JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Chris Warner, Seattle Yacht Club Commodore, is used to sitting on boats at the yacht club in Seattle. Recently he took a break from his day job to travel to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., to sit in a Stryker.
Warner joined other business leaders from the local area to tour JBLM with the ultimate goal of strengthening the relationships between the two communities Sept., 18.
"It's the human part of breaking down barriers, building relationships and trust with the local community," said Maj. Gen. Kenneth R. Dahl, deputy commanding general, I Corps. "We want to change the idea that you cannot come on this installation. This is your installation, your Army, and we serve you."
Not only does this visit strengthen ties, it gives both communities an understanding of the other's goals and needs.
"Communication is the most important thing between the civilian and military communities. It helps us understand what [Soldiers] do and how we can help," said Roger Anderson, vice commodore, Seattle Yacht Club. "We are all on the same team here, we should be talking to each other."
In total, 40 business leaders met with I Corps leadership as well as toured an interactive display of vehicles and weaponry. For most, this was their first opportunity to handle military equipment.
"I am learning a lot about what [Soldiers] do and the weapon systems," said Warner. The most important thing though is talking to the Soldiers. I want to know why you joined the Army, do you like it and are we as civilians doing the right thing?"
At the end of the tour, participants on both sides felt they learned a lot about each other and plan to use this knowledge to better understand each other going forward.
"I can now go back and explain to my friends, neighbors and business associates what goes on here and what the mission of I Corps entails," said Anderson.
These visits occur quite often in and around JBLM, including tours and special engagements where Soldiers get to travel to various cities and meet locals who wish to express their gratitude.
For Warner, this was an experience he won't soon forget.
"The local community rarely gets to interact with the armed forces and this gave us the opportunity to do that," he said. "The most valuable thing for us is to get to know our armed forces."
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