Commentaries

Honored to be in Charleston
August 3, 2017 — If asked many years ago what my dream job would be at this time in my career, being a commander at Joint Base Charleston would be on the top of the list. My operational career started here at Joint Base Charleston (then Charleston Air Force Base) back in January 1999. I met my wife during that assignment and we always hoped for a return... MORE

Mentoring to mold the New Navy
July 27, 2017 — Training Sailors is the primary mission of the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Training Unit here but mentorship is also paramount. In the fleet we often hear the phrase, “train your relief.” Therefore, a primary goal of mine is to teach young Sailors the fundamentals of the Nuclear Navy as well as how to be an outstanding Sailor... MORE

What the flag means to me
June 8, 2017 — It is the beginning of June, the Memorial Day weekend has just passed, and I am driving onto one of the local barrier islands for lunch with my family. The town has taken care to place American flags on all of the downtown poles in observance of the upcoming summer holiday season and I have to admit seeing this always fills me with pride. When I... MORE

The importance of recognizing superior performers
May 3, 2017 — Recognition is a fundamental human need. Therefore, recognizing Airmen is a fundamental responsibility of leadership because taking care of Airmen is a leader’s priority. As the adage goes, if a leader takes care of the people, the people will take care of the mission. Recognition in the Air Force can be both formal and informal. Medals are an... MORE

Lowcountry neighbor provides local, national and international training
May 3, 2017 — The Coast Guard Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) co-located with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in North Charleston provides Law Enforcement (LE) training to more than 2000 active duty and reserve members annually. The MLEA was established in 2004 to prepare Coast Guard (CG) personnel to perform the duties of maritime... MORE

Nothing taken for granted
April 19, 2017 — My comments here are directed towards the 2,200 members of the 628th Mission Support Group. It is no small feat to consistently and effectively keep a military installation running smoothly, especially a joint installation. Yet the women and men of the 628th MSG do it every day, usually behind the scenes, without fanfare. Unfortunately, in our... MORE

Keep swinging away
April 5, 2017 — Springtime. I love this time of the year ; mild temperatures, leaves are blooming in different shades of green, perennials sprouting from the ground, longer daylight hours, and above all, opening weekend of Major League Baseball! It is fun to watch your favorite team (Go Cardinals!) hoping they start their season with a victory and set the tone... MORE

Why I serve
March 15, 2017 — I recently surpassed 28 years of military service and I'm often asked, "What has kept you in the service this long?" or "Why do you continue to serve?" I've pondered these questions on numerous occasions and my response often revolves around the annual Personal Statement of Military Compensation we all receive on myPay. This statement outlines... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. Todd Cole
628th Air Base Wing, command chief

A Junior Officer’s reflection on leadership
January 26, 2017 — While professional organizations require structure and the appointment of leaders within a tiered system to properly function, the daily demonstration of leadership by all personnel is a necessity for success. The first lesson I learned in my short career as a naval officer is: whether you know it, believe it or see it, we are all leaders. The... MORE

Making memories of a lifetime
January 18, 2017 — I recently celebrated my 30-year anniversary in the United States Navy. It doesn’t seem that long ago when I reported to my first duty station and started this journey. Over the past couple months I took some time to reflect on my service and how it shaped my life. Of course there’s been a lot of moves, deployments and new learning experiences... MORE