Bishop, a former Fort Hood-based soldier, began doubting the war in Iraq during a deployment. He refused to deploy to Afghanistan but said he wasn’t aware of an opportunity to file as a conscientious objector.
If you haven’t had a chance — and the news of the health-care reform bill passing the House has pushed it down our homepage — check out the story of some local Women Airforce Service Pilots. I got a chance to interview two of them, and I had more fun during those two sit-downs than with almost any other interview in a long time.
Tech. Sgt. Heather Normand of Tacoma has loaded a variety of cargo on jets over the years: food, water, troops, toilet paper, generators, helicopters, Humvees and more.
But the the latest mission for the loadmaster from McChord Air Force Base has an added wrinkle. The cargo will munch on frozen fish throughout the flight.
“Dolphins will be a first for me,” the 33-year-old Normand said Friday. “It’s definitely my most unique cargo so far.”
Two aircrews from McChord’s 446th Airlift Wing leave today for New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific. In an event dubbed Lagoon MINEX 2009, the American military — with a little help from four bottlenose dolphins ¬ is working alongside French, Australian and New Zealand forces to find and destroy more than 200 contact mines in the waters around the island.
(This is a periodic update of Washington folks serving across the armed forces. If you’d like to add any news — new training, a deployment, a retirement, etc. — email me at email@example.com.)
Adm. Eric T. Olson, a Tacoma native commanding U.S. Special Operations Command, recently inherited the title of “Bull Frog,” given to the sailor with the greatest amount of service following SEAL training.
Olson, a 1973 graduate of the Naval Academy, gained the title after the retirement of SEAL Capt. Pete Wikul. As a four-star admiral, Olson is the highest ranking SEAL to earn the Bull Frog title.
Marine Cpl. Timothy Lewis of Fall City just graduated from Marine Security Guard school and is now stationed in Brussels. The Marines of Marine Corps Embassy Security Group are tasked with guarding American embassies and consulates abroad.
Army Capt. Bud Corbin is leading the field trains command post for Fort Lewis’ 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment — a unit of 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The soldiers “are working all day and night” at Victory Base Complex in Baghdad to make sure the battalion is well-equipped, their commander said.
National Guard Pvt. Aaron Kim of Tacoma graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga. Kim is a 2009 graduate of Washington High School in Parkland.
James W. Goodgion of Kent graduated from the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Leader Development and Assessment Course at Fort Lewis. Goodgion, a 2006 graduate of Kentlake High School, is a student at Missouri State University.
Army Pvt. Omar A. Cervantes of Tacoma graduated from Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill, Okla.
Army Reserve Pvt. Sampson I. Sneed of Federal Way graduated from Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill, Okla.
Army Pvt. Jason A. Dudley of Covington graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning, Ga. Dudley is a 2009 graduate of Tahoma High School.
Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Afsheen C. Saatchi of Tacoma graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Saatchi earned distinction as an honor graduate. Saatchi graduated in 2000 from Life Christian Academy in Tacoma and received an associate degree in 2004 from Pierce College. Read more »