Air traffic levels can be hard to determine even a short distance from a busy airfield. I have lived for over 40 years under the approach and departure corridor for Seattle-Tacoma International, and if anyone were to ask me if we noticed airplanes flying overhead I would honestly have to stop and think. It's not even noticeable. So, not noticing any difference could be consistent with an increased traffic level, depending on how close you are. For JBLM, increased heavy traffic (C-14s?) would imply some kind of deployment of Army forces.