On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel speaks with Lee Reynolds, public affairs officer for the U.S. Army's Center of Military History, the part of the Army that funds and manages Lewis Army Museum at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) near Tacoma.

In this interview from Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Mr. Reynolds confirms that Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll will "any day now" adopt a plan to close Lewis Army Museum and 15 other Army museums. Reynolds responds to questions about the closure, including lack of public process, and the specific criteria that were used in selecting museums for closure. The effort to identify museums for closure or consolidation dates to 2024, Reynolds says, and the closures will save a total of $114 million over the next decade.

The total of 16 closures represents about half of the museums funded and operated by the U.S. Army. Reynolds also explains that JBLM officials might choose to create a "heritage center" once the Army museum is shut down.

Center of Military History website:

https://history.army.mil/

Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll's website:

https://www.army.mil/leaders/sa/

Lewis Army Museum official website:

http://www.lewisarmymuseum.com/

Friends of Lewis Army Museum website:

http://www.fortlewismuseum.com/

Jerry Cornfield's piece for the Washington State Standard:

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/07/01/battle-begins-to-keep-an-army-museum-open-in-washington/

CASCADE OF HISTORY is broadcast LIVE most Sunday nights at 8pm Pacific Time via SPACE 101.1 FM in Seattle and gallantly streams everywhere via space101fm.org. The radio station is located at historic Magnuson Park - formerly Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle.

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