On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel speaks with Jerry Cornfield of The Washington State Standard for an update about the threatened closure of Lewis Army Museum at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) near Tacoma.

There have been a number of developments in the story in the past few days, including a letter sent by U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, to Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll. Senator Murray is seeking answers to questions about the threatened closure and has given Secretary Driscoll until August 11, 2025 to respond. U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland, Democrat of Washington's 10th District, which includes JBLM, sent a similar letter on June 30, 2025 giving Secretary Driscoll until August 1, 2025 to respond.

Meanwhile, Army Museum Enterprise and Center of Military History public affairs officer Lee Reynolds told CASCADE OF HISTORY on July 18, 2025 that a presentation about the closure initiative will be given to Congress on August 4, 2025. Reynolds declined to answer several questions posed earlier by CASCADE OF HISTORY – seeking specific details about the closure process and the Lewis Army Museum in particular – until after the August 4, 2025 presentation.

Reynolds also said that he expects Secretary of the Army Driscoll to sign the closure plan before the end of July. “The approval of the plan and the [AUGUST 4] presentation are not connected," Reynolds wrote in an email. "The approval is working its way through a [HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY] staff review, and we are hoping to have it approved before the end of the month.”

For additional information and context, please see these earlier episodes:

Interview with Lee Reynolds, Army Museum Enterprise Public Affairs

https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/bonus-episodes-secretary-army

Interview wity Erik Flint, retired former director of Lewis Army Museum

https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/bonus-episode-lewis-army-museum

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