Commentary Search

  • Looking back at 2011, looking forward to 2012

    Once again we turn the page and begin the journey as we start another challenging year for all the men and women of the 445th Airlift Wing. All of you should be proud of the many accomplishments of the past year. The organizational and individual awards earned in 2011 make a positive statement that

  • The dos and don'ts of the political season

    With the excitement of the presidential primaries lurking around the corner, there are a few things Airmen must remember during this upcoming political season.When you joined the military or became a federal employee, you did so with the knowledge that this decision came with some sacrifice.Everyone

  • My educational journey: When the light bulb comes on

    I never thought I would be an advocate for higher education since my educational journey most certainly did not begin with what I would consider a "scholar's start". Nonetheless, here I am preparing to begin my first semester as a full-time college student, 11 years after graduating from high

  • Air Force PT: Survival of the fittest

    If you've been serving the Air Force Reserve for as long as I have, you have witnessed a fitness evolution from the early 1980s until today. In fact, the Air Force Reserve didn't really have a fitness "program" back in those earlier days. Our fitness was measured by physical stature alone. It didn't

  • Change is inevitable: Embrace it

    Think back to your life before September 11, 2001. Everything about our world was different. Change was somehow more manageable and predictable. Now, change is what we have come to expect on a daily basis and not just in our global environment, but change in our military capabilities and capacities

  • Out of respect comes DUTY, HONOR, PRIVILEGE!

    It was a hot Tuesday afternoon. I was leaving Bldg. 402 after updating my base vehicle sticker. As I walked toward the double-glass doors leading to the parking lot, I encountered a small group of people standing just inside the door -- two Airmen, a civilian employee and one captain. As I reached

  • No pencil eraser for social media mistakes

    In February 2010, Pentagon officials authorized using social networks on unclassified military computers. They believe the benefits of social media outweigh security concerns. However, operational security has always been a military constant and that has not diminished with the advent of social

  • "I do solemnly swear..."

    "I do solemnly swear"...every American joining the noble work of defending our Nation began their careers by doing one seemingly simple thing...solemnly swearing to an oath of office. The military oath for officers and enlisted is more than a simple recitation of words. It is a commitment. Through

  • What our reserve force brings to the fight

    As commander of the 315th Airlift Wing here I sometimes wonder how many people actually know what we, in the Air Force Reserve, bring to the fight. We wear the same uniform, we use the same equipment, we maintain the same training requirements and we proudly serve side-by-side on deployments, in