the region.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his Pentagon colleagues may be trying to mount their own political pressure to begin a BRAC process that could lead to approval by 2017 of a list of installations to be closed.

How women are reshaping the defense industry.

New sensor protects Army helicopters from small arms.

The most secretive flying squadron in the whole U.S. Air Force owns a bunch of small Cessnas and medium-size transports that look pretty much exactly like civilian aircraft.

Four restaurants, including three McDonald's outlets, will close within the next three weeks on Navy installations.

Harvard team has found the first direct evidence of cosmic inflation right after the Big Bang.

Hawking: We'll colonize the Moon within 50 years and Mars by 2100.

Welcome.... to Jurassic Moss!

Fred Schneider of the B-52's has made a PETA video encouraging people to let lobsters rock on.

List: the best cult TV shows of all time.

This video illustrates Wes Anderson's centered composition.

Good news: Anchorman 2 bloopers.

The way they filmed this car chase is absolutely genius.

Finally: Lego Movie-inspired Simpsons "couch gag."

Check out the trailer for the James Brown biopic.

May the tuna be with you. ...

Eighties rockers Def Leppard will perform with KISS June 29 at the White River Amphitheatre to try to recapture their glory and dominance of the '80s hair metal scene. Gone are the mullets and ripped jeans in lieu of a more contemporary look, but don't be fooled, this is still the same Def Leppard: Joe Elliot's trademark vocals, two wailing guitarists, a driving bass line, and a one-armed drummer.

The two bands decided to support our heroes and honor their dedicated fans in the armed services by partnering with numerous military organizations for the tour. Partnerships will include the USO, Hiring Our Heroes, Project Resiliency/The Raven Drum Foundation, August Warrior Project and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Read excerpts from the news release below. ...

Read more...

It's great to be appreciated.

Hundreds of service members and their spouses turned out March 15 to enjoy a Him & Her Appreciation Day at the Marymount Event Center in Spanaway, hosted by The Ranger and Northwest Airlifter newspapers, and sponsored by USAA.

The center is home to part of the LeMay Classic Car Museum, and the event was held in the midst of priceless, classic automobiles.

"I came by for the free haircut," Spc. Jason Litschauer said with a grin as Rashawnada Rowley from the Olympia Barber School clipped away.

"I think it is so wonderful to be here and meet these soldiers," commented Rowley. 

Read more...

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Hundreds of Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers are heading to Afghanistan this spring.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Kidd and its crew are stepping up search efforts for the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean with round-the-clock coverage.

Navy Seals take over oil tanker seized by Libyan rebels.

Ukraine's autonomous Crimea region has voted overwhelmingly to break from Ukraine and join Russia.

Defense attorneys said Sunday that an Army general has agreed to a plea deal that includes the dropping of sexual assault charges against him.

The Navy plans to beam down energy from space.

Republicans target civilian DoD personnel.

Air Force tested a mini-gunship last year.

Chuck Hagel seizes opportunity to chart new direction.

Sweden's government is examining a proposal to boost military spending to defend its own territories and the strategic Baltic Sea area in the face of renewed Russian aggression in Ukraine.

How al Qaeda escaped Afghanistan and lived to fight another day.

Navy launches plans on new amphib design.

After being separated for more than a year and a half, two brothers were reunited while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Despite an ongoing fight about retiring the A-10 and investigations into cheating scandals, perhaps the most contentious moment of a House committee hearing on the Air Force budget on Friday focused on religious freedom.

Earthquake: 4.4 quake strikes Los Angeles, no report of injuries.

Nasa-backed study says humanity is pretty much screwed.

Let the insanity begin: For college basketball fans, this time of year qualifies as a dose of heaven. Sixty-eight teams are ready to duke it out for round ball glory.

Newman lives!

You don't have to be a soccer fan to appreciate this goal-of-the-year candidate.

Nothing to see here. Just your everyday kitten wearing a green hat, while Irish music plays.

