From this day forward: Joint Base Lewis-McChord

The wedding ceremony was brief, but significant for the South Sound and the nation.

Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base officially joined hands Monday in what Army Chaplain Lt. Col. Gary Studniewski called “a new union” that would preserve identity while adding strength.

The two giant military installations became Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a partnership designed to merge support services such as police, fire, security and family services.

The union affects some 100,000 soldiers, airmen, National Guard troops, reservists, family members and civilian employees. It also touches the lives of thousands of local military retirees.

It does not alter the way local soldiers and airmen fight on the ground or in the air, nor does it change the basic chain-of-command.

Army Col. Thomas Brittain, who commands the support structure, said the conjoined base is the equivalent of a city; the garrison he commands is the entity that will manage it.

The change means the “fort” designation is retired from Fort Lewis in favor of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord name. McChord reverts to its historical designation as McChord Field when it’s referred to alone. However, in military jargon and with the government penchant for acronyms, the base name will be shortened to JBLM (Joint Base Lewis-McChord) in many instances.

The merger, one of 12 nationwide, was ordered in 2005 by the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission as a way to provide better services to soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and other members of the military. Along the way, it is hoped the consolidation of many operations will save money, officials say.

No one will lose their job as a result of the merger, Brittain said. Some 600 civilian Air Force employees will, however, transfer to the charge of the new garrison and eventually will become Army employees.

The merger is expected to create more jobs, though that number is still in flux, base officials said.

The various services will be consolidated over a several-month period, with the base reaching final operational capacity on Oct. 1.

Brittain called the merger historic, saying the base would “forge an incredible new link in the chain that protects our nation.”

“There is no exaggeration when I say that history is being made today,” Brittain said during a 30-minute ceremony Monday morning. “We truly are the tip of the spear.”

Kris Sherman: 253-597-8659

kris.sherman@thenewstribune.com