JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – --
Dozens of Team McChord Airmen launched a clean-up effort outside the gates of Joint Base Lewis, McChord, Washington, March 17.
The Perimeter Road beautification project was orchestrated by Staff Sgt. Joshua Barnes, 7th Airlift Squadron C-17A loadmaster, who believes demonstrating good stewardship helps the military community keep faith with civilian partners living just beyond the gates of JBLM.
“I commute to and from base using the Barnes Gate and drive Perimeter Road every duty day,” Barnes explained. “I noticed how much trash had accumulated throughout the year and wanted to improve our image as a professional military community. I wanted to show the outlying community that we do take pride in our image.”
Once Barnes determined action needed to be taken, he sought out like-minded Airmen to help scour the more than 2-mile stretch of road.
“There were approximately 40 volunteers including Col. Leonard Kosinski, 62nd Airlift Wing commander,” Barnes said. “Together we managed to pick up 465 pounds of garbage, all collected by hand.”
Taking a break from collecting garbage alongside the Airmen he commands, Kosinski explained the importance of the clean-up effort, and taking an active role in the betterment of local communities.
“Being McChord Field and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, we are a part of the community,” Kosinski said. “Taking pride in not only the air field, but the community outside the gates is very important. Making it look good shows our pride, and that we want to do our part to be good members of the community.”