You ready for Joint Base Lewis-McChord? | History

There has been a Fort Lewis or Camp Lewis in some form since 1917 and a McChord Air Force Base since 1947.  Come Sunday, they will be one and the same.

January 31 is the day that Fort Lewis and McChord AFB will be officially combined, becoming "Joint Base Lewis-McChord".  The joining of the two bases into one will be officially kicked off with a ceremony on Monday at 10 a.m.

The base will be under the management of the Army, with Col. Thomas Brittain as the Joint Base Commander.  The Air Force will be represented in management by Deputy Joint Base Commander Col. Kenny Weldon.

This isn't the first time that the two bases have been joined.  In fact, McChord started off as part of Fort Lewis in 1940, when it was build and named McChord Field.

The base merger was recommended in 2005 by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.  It will be one of 12 US military joint bases worldwide.  Final operational capability will be completed by October 1.