JBLM moral low as lockdown continues. click image to watch.
Hundreds of thousands in equipment stolen. click image to watch
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD — Members of the fourth Strykers brigade say morale has taken a nosedive as they remain confined to Joint Base Lewis-McChord for the sixth day.
A monthly weapons inventory last week revealed equipment totaling $600,000 – sights, optics and scopes – are missing.
As the U.S. Army investigates the incident, the base’s soldiers and officers have been restricted to certain areas where they’re allowed to have visitors, but can’t make phone calls without permission.
Jorge Gonzalez, a JBLM veteran who now works to help soldiers, says the restrictions are worsening morale that has already suffered from overseas deployments.
“And now they’re coming back to being harassed more or on base by their chain of command that they’re all basically known or thought of as possible suspects,” he said.
Gonzalez supports March Forward’s online petition drive calling for an end to the lockdown.
“They’ve been locked down since Wednesday, so it’s pretty over-reactionary for just some lasers and scopes,” said Gonzalez.
The Army says the missing equipment disappeared some time between Dec. 14 and Jan. 3 when many of the soldiers were out on leave for the holidays.
Officials say the restrictions will remain in effect until the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division determines it has exhausted all sources of information among the men and women currently being held on base.
Anyone with information on the theft is urged to call the CID at 253-967-3151 or the Military police at 253-967-7112 immediately.
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