Scott Fontaine covers Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington National Guard and the veteran community. Fontaine has worked at The News Tribune since 2006. E-mail along story suggestions and tips by e-mail.
FOB Tacoma
Scott Fontaine | March 18, 2010
Agence France-Presse reports the upcoming big offensive in Kandahar has already begun. The article also makes a minor reference to the work of 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, which is tasked with clearing the highways around Afghanistan's second city.
Other local links:
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Brothers found safe after Amber Alert [The News Tribune]
Salem police arrest father in [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 17, 2010
The death of a 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division soldier seems to have generated a lot of buzz around Northwest news outlets, likely because of the personal demons she overcame during her teenage years.
Other local links:
3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division
'Lost child' grew up to be a decorated soldier [Seattle Times]
Sheldon grad killed in Iraq 'inspired [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 15, 2010
This weekend's top story? The return of I Corps, of course.
Other local links:
I Corps
Star power returns to Joint Base Lewis-McChord [KING-TV]
50 local soldiers return from Iraq [KOMO-TV]
III Corps Uncases Colors, Begins Mission As Nucleus of U.S. Forces - Iraq [DVIDS]
Communication Wins Wars [DVIDS]
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Stimulus spending? Next year will be big [The News Tribune]
McChord Field
Iraqi [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 11, 2010
A Fort Lewis soldier writes in the New York Times today about he and his comrades going through virtual reality training. Interesting reading.
Other local links:
17th Fires Brigade
'Gunslingers' Host COB Basra Strongman Contest [DVIDS]
Local service members
Army Reserve Competes in Student Team Skills Event at Army Culinary Arts Competition [DVIDS]
Bulk Fuel Specialists Conduct Full Scale Training Operation [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 10, 2010
Our story on the deceptions of a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier is getting plenty of attention from our readers.
The soldier, Spc. Jordan Olson, fessed up to the lies about his rank, injury and uniform embellishment to a TV reporter yesterday.
The 22-year-old soldier from New London, Wis., told WFRV-TV in Green Bay only his family was [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 10, 2010
This story from the public affairs staff at the 446th Airlift Wing is particularly touching. It's about a lieutenant colonel diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma while in New Zealand for Operation Deep Freeze last year.
Lt. Col. Joe Nauman, the commander of the 97th Airlift Squadron, is feeling better. But he wanted to thank the Kiwi doctor [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 9, 2010
Family, friends and veterans groups filled the airport terminal to greet Jordan Olson. They held balloons, American flags and banners. Hugs and handshakes abounded.
For the Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier, on leave from the war in Afghanistan, Saturday's homecoming was nothing short of a hero’s welcome.
He walked with a slight limp and explained the injuries by [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 8, 2010
We could lead today's local links list with easily the most newsworthy story of the weekend: Iraq's parliamentary elections.
But readers of The News Tribune apparently like reading -- and commenting on -- something a bit closer to home: The sentencing of a Madigan Army Medical Center neurosurgeon for a 2009 road rage incident.
One quote from [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 6, 2010
(This story will run in Sunday's News Tribune)
American troops should be out of sight from polling places today as Iraqis elect a parliament for the second time since the fall of Saddam Hussein. But Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers are working behind the scenes throughout the country.
From Baghdad to Basra to Diyala, many of the 12,000 [...]
Scott Fontaine | March 4, 2010
We've published the final articles Joe and I sent in from our trip to Iraq. Both are profiles: one of Capt. Junior Tupuola, a chaplain whose like took a long, twisting path to the service. The other is on Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Grippe, the top NCO in I Corps who is, to say the [...]