What did it sound and feel like in Tacoma during the Roaring '20s? The Lewis Community Spouses Club and guests discovered last night at The Mansion on Broadway. From flapper costumes to songs from Irving Berlin and Malvin Schonberger, the united organization of enlisted and officer's spouses at Joint Base Lewis-McChord went retro in a big way for its Wine & Cigar tasting event at the historic downtown Tacoma mansion.

It was a time the crowd wanted to return to, it seemed. Smiles and laughter filled the many rooms of the 130-year-old mansion, complete with breathtaking views of Puget Sound, Mt Rainier and the Tacoma skyline - at least from the cigar lounge on the Mansion's back deck.

Maybe the smiles were aim at the cause. The night was a benefit for the Lewis Community Spouses' Club's Welfare and the Fort Lewis Scholarship Fund. Weekend cabin stay at White Pass, golf outing at Chambers Bay, top shelf bourbon and cigar baskets, private dinner party hosted by the 2-75th Ranger Battalion and more were auctioned off as guests sipped wine from locals Stottle Winery, Madsen Family cellars and others.

Keep an eye out for future Lewis Community Spouses' Club soirees. The organization knows how to throw a party.

The Summit at Snoqualmie is one of the Seattle-Tacoma area's top ski areas - and one that's perfect for everyone. Advanced skiers and beginners alike will find terrain to suit their skill levels, as will those who want to do other snow sports such as tubing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. From about early December until late April, The Summit's four mountains, 1,981 acres of skiable terrain welcome in snow fiends - but if you're a servicemember, the best dates to hit the slopes are March 21-23. On these dates, The Summit at Snoqualmie will host Military Appreciation Weekend. 

To honor and celebrate active and retired military, the ski area will offer special deals, live music, prizes, as well as other fun and fanfare. Special deals dominate the celebration and range from 10 percent off food and non-alcoholic beverages with your military ID, to a $5 cheeseburger/fries/soda combo special, to snow sports discounts - a big deal for a sport that is often a pricey way to spend a day.

• Lift tickets are normally $66 for ages 13-61 and $46 for youth and seniors, but for Military Appreciation Weekend they will be $35 and $25, respectively.
• If you need to rent gear, an all-day ski and snowboard package is available for just $26 for adults and $20 for kids ages 7-12.
• You also can't beat deals on ski lessons. For those 9 and older, the More 2 Learn Package is discounted from $99 to $45, while the Kids Club half-day lesson is also knocked down from $99 to $45.
• And if you're not a skier, but want to play in the snow anyway, two-hour tubing sessions are just $15.

You'll also receive 20 percent off in all the gear and gift shops at The Summit.

The ski area recommends reserving sessions in advance at their website. All deals require you to show your military ID, whether you reserve in advance or not.

Directions? Click here.

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 3.15.14 >>>

Joint Base Lewis-McChord bids farewell to 4-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

GOP control of Senate could spawn Tea Party resurgence, more defense cuts.

Air Force leaders detailed future force cuts and defended the service's religious accommodation practices after coming under attack from conservative lawmakers at a congressional budget hearing Friday.

The U.S. military is back in Somalia, sorta.

The Pentagon is denying reports by Russian sponsored media companies that a U.S. Army drone crashed while flying an intelligence mission over Crimea.

Poll: 69 percent see Russia as threat to U.S.

DoD extra $26 billion fund a "long shot."

Why Congress may let the Air Force retire the A-10.

When enemies think outside the box.

Inglourious Basterd of WWII deserves Medal of Honor.

The robots are coming.

Some BMX bikers have found themselves the subjects of well-deserved criticism after filming themselves "bunnyhopping" their bikes over what appears to be homeless people.

The latest Game of Thrones brew from Ommegang is bolder than that dude who (spoiler) to (spoiler) in the "Red Wedding" episode.

This picture is not a parrot but a woman in bodypaint posing so she looks exactly like a parrot.

Seeing a cat walk on a treadmill chasing food basically sums up life.

I dig that there's a video for a new Cash song in 2014.