COMMENTARY SEARCH

  • Certainty of combat shapes thoughts

    "And through all this welter of change and development, your mission remains fixed, determined, inviolable: it is to win our wars. Everything else in your professional career is but a corollary to this vital dedication. All other public purposes, all other public projects, all other public needs,

  • Why do you serve?

    People often ask me what I do. That question is quite easy to answer."I'm an officer in the United States Air Force." Every once in a while someone will follow up with, "What do you do in the Air Force?" That's another easy answer."I command the communications squadron at Luke Air Force Base in

  • Invest in your Air Force career

    How many of us have attempted to withdraw money from an ATM and received an "insufficient funds" response? We all know that in order to receive money from an ATM, money must be deposited into the account. I was once asked to compare my Air Force career to a bank account. I was asked to consider how

  • It’s football season! Get coach’s perspective on leadership

    How many times over the course of your military career were you given the title of a leadership oriented book to read written by a mega-millionaire CEO of a Fortune 500 company? Can you relate what you do to that CEO? How about a book that analyzes the traits of our nation's greatest generals? I

  • People, mission entwined – smart to not compromise

    By now, most of us of have been in the presence of a first-class leader who stated his personal and professional beliefs were twofold - people and mission. Which bears more importance? If you were to survey 100 people, half would say people and the other half would say mission. The truth is the

  • What's in a name? Power, pride, identity

    "What's in a name? That which we call a rose.By any other name would smell as sweet;"Was Shakespeare mistaken when he wrote the above words for Juliet to speak? Studies have shown there is preference in a name. Attractive or popular names affect our attitudes and expectations about their owners. It

  • Fitness Air Force way of life – live it!

    Physical fitness has become a huge part of the Air Force way of life. The Air Force has taken it so seriously that four failed fitness assessments in a 24-month period will force the commander to recommend discharge or retention of an Airman. It has become increasingly difficult to retain an Airman

  • Lesson learned from bag of peanuts

    Life lessons are sometimes learned in the most unexpected places. Like most, I've worked for and learned from leaders and mentors with different leadership styles. I've learned that there is a time and place for all styles of leadership. However, John Maxwell was spot on in his "21 Irrefutable Laws

  • Take early, active role in career … it’s yours!

    During a recent Luke Air Force Base Top 3 meeting, two chiefs gave a briefing geared toward providing guidance and feedback on the promotion board process of competing for the top two enlisted ranks, senior and chief master sergeant. Promotion selection for these two ranks is a two-phased process

  • Serving in AF equals opportunity

    While some may view their time in the Air Force as drudgery, I have always viewed the Air Force as an organization that offers unlimited opportunity. I could discuss multiple Air Force benefits such as education, health care or retirement, but instead I will focus solely on