Veterans stay in Thurston County after exiting JBLM, data shows 

Veterans make up a garrisoned residency cell of Thurston County’s demographic ledger, recorded at 30,811 in the most recent data available from the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs. 

The county’s veteran density ranks within the state’s top 10 for veteran population, and that volume is driven by separation activity from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). 

According to South Sound Military and Communities Partnership (SSMCP) Program Manager Maria Tobin, 33% of JBLM’s active force lives off-base within the county, while half of the exiting members elect to settle locally. 

She cited the figures during the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting earlier this month, where the board procliamed May 2025 as Military Appreciation Month. 

“This recognition carries very special meaning for our South Sound region, where military service, civic commitment and community support are woven tightly and share a very special symbiotic relationship,” Tobin said.  

The resolution enters the county into the established Department of Defense’s (DOD) national observance calendar. It covers three special dates, such as Military Spouse Appreciation Day (May 9), Armed Forces Day (May 17), Memorial Day (May 26), all of which are sanctioned federally. 

Service exit, residency entry 

Representing SSMCP in her triple role as an Army veteran, military spouse and program manager, Tobin pointed out JBLM’s influence exceeds the perimeter of its security fencing. 

“Our service members, veterans and their families are not just stationed here. In fact, one-third of our service members assigned at JBLM live here in Thurston County. They go to school here and contribute every day to the life of our communities,” she said. 

She credited the county’s high post-separation retention rate to what she regarded as “our very fine hospitality,” citing “50% of exiting personnel decide to stay here permanently.” 

The SSMCP is the Pentagon’s civil-defense intermediary in the region, and it officially coordinates with 12 cities, Thurston and Pierce counties, and different tribal jurisdictions to synchronize local systems like housing, education, infrastructure and health services. 

Tobin described JBLM as “the only Army Power Projection Platform west of the Rockies,” a designation within the U.S. Armed Forces that denotes deployment readiness and strategic integration. 

JBLM is one of the nation’s largest military installations and it processes thousands of service member separations annually.

In 2024, National Association of State Workforce Agencies documented roughly 6,000 service members separate from JBLM annually, and more than 60% of them reside in Thurston County after leaving the service.  

SSMCP’s recent survey also revealed 70% of its military respondents were not originally from Pierce or Thurston counties, yet 76% became homeowners in the areas. 

In a U.S. Department of Labor’s March 20 press release, workforce integration is seen a primary vector for veteran retention. The federal data placed the unemployment rate for veterans at 3.2%, with the overall veteran rate at 3%. The figures are both below the 3.9% rate recorded among nonveterans. 

Regional indicators affirmed and mirrored a parallel trend, wherein YCharts recorded Thurston County’s unemployment rate hovered between 3.8% and 5.3% across 2024 and early 2025, with stabilization reported at 4.3% in March. 

As stated by WorkSource JBLM, they have processed more than 2,000 military-affiliated clients with its services like “individual employment plans, industry specific training, counseling and mentoring, career planning, internships, work experience opportunities, out-of-area job search assistance and relocation assistance.”

This constitutes a direct labor channel for post-separation integration within  the employment grid of both counites.

In that context, Tobin said the proclamation is “not just a formality,” but a “reminder that appreciation must be active.” The recognition must motivate the community to “show up for military families” and help them through “deployments and transitions.”   

“Building systems and support” is also vital as veterans need systems in place when they return to civilian life. She added that the county’s responsibility must manifest in local decisions, not just limited to annual and seasonal observance. 

“It means investing in the shared future we all hold, not just as good neighbors, but great neighbors. Let this month inspire us not just to say 'thank you,' but to continue to build a community where our service members and their families feel seen, supported and valued not only in May, but every month of the year,” she said. 

Events for May 

The county’s observance followed a mission-ready schedule of public events staged countywide. 

On May 9, Military Spouse Appreciation Day was celebrated within the North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS), the county’s largest school district. The district enrolls more than 15,000 students and, as of 2025, approximately 16 percent are military-connected, according to NTPS data.

The NTPS hosted military families at the district office with gifts, outreach tables and interspousal networking under the NTPS Military Support and its community liaisons. 

Also on the same day, a White House recognition order was signed by President Donald J. Trump. The order stated employment protection, remote work prioritization, and exemptions from recent federal return-to-office mandates for military spouse hires. 

“Military spouses are the heart and soul of our Armed Forces. … Their own mission is no less daunting — frequent relocations, heart-wrenching separations, and career continuity within a nomadic and uncertain life,” Trump declared. 

Meanwhile, Armed Forces Day on May 17 will bring the public into JBLM for a full-day event at McChord Field’s Heritage Hill. The installation will open access to static aircraft displays, armored vehicles, military working dog playdates, educational encampment reenactments and a full entertainment schedule. 

Non-DOD civilians must preregister and present a Real ID-compliant document upon arrival. Registration and access guidelines are available on the JBLM Armed Forces Day website. 

Lastly, on May 28, the final anchor for the month’s military appreciation will be the Veterans, Active Duty, and Families Community Forum at the Lacey Veterans Services Hub.  

The event is sponsored by Lacey’s Commission on Equity. It invites public participation on topics, including veteran service gaps, reintegration barriers and local resources. 

A multisector panel will feature representatives from the Thurston County Veterans Assistance Program, SSMCP, Lacey Veterans Hub and Association of the United States Army.