With a name like “Brothers in Arms,” it comes as no surprise that Dudley McNutt, a four-year member of the motorcycle club, says the group’s motto can be summed up in one word: family. “The national organization has been in existence about 10 years, and our local chapter, Brothers in Arms North Puget Sound, has [...]

Good road trips are like the lessons learned by Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.” To paraphrase, some of the best road trips you’ll ever take are right here in our own backyard in the North Puget Sound region – and if the Emerald City is still your favored destination, there’s always Seattle. But if [...]

You have no doubt heard the phrase, “Let’s build a bridge to the 21st century.” Well, when it comes to bridge-building, take a page from someone who’s actually done it — Oak Harbor’s American Legion Post 129. Also known locally as American Legion George Morris Post 129, the Oak Harbor group’s efforts literally built the [...]

When you hear the term “Navy Warfighter,” some people might think that’s a term that refers exclusively to Navy jet fighter aircraft and the crews who man them. However,  Rear Adm. Thomas Cropper, commanding officer of Strike Force Training Pacific and guest speaker at the Association of Naval Aviation Squadron 40’s Tuesday meeting at the [...]

It was a promising, Cold War-inspired Canadian aircraft. But what happened to the Avro CF-105 Arrow? Canadian members of the PBY Memorial Foundation held their audience spell-bound as they dealt with that subject during the Feb. 28 meeting held at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s CPO club. Jim Siggens, PBY Memorial Foundation vice-president, opened the [...]

In an election year, budgets are on everybody’s minds. Although the attendance at Disabled American Veterans Chapter 47 meeting last week at the Oak Harbor Library was smaller than usual, those present gave Island County Commissioner Angie Homola their full attention. John Callahan, Chapter 47 commander, welcomed Homola and Gerald Pfannenstiel, who handles veterans and [...]

Here’s a math problem that’s really a no-brainer: When babies and young children are treated with tender loving care, it adds up to a great start in life for them. That’s a lesson already taken to heart and put into practice by the Mother Mentors program, a project of the Readiness to Learn foundation, said [...]

There’s nothing quite like a first-hand account of an important event to make a story seem more exciting. Now imagine the officer who commanded the first operational deployment of EA-18G Growlers from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island is the one sharing the story. February’s meeting of the Association of Naval Aviation Whidbey Island Squadron 40, [...]

When Cindy Hurn’s friend invited her to come to Iraq in 2011, the local author and ghost-writer’s first reaction was, “Why? What for?” “While I knew civilians were over there helping out the military in various ways, it seemed a dangerous, unstable place to be,” said Hurn, of Coupeville, in a recent interview about the [...]

Association of Naval Aviation Whidbey Island Squadron 40 members and guests enjoyed a quick course in the role naval aircraft have played in the Middle Eastern theater at Tuesday’s meeting at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Officers’ Club. The presentation, given by Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Craig, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129, proved [...]

Although January’s snowy weather postponed the Whidbey Island Shanty Fest 2012, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the Shifty Sailors singing group, said director Vern Olsen. “I’m sort of thinking that perhaps February may not be a bad time of year to plan an event like this after all,” said Olsen, who has been [...]

They may be retired from active military service, but members of Disabled American Veterans chapter 47 never retire from their allegiance to those who fought for our country. Chapter 47 commander John Callahan opened the group’s Feb. 2 meeting, which was held at Sno-Isle Library. Treasurer Missy Vaughn gave the financial report. Callahan and adjutant [...]