The Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Fisher Houses I and II are a “home away from home” for military families faced with a medical tragedy. Families stay at the house so that they may be close to their loved ones receiving treatment at the nearby Madigan Army Medical Center or other medical treatment facilities in the area. By staying at the Fisher House, families give support to one another that can only come from others in similar situations. Combat injuries, premature babies, and end of life care are just a few of the reasons that bring military families to the Puget Sound region for care. Over the years, the Houses have served families from every state and several countries.  
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For Madigan General Hospital, “Care with Compassion” is more than a motto; it’s a way of life.
​Army Medicine was at Camp Lewis from the very beginning in 1917. Renamed Fort Lewis in 1927, Madigan General Hospital was formally dedicated in August 1945 and named in honor of Colonel Patrick S. Madigan, a Medical Corps Officer who is known as the Father of Army Neuropsychiatry. From its humble beginnings, Madigan General Hospital continued to grow over the years. In March 1973, Madigan was re-designated a Medical Center assuming military health care for beneficiaries in Alaska and the four northwestern states. In January 2010, Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base merged into Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Today, Madigan Army Medical Center is a system for health with medical facilities in Washington and California, serving more than 100,000 active duty service members, retirees, and their families. ​

Joint Base Lewis McChord Fisher House I  & II

House Management
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Business Manager:
Vattana Garcia 
vattana.garcia.naf@health.mil

House Operations Assistant:
Letauaeletise Hunkin
    letauaeletise.g.hunkin.naf@health.mil

House Operations Assistant:
Rachael Waters
rachael.m.waters.naf@health.mil
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Business Manager:
Vattana Garcia
vattana.garcia.naf@health.mil​​

My name is Vattana Garcia and I joined the JBLM Army Fisher House in 2019 as the Operations Assistants and became the Manager in 2021. As a military spouse to an Active-Duty soldier in the Army, we have been fortunate to be stationed in other parts of the world such as Korea, Germany, and Japan. I received my degree in business administration with a concentration of data analytics and a focus on community organization and change from the University of Washington.

As the manager, I consider this position to be more than just a job. I am committed to helping families in our military community by providing compassionate support to those going through a difficult situation. It has been inspiring and rewarding to hear the stories of families who have used the Fisher House and what it means to them. I am grateful to be part of this experience which has given me a deep appreciation for how the Army Fisher House gives back to their community.

Since moving the beautiful PNW, I decided to take advantage of the great outdoors. My hobbies include hiking, camping, and being a foodie, I’ll try everything!

Location

JBLM Fisher House,
​90700 Gardener Loop, Tacoma, WA 98431

​House Operations Assistant:
Letauaeletise Hunkin
   letauaeletise.g.hunkin.naf@health.mil

​My name is Letaua Hunkin and I am a recent graduate from the University of Washington. I double majored in American Ethnic Studies and Medical Anthropology and double minored in Diversity and Pacific Islander Studies. Outside of studying, my work revolved around serving underrepresented minority youth in Washington and volunteering for the Pacific Islander communities both in the states and back home in the islands.
 
Being an Operations Assistant at the Fisher House has given me the opportunity to continue doing service for my community and help relieve some of the burden for families from all over.

Growing up as a military child, I have firsthand experience with the hardships that many military families go through; I am extremely grateful to be in this line of work. As a representative of the Army Fisher House and a daughter of two veterans, I look forward to aiding our military body through times of need and fostering connections with folks as they come.
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Make an Inquiry​

Email: https://armymedicine.health.mil/ArmyFisherHouse  
Phone: 253-967-5198 

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​House Operations Assistant:
Rachael Waters
    rachael.m.waters.naf@health.mil

​My name is Rachael Waters. I have lived in the beautiful PNW since 1990. I moved from Salt Lake City Utah to West Olympia in Thurston County with my family at the age of 17.  After graduation from Capital High School, I married and raised two children in Thurston County. I married an active-duty service member in 2010 and was his units family readiness group leader for 2 years.
 
I have spent a significant amount of time volunteering for different family and spouse organizations at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and other duty stations overseas. I was chosen as volunteer of the month by Northwest Guardian magazine for October 2012, and in 2013 was nominated by the 201st BFSB as their choice for the for the Mary E. Walker volunteer award.

l enjoy working in an environment of giving to the community so working with the Army Fisher House at JBLM is a wonderful fit for my interests and experience.

​I am looking forward to re-growing our roots in the area as my spouse prepares to retire after 20 years of military service. We recently purchased a house in Thurston County and are pleased to make Washington our permanent home.