Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Army Refuses To Release Investigation Into PTSD Probe At Madigan Army Medical Center

Patricia Murphy — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:39:56 +0000

The Army says it won’t release the investigation into how Madigan Army Medical Center handled some soldiers' diagnoses for post-traumatic stress disorder. The denial comes one week after the Secretary of the Army was at Joint base Lewis McChord to announce the completion of an Army-wide review on the same subject.

Sgt. Bales' State Of Mind Is Key To His Defense In War Crime Case

Austin Jenkins — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:34:22 +0000

In eight days of hearings, Army prosecutors outlined in grisly detail the case against Staff Sgt. Robert Bales. He’s the Washington soldier charged with killing and wounding 23 Afghan civilians in a rampage this past March. Bales’ pretrial hearing concluded Tuesday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Now the Army will decide whether the evidence supports a full court martial and, if so, whether the death penalty is appropriate in this case.

Five Wash. Soldiers With Brain Injuries Receive Purple Hearts

Austin Jenkins — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:46:46 +0000

Five Washington-based soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injuries have received the Purple Heart. They were honored Monday at a ceremony at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. In 2011, the Army issued new standards for awarding Purple Hearts to soldiers with brain injuries. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Accused Afghan Massacre Suspect Returns To JBLM

Austin Jenkins — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:04:29 +0000

The Army sergeant charged with killing 16 Afghan civilians earlier this year has arrived back in Washington. That confirmation came late Monday from an official at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Twelve JBLM Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan Since January

Austin Jenkins — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:16:49 +0000

An Army combat engineer has become the 12th Washington based soldier to die in Afghanistan this year. The pace of deaths has picked up in recent weeks as the summer fighting season begins.

The Army says Sgt. 1st Class Barett McNabb was killed by an improvised explosive device. He was on his fourth deployment, but his first to Afghanistan.

McNabb is just the latest soldier from Washington’s Joint Base Lewis-McChord to die in Afghanistan. May was the deadliest month so far this year with six soldier deaths.

Murray Hearing on VA / DOD Wait Time for Disability Evaulations

Patricia Murphy - KUOW — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:11:49 +0000

Five years ago the Defense Department and VA made an effort to streamline the process. It hasn’t worked.

The evaluations are a critical step for injured service members who are preparing to leave the military. Washington Senator Patty Murray is Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Murray grilled VA and DOD leaders about the wait times during a committee hearing Wednesday.

Murray: “That’s unacceptable for someone just waiting to figure out what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives.”

The GAO’s report found that last year active duty troops waited nearly 400 days for evaluations, longer for National Guard and Reserve.Further Murray says she’s concerned about the evaluation process itself known as IDES which can have the effect of seeming to pit commanders against soldiers.

Emotional Send-Off As 4,000 Northwest Soldiers Deploy To Afghanistan

Austin Jenkins — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:06:03 +0000

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Nearly 4,000 Northwest-based soldiers are about to deploy for nine months to Afghanistan. The Army’s 2nd Stryker Brigade received a formal send off Friday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma. The departure comes amid continuing fallout from the case of suspected Afghan shooter Sgt. Robert Bales.

Lewis-McChord Lt. Col. Charged With Threatening To Kill Wife, Girlfriend, Boss

Austin Jenkins — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:15:04 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A Lieutenant Colonel from Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been charged with threatening to kill his girlfriend, his estranged wife and his Army boss. The allegations come just days after another Lewis-McChord soldier was accused of a murderous attack on Afghan civilians.

Shock, Concern Are Reactions At Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Austin Jenkins — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:25:21 +0000

LAKEWOOD, Wash. – The U.S. soldier who allegedly massacred at least 16 Afghan civilians is reported to be from Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington. Soldiers assigned to the base express shock at the violence and concern about retaliation. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.