With summer at its peak, many people will be outside enjoying the warm weather. For those who like being outside, whether gardening, mowing the lawn, playing sports, boating or just getting some sun, it is wise to remember that reaching for a “cold one” should be reaching for a non-alcoholic drink such as water or a sports beverage.

Accidents don’t just happen.

Want to know what the Armed Forces add to our society? Just ask a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine.

It’s hard to believe that figuring out how to fill a summer could ever be a problem. But every year I here children complain their is nothing to do.

We live in hiking heaven. But you’ll never know that unless you get out and look for it.

Army families deal with unique challenges associated with military life, especially when it comes to relocation. Not only do families have to find a new place to call home, they also have to find new health care and child care providers, enroll children in new schools and activities and build new networks of friends and support. These challenges are not easy for any Army family, but for families with special needs, they are magnified.

As the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, one of the most important duties I have is overseeing the Army Family Action Plan process. The AFAP is the Army’s grassroots effort, in which members of the Army Community (Soldiers, civilians, families and retirees) identify and elevate quality of life issues to senior leaders for action. The AFAP is also a key component of the Army Family Covenant, because it gives Army leaders insight into the needs and expectations of the Army community, to determine if we’re doing the right things, whether we’re doing things right, and to find out what we’re missing.

As I was cleaning and organizing the paperwork and clutter in my home office, I came across a news article suggesting 50 ways to improve your life, one of those 50 suggestions included cataloging your clutter.

When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, the original 13 colonies did not have a shared army, but instead, a collection of independent colonial militias.

Ultraviolet rays are a part of sunlight that is an invisible form of radiation. There are three types of UV rays: ultraviolet A, ultraviolet B and ultraviolet C. Scientists believe that UVA radiation can cause damage to connective tissue and increase a person’s risk for developing skin cancer. UVB rays penetrate less, but can still cause some forms of skin cancer. Natural UVC rays do not pose a risk because they are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere.

I have moved many times in my career. I have deployed, leaving my wife to pull double duty at home. I know the good, the bad and the ugly of moving, firsthand.

I went through 13 permanent changes of station during my 24 years in the Army. To my civilian friends, that sounds like a lot of moving. To Soldiers, it is just a typical career profile.

Sunday is the 6th of June. That used to be one of those days everyone could identify. Now, it seems to be fading into the historically obscure. That’s a shame.

Over the last few months, I waited patiently for the Department of Defense 2010 Nuclear Posture Review Report, and on April 10 my wait ended.

Memorial Day — it’s a sacred day to all war veterans. None need to be reminded of the reason that Memorial Day must be commemorated, but what about the general public, and more importantly, future generations? Do most non-veterans really recognize the importance of the day honoring their fellow Americans killed in war?

Over the past six months, during four outside agency visits, the men and women of the 62nd Airlift Wing have shown we take nothing for granted when it comes to our Prime Nuclear Airlift Force mission.

Ever since I arrived at McChord Field in February, my father and I have been comparing notes.

Over the years, our enemies have taken many forms. During my career, the “enemy” has taken the form of Soviet Spetsnaz, Balkan snipers, North Korean special operations forces, international terrorists and any number of bad guys or gals. Most recently, the focus has been on the insurgence in Iraq, the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan and state-sponsored terrorists in those areas of operations.

The Installation Management community is committed to leveraging the power of technology to expand our communication capabilities and enhance our ability to serve and support Soldiers, civilians and families.

It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of volunteers to the quality of life in on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Editor’s note: On May 7, Joint Base Lewis-McChord celebrates Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Most of our Soldiers are married, and their spouses play a critical role in maintaining our homes, our families, our morale and, ultimately, contributing immeasurably to mission success. They are unpaid members of the force, whose efforts deserve recognition year-round. Those contributions to readiness are recognized at the highest levels of our leadership.

Rocks bounced off my weapon and leg as I tried to take photographs. I looked around to see where they were coming from, but couldn’t tell.

Next week we go through the annual ritual long known as spring cleanup. When it comes to taking care of our base, it’s too bad people don’t show the year-round respect to make such events unnecessary.

Spring is a great time of year, especially here in the Northwest.

The operational tempo is at an all time high.

The American Red Cross — we’re confident it’ll be on hand to lend support when a major disaster occurs, but did you know it’s also there to help individual service members and their families in times of need?

Editor’s note: I Corps Headquarters Soldiers recently returned from a yearlong deployment to Iraq. This deployment was historic in several ways: It marked the first combat tour for the corps since the Korean War; and the corps’ Soldiers played a critical role in the ongoing return of stability and normalcy to Iraq. Those efforts did not go unappreciated by the highest levels of command. Just prior to our Soldiers’ return, Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commanding general of U.S. Forces-Iraq, wrote to the men and women of America’s Corps, describing the contributions they made.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back in the face of adversity ... It’s mental toughness!

Earth Day is all about common sense.