Photo By Sgt. Joshua Oh | America’s First Corps Band played a New Orleans-style performance at the Seafair...... read more read more
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – America's First Corps is putting boots on the ground in the Puget Sound to show their commitment to the communities they call home.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, located 10 miles south of the City of Tacoma, employs almost 40,000 Service members, with more than 70% of them residing off post.
“Our service members are part of the fabric of all the communities that surround JBLM,” said Joseph Piek, JBLM Garrison Public Affairs Officer. “From Gig Harbor, all the way south to Tumwater, it’s important that our units are engaged in our cities surrounding the base.”
Mr. Piek retired as a Public Affairs Lt. Col. in 2005 and has since served as the Public Affairs Officer for JBLM Garrison for the last 19 years. Mr. Piek, also known to all who work with him as just “Joe,” is retiring this June.
The partnerships have existed between cities and our tenant Army units on installation for more than 24 years. America’s First Corps established the Community Connector Program in the year 2000 to decentralize the process of engaging local community leaders due to the base’s location within the Puget Sound metropolitan area. Each unit is assigned a partner city with a substantial military population living there, to ensure the Army is demonstrating their commitment, transparency and understanding to the community.
“This is a way for JBLM leaders to keep the cities informed of what is going on in the base”, said Piek. “It’s also a way for units to provide different forms of support to cities.”
In 2023, there were over 130 community requests which include: guest speakers; honor and color guards; band support; parade VIPs; marching units; static displays; career days; school reading programs; professional sporting events; and volunteering.
“I’ve seen these partnerships at their best when the units were deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Piek. “We saw many communities do their part in taking care of military families while the service members were away and helping celebrate when the units came home.”
When 1-25th Stryker Brigade returned from deployment, the mayor at the time, Kathy Turner invited the entire Brigade to Pioneer Park in Downtown Puyallup and threw them a party.
This gesture strengthened the already strong relationship between the unit and the city of Puyallup.
Mr. Piek reminisced with tears in his eyes, as he recalled seeing photos of the fallen Soldiers of the 1-25th Stryker Brigade memorialized in front of the Puyallup Mayor’s Office.
“One day I was walking down the street and saw them [the photos],” said Piek. “I stood there and cried. That’s the Community Connector Program, that’s what it’s all about.”
To this day there is still a memorial statue erected in Pioneer Park honoring those who lost their lives from 1-25th Stryker Brigade.
1-25th Stryker Brigade has since been moved to Fort Wainwright in Alaska and Puyallup’s current partner is the newly activated 22nd Corps Signal Brigade.
“The program has paid dividends,” said Piek. “Lacey and Gig Harbor have since planned similar events.”
Many community events are hosted on the installation as well to ensure that the community can integrate within the internal community.
“Unit leaders have invited their partnered community officials to JBLM to show them what’s going on behind the fence,” said Piek.
Last year, JBLM hosted the Airshow & Warrior Expo, July 15-16, 2023. The mission of the JAWE is to foster goodwill to educate attendees with the people, mission, and equipment of the Air Force, Army, and other Armed Services while continuing to provide installation-wide mission support.
The JAWE event attracted upwards of 85,000 that featured aerial demonstrations from the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds”, C-17 West Coast Demonstration Team, Tora! Tora! Tora!, the Undaunted Air Act and many more.
The Community Connector Program also supports the 6th Recruiting Battalion, which coordinates huge events like the Seattle Seahawks Salute to Service. In the past two years both Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, the I Corps Commanding General and Maj. Gen. Michelle Schmidt, the 7th Infantry Divisions Commanding General issued the oath of enlistment to new recruits in front of more than 60,000 people during the football game.
Last August, I Corps provided static displays and musical support from the 56th Army Band at the Seattle Seafair and the Torchlight Parade.
Like previous years, I Corps has already received many requests for support within the community, such as the Daffodil Parade and the Seattle Mariners Salute to the Armed Forces.
“When the Community Connector Program is working full tilt, it really pays dividends for the communities and the base,” said Piek. “I really look forward to seeing this program flourish and continue to grow.”
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If you would like to learn more about the Community Connector Program, you can contact Maj. George Wasickanin, I Corps Public Affairs, or Katlyne Bojorquez, Joint Base Lewis McChord Garrison Public Affairs.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.25.2024 19:43 |
| Story ID: | 467007 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Hometown: | AUBURN, WA, US |
| Hometown: | DUPONT, WA, US |
| Hometown: | GIG HARBOR, WA, US |
| Hometown: | LACEY, WA, US |
| Hometown: | LAKEWOOD, WA, US |
| Hometown: | NISQUALLY, WA, US |
| Hometown: | OLYMPIA, WA, US |
| Hometown: | PARKLAND, WA, US |
| Hometown: | PUYALLUP, WA, US |
| Hometown: | RAINIER, WA, US |
| Hometown: | ROY, WA, US |
| Hometown: | SPANAWAY, WA, US |
| Hometown: | STEILACOOM, WA, US |
| Hometown: | SUMNER, WA, US |
| Hometown: | TACOMA, WA, US |
| Hometown: | TUMWATER, WA, US |
| Hometown: | UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA, US |
| Hometown: | YELM, WA, US |
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