Red Shield Inn

The above picture is an early photo of the Red Shield Inn at Fort Lewis, Washington. As indicated in last week's blog post, this building is restored and now serves as a museum.

The first picture below is a view of the lobby where visitors sign in and get suggestions from a military docent about how to best move through the facility. Admission is free. While we were there, fewer than a dozen people were on the self-directed tour. I encountered two young men in one room and spoke to them with a friendly hello. As we talked, I learned that one man was an Army recruiter and the other a college student from California who was waiting for the date to start his military training. I asked him about his plans for MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). He told me he plans to receive training to fly drones by remote control. I thanked him for his impending service and assured him about the wisdom of his decision to serve in the military.

The second picture below is a soldier in a barracks setting. The uniform, bunk, locker, laundry bag, and web gear are exactly the way it looked when I was in basic training in 1965. Except for the hair, the mannequin is the likeness of me in that era. It's astonishing to realize enough time has passed and change has occurred to warrant placement in a museum. Think about that. Have you seen yourself in a museum display?

The third picture below shows the typical outfitting of the enemy we faced in Vietnam.

The bottom picture is a wall with portraits of soldiers recently killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. There were two walls displaying these portraits.

You may click on any picture to enlarge them for a better view.

Have a good week!