New Date for Military Citizen Award Event

SAVE THE DATE

RESCHEDULE MILITARY CITIZEN OF YEAR AWARD EVENT

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM

Military Affairs Committee
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

Date & Time:  Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Time, Place:    7:30 – 9am, To Be Confirmed

Event and Award Sponsor:

Cancel Previous Date, Time:  Tuesday, Nov. 26, 12 noon

AGENDA
1.    KEYNOTE Brig. Gen. John Cho, Commander, Western Regional Medical Command
2.    John Anderson Military Citizen of the Year Award
3.    Update on 2014 WA Legislative Issues by Mark San Souci, Regional Liaison NW, Defense Liaison Office

You may pre-register THIS LINK HERE
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Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Honors Top Military Spouse of the Year

The Lakewood Chamber's Military Affairs Committee honored Stephanie Roethlisberger as the 2013 Military Spouse of the Year on November 19, 8:00 a.m. at Burs Restaurant with an amazing thank-you gift basket, compliments of the local business community.

Lakewood Chamber Military Affairs Co-Chair Ken Swarner, The Ranger/NW Airlifter, presents Stephanie Roethlisberger, an Air Force Wife with a plaque. Photo courtesy Lakewood Chamber of Commerce

“Our military spouses are our unsung heroes,” said Linda Smith, President & CEO of the Chamber.  “As an army brat, I can remember my father's many deployments ~ and the extraordinary way my mother handled everything on the home front.  It is in her spirit of always putting family first that makes this recognition even more personal.”

Stephanie, an Air Force spouse, was selected because of her plethora of volunteer activities both on base and in the local community.  Just a few of her accomplishments include:  Coordinating an Armed Forces Blood Drive; Assisting with a Career Fair at local high school; Assisted in Relay for Life fundraising, Organized Coat Drive with a local homeless shelter, Dedicated member of school district improvement team, Volunteered at FISH Food Bank, Volunteered for Special Olympics; and much, much more.

Wives and husbands of military personnel endure difficult challenges while their spouses are deployed: single-handedly juggling the demands of work and family. Often struggling to make ends meet, they face the additional anxiety of knowing that a loved one is constantly in harms way, with no guarantee they will make it home safely. These are tough burdens to carry, and the Lakewood Chamber has taken time to recognize how much spouses sacrifice in the great mission of protecting the United States and defending our freedom.

The Lakewood Chamber’s Member businesses donated pampering items, gift cards, cash and more along with a specially made plaque to let her know that our community appreciates and supports our military personnel and reservists ~ and their families living in our area.

MOAA Holiday Extravanganza

(Click on Image for a Larger and Complete View)

UWT Opens Veterans Incubator

RSVP HERE

About the Buffalo Soldiers' Legacy

The Lakewood Historical Society will present The Legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 (7 p.m.) at St. Mary's Episcopal Church (10630 Gravelly Lake Dr SW, Lakewood). (Click on Image for a Larger and Complete View)

Learn How to Thank a Vet - Get a Job

Thank a vet this Veterans' Day by giving them a job.  Learn how to benefit both the vet and yourself.

On November 13,  8 a.m. to Noon at TrueBlue, Inc., 1015 “A” Street, Tacoma, the event will focus on why hiring Veterans makes good sense, finding the right match amongst the many qualified Veterans available, and the Legal “ins and outs” related to hiring the Veteran of your choice.

All Tacoma-Pierce County businesses interested in hiring Veterans, currently hiring Veterans, or considering hiring Veterans should plan to attend this interesting and informative event. Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber member businesses may attend for only $25.00, morning refreshments are provided.

 REGISTER HERE

Operation Homefront Star-Spangled Baby Shower

Operation Homefront Star-Spangled Babies™ Shower provides baby items to local military expectant parents. 

The Operation Homefront Pacific Northwest local field office of the national non-profit organization that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and Wounded Warriors, Saturday is holding a baby shower for local military new and expectant parents.  The event, part of Operation Homefront’s Star-Spangled Babies™ program, included free gifts of baby items for the new and expecting parents.

At Star Spangled Babies new moms will have the opportunity to connect with each other, have fun playing games, and win some great prizes. This is a great event for new moms to come together and celebrate their pregnancy.

Guests will receive many wonderful gifts at the shower, including teddy bears, blankets, quilts, baby shoes, baby clothes, baby food, and thermal totes. Moms will also have the chance to receive special prizes.

“Service Members and military spouses give so much of themselves, and when they become parents they give even more,” said Kari McClellan Operation Homefront’s Pacific NW Field Office Director.  “This is an opportunity to give something back to them, support them, let them know how special they are to all of us, and help them meet and enjoy some time with other new parents like them.” 

About Operation Homefront:  A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has met more than 750,000 needs of military families since its inception in 2002.  Nationally, 95 percent of total donations to Operation Homefront go directly to programs that provide support to our military families.  For more information, go here.

Historic Flight Re-creation Begins

Pilot Tracey Curtis-Taylor is re-creating Lady Mary Heath's 1928 journey, a7,000-mile trip from S. Africa-to-UK Flight in Vintage Biplane.

With support from Boeing, pilot Tracey Curtis-Taylor has taken off on a 7,000-mile (11,000-kilometer) solo journey, in a reconditioned Boeing Stearman open-cockpit biplane, to retrace Lady Mary Heath’s historic 1928 flight between South Africa and the United Kingdom. Heath was the first pilot, male or female, to make such a journey.

Curtis-Taylor, a UK-based pilot, departed Cape Town on Nov. 2 with plans to land in Goodwood, near London, in December. She is flying a refurbished 1942 Stearman named Spirit of Artemis, after sponsor Artemis Investments.

“We hope this journey inspires people along the route to learn more about the remarkable history of aviation and the role Boeing has played in the past, as well as the important role we play in African aviation today,” said Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick.

More than 8,500 Stearmans were built in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. The airplane was the primary trainer for the U.S. Air Force and Navy during World War II.

For more information and to follow along with the trip, visit CapeTowntoGoodwood.com or Facebook.com/CapeTowntoGoodwood.