Commentaries

Fix your own car
June 16, 2017 — Preparing your automobile for summertime road trips doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. We all like saving money and driving a reliable car. Often these circumstances don’t coincide. Luckily, Joint Base Charleston has an answer for this dilemma. Located on the JB Charleston-Weapon Station, just off Redbank Road, is the Auto Skills Center... MORE

Jason Allston, Auto Skills Center sales clerk, retrieves a tool for a customer in the ASC at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. June 15, 2017. The ASC has 12 bays, nine with lifts, two flat bays and one motorcycle bay. Their rates are $5 per hour for the flat bays and $8 per hour for the lift bays.

Joint Base Charleston is a special place
June 14, 2017 — Joint Base Charleston is a special place for a host of reasons. With the myriad of strategic logistics, airlift, nuclear power training, development, sustainment and support missions, every military operation in the world is touched by those who serve here. In that way, it truly is “The Launch Point for the Nation’s Resolve”. The missions here... MORE

Does a security deposit include a maid and butler?
June 13, 2017 — For many service men and women the inevitable permanent change of station move can be a frustrating and tedious crusade, filled with piles of moving boxes, random scraps of masking tape and the smell of bleach. Before leaving, you take a last look around your apartment. The feeling of relief drains any energy left to inquire about the hefty... 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

Teamwork more important than ever during uncertain times
June 8, 2017 — The week before Memorial Day I flew as part of a large formation exercise consisting of 21 C-17 Globemaster IIIs alongside our active-duty and Army partners. I was reminded in a poignant way – times are uncertain and we could get “the call” at any moment. Multiple hotspots exist in just about every corner of the globe and, over the past few... MORE

U.S. Air Force Col. Jeanine McAnaney. (Courtesy Photo)

Schools out, safe driving needed
May 31, 2017 — Summer is almost here bringing warmer weather and the end of the school year. Children will be out enjoying the outdoors and their freedom from the restrictions of the classroom. More than 160 (elementary, middle and high) schools in the metro Charleston area will be closing for the summer. Drivers need to heighten their awareness of the... MORE

Sharpen Your Axe
May 17, 2017 — President Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” He was teaching us all about preparing for future obstacles we may face. Most of us see a tree in our path and attack it head on with a blunt blade. We typically are willing to fight the pain and labor through the... MORE

841st conducts situational understanding and systems thinking training
May 17, 2017 — The Army’s, 841st Transportation Battalion conducted a Leadership Professional Development session discussing situational understanding and systems thinking here, March 7. Based on the positive feedback, the training was well-received and considered a great engagement. I assisted Navy Lt. Brenton, the primary facilitator for the program and... MORE

The village wine and the importance of personal contribution
May 17, 2017 — During my days in university, I came across a short reading from an unknown author which greatly impacted my performance on every task or job since. It applies to every position in every command and describes what can happen at a command if people don’t feel their work is important enough or their contribution significant enough to make a... MORE

Navy Cmdr. Brett A. Pugsley, commanding officer

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