Commentaries

What will be your legacy?
March 31, 2009 — As we reflect on the life of our first Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Airey, we hear the stories of the son, husband and father of three. His career took him from northern Africa to a German prison camp, to Okinawa, Japan and ultimately to the Pentagon as the voice advocate of enlisted Airmen. After reading all the stories about this... MORE

Time reduction increases responsibility
March 25, 2009 — What is one thing we all have in common upon arrival to a new base? Those delightful in-processing briefings from a various agencies which include safety, inspector general, finance and everyone's favorite, equal opportunity. Although most people change duty stations a number of times, they still dread sitting through another long EO briefing. If... MORE

Attention to detail saves wasted effort
March 24, 2009 — When I say "hurry up and wait," what comes to mind? I think of the times where I have been processed for mobility exercises and have been moved in large groups of people, from place to place. We had to hurry up and get to another place only to wait there for three hours. This is a typical military management style that causes misery on the Airmen... MORE

Bridge cultural gaps through music
March 24, 2009 — As I opened the door, a small bell jingled, alerting the clerk a customer had entered the store. It was an ordinary pawn shop situated on the fringes of the Florida State University campus back in 1984. I had been to this pawn shop once or twice before with a close friend who was an accomplished guitar player. He was a knowledgeable musician always... MORE

Teamwork builds mission success
March 18, 2009 — I am not much into fist-pumping speeches or flowery phrases to get a point across, so here is the important fact: teamwork. Teamwork is vital for our success every day in and around the base. When I was a squadron commander, I used to show a video clip from a commercial. It showed several hundred very small fish in an unorganized mass fleeing a... MORE

Ability to survive and operate, emergency management
March 18, 2009 — The Air Force places significant emphasis on our ability to continue the mission regardless of the environment around us. In combat, this is commonly known as ATSO, for ability to survive and operate. We plan and train for various threats such as chemical, biological and radiological as well as conventional explosives and small arms fire. We wear... MORE

Command Chief’s Corner
March 18, 2009 — Although I knew we would someday lose one of our greatest Airmen, no one was ready to say goodbye when Chief Master Sgt. Paul Airey passed away on March 11. Besides being the first chief master sergeant of the Air Force, Chief Airey's legacy includes flying on 28 combat missions during World War II as a member of the Army Air Corps and also... MORE

Letter to Airmen
March 17, 2009 — BalanceEvery day, you -- the Airmen, civilians and contractors of our Total Force team -- impress me with your commitment and professionalism. You combine your tremendous talents with our joint and interagency partners, delivering unrivaled air, space and cyber capabilities to our national leaders and combatant commanders. In return, part of my... MORE

Leadership: Learn to laugh through good, bad
March 12, 2009 — I was born in New York. I was raised by an Irish cop and I went to Catholic School. I have four sisters and one brother. Sounds like a stereotypical Irish Catholic family, and it is. We yelled, prayed and laughed a lot in my family. The yelling was because there were eight of us. The praying because my parents had six children (I believe my mother... MORE

Accountability system helps leaders, families during crises
March 11, 2009 — Air Force officials want to ensure the safety of all Airmen and their family members when a natural disaster or large-scale crisis strikes and a new program being implemented April 1 will help account for personnel. Air Force Personnel Center officials will use the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System to improve accountability... MORE