COMMENTARY SEARCH

  • Plan for final out

    How many of you are prepared for life outside of the military? Seriously, if you were told tomorrow was your final out, what would you do?We are currently in an environment where Defense Department rollbacks are a serious issue we must all contemplate. Fewer officers are being commissioned. Last

  • ntentional leaders make things happen

    As I write this column I am within 48 hours of closing out my squadron command. Like most people who find themselves at the end of a long journey, I am retrospective about what I've learned. As such, I feel I have a unique perspective on command, more specifically on leadership. So I think it is

  • Serve Airmen by knowing them

    Knowing your Airmen is not a new concept in the Air Force. This concept has been mentioned in various professional development situations and throughout guidance from Air Force senior leadership for some time now. As with many processes and concepts this is easier said than done and takes

  • In your comfort zone? Get out!

    Being promoted means you are ready to take on the next level of roles and responsibilities, but how do you prepare for the next level of responsibilities? One tactic that has worked for me is to step outside my comfort zone. By doing this, I've learned more about the Air Force and experienced more

  • Service before self, but don't forget about self

    As Airmen, we live and breathe the Air Force core values on a daily basis. However, don't let our second core value, service before self, distract you from actually taking care of yourself. In my 13 years of active-duty service, there is one regret I hear most from people both in and out of the

  • Strong followers challenge authority

    It's not surprising that when I tell subordinates to challenge authority, I often get a look of confusion. Admittedly, this is a step used to provoke thought. Obviously, we don't need subordinates undermining their leader's authority. My intent is not to create insubordination -- it is to underscore

  • Travel access, opportunities not to be ignored

    Possibly one of the greatest and overlooked gifts we have in the military is our ability to travel.More often than not, we are stationed at bases around the world where we have the access and opportunity to travel and see the local sites. However, it happens way too often that we ignore those

  • Is being good, good enough?

    In today's Air Force can you settle with just being good? I say, "No." With the Air Force executing the deepest force cuts since the end of the cold war with programs such as the Quality Force Review Board and the Enlisted Retention Board, what you do and how well you do it matters more now than

  • Your career – as easy as 1, 2, 3

    Oftentimes at retirements we hear the phrase, "This is one chapter in my life." No matter what our goal is, whether it is to serve for four years or 20 years, each of us will leave the Air Force at some point. This leads to the question, "What does it take to have an Air Force career?" Some might

  • Adaptability a ‘must’ in today’s Air Force

    Three years ago, I entered the Air Force as a general dentist. After completing four challenging years of dental school, I was eager to serve in the Air Force and use my newly developed skills to provide quality care to Airmen. What I quickly came to realize was the misconception that dentistry