City of Yelm recognizes May as Military Appreciation Month through mayoral proclamation

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If you and your family live within the Nisqually Valley region, there’s a strong chance that you and your loved ones have encountered an active duty soldier, a veteran or a military family.

With such a strong military presence in the Yelm community and surrounding areas, the City of Yelm, through a mayoral proclamation, has officially recognized May 2026 as Military Appreciation Month in the city. This proclamation became official during a Yelm City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 26.

“Whereas, the City of Yelm proudly recognized the courageous men and women of the United States Armed Forces whose dedication and sacrifice in protecting the freedoms and security enjoyed by all Americans,” DePinto said. “Military appreciation month is observed each may to honor current service members, veterans, veteran families, reservists, national guard members and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.”

Throughout the history of the United States, according to DePinto, members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard have defended the principles of democracy and freedom for Americans of every background and belief.

“The South Sound region is proudly home to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), whose service members, veterans, civilian employees and military families make lasting contributions to the strength, security and character of the region,” DePinto said. “Whereas, the City of Yelm values the contributions of veterans and military families within our community, and recognizes the importance of supporting those who served and continue to serve.”



According to the mayor, Military Appreciation Month includes important observances like Loyalty Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day. DePinto added that each of the observances provides an opportunity to reflect upon and give gratitude to those who have served in the United States armed forces.

The proclamation was signed on Tuesday, May 26.

According to Military One Source, there are 31,001 people accounting for JBLM’s military population, 13,593 civilians on base, 47,121 family members living there and reserve totals of 7,083. Additionally, 112,685 people make up retired family members in the region.

Fort Lewis originally went to construction in 1917 and concluded in 1927 from 1917. Fort Lewis has been in use for over 100 years. The base was involved in global events like World War I, World War II, the Cold War and the Global War on Terrorism.

McChord Air Force Base was consolidated with the U.S. Army’s Fort Lewis on Feb. 1, 2010, to become part of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord complex. Base Realignment and Closure Round led the initiative to combine the two bases in 2005 in an effort to maximize war fighting capability and efficiency — as well to save taxpayer dollars.