Commentary Search

Commentaries

  • Are you “In Equilibrium?”

    As a two-time squadron commander, I have seen more than my fair share of Airmen and families that have gotten their lives out of balance in various areas. This loss of "balance" or "equilibrium" has caused marriages to fail, career plans to take a nose dive, physical health to deteriorate and even

  • Embrace the paranoia

    For those of us fortunate enough to fly Air Force aircraft as a primary or secondary duty, there is a familiar and common feeling that we tend to get just prior to takeoff. It's characterized by equal measures of excitement, focus, and heightened awareness, with just a bit of paranoia thrown in.

  • Unleash your inner dragon

    In a few months, the weather will be warmer, flowers will bloom and the beaches will fill with sun worshippers. Another sign that spring has come will be noticeable at Naha Port, where the air will be filled with the sound of cheering spectators and the rhythmic beat of a metal gong. Those sounds

  • Don’t be afraid to ‘knock it off’

    Every mission is urgent and important in today's leaner Air Force. Whether you are generating aircraft on the flight line or processing CAC cards at the FSS, normal day-to-day operations can sometimes seem overwhelming. But you routinely press forward, complete the mission, and prepare for another

  • The Airman's Creed: living the warfighting ethos

    Just when you finally learned the words to the Air Force Song, along comes the Airman's Creed. You've lip-synched it at military ceremonies from awards to retirements to changes of command. You may ask yourself: What does it mean? Why is it important? Do I really need to know all the words? The

  • Remembering sacrifices of our unsung heroes

    One of the most important, but most difficult things we can do as Airmen is ensure our "unsung heroes" receive proper recognition. It's easy to identify and pile glory on the troubleshooter who's out in front, saving the day. It's harder to find and honor the trouble-preventers who toil behind the

  • 18th Wing Commander: Don’t drop the crystal ball

    I recently attended a briefing given by the Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, General Kevin Chilton, where he discussed the recent nuclear incidents. He compared the numerous Air Force missions to a juggler trying to keep balls in the air. He said the Air Force is juggling a lot of balls, but

  • Education key to Airmen personal growth

    As a commander, one of my personal "foot-stompers" is education. I will take any chance I can to encourage Airmen to further their formal education, fully aware of the question, "how does going to school make me a better Airman?" During the American Revolution, General Washington assigned a Prussian

  • Providing leadership in an IT world

    In the world of emails, text messaging, Facebook, MySpace, Youtube, iPods, and iPhones, interpersonal skills get rusty and sometimes forgotten. People email their co-workers (even in the same office) rather than speak to them! The iLeaders of today and tomorrow must keep their interpersonal skills

  • Giving thanks to military spouses

    On May 9, Military Spouse Day was observed nationwide to honor the sacrifices made by spouses of military personnel. While having a special day each year to recognize spouses is admirable, these unsung heroes of our military deserve our thanks every day. The media has finally begun to bring to light