Commentaries

Commander's Action Line
March 10, 2009 — ISSUE: My primary concern is the lack of military customs and courtesies, especially at the Dorchester Road gate. This is about the seventh time now that I have approached the gate, entered the gate and even after saluting the individual first, I did not receive a salute back. It is a custom to salute officers, especially from other services. The... MORE

Service before self … really?
March 9, 2009 — Uh oh, another article about core values, right? Well hold on, not so fast. What if we didn't discuss all three but instead, focused on just one? The one I'd like to talk about is service before self. When I think about service before self, I often relate it to someone paying the ultimate price, a heroic act in enemy territory or perhaps a fight or... MORE

Self-inspection and the UCI
March 9, 2009 — The office of the 437th Airlift Wing inspector general has two different and unique functions we provide the wing. We are given the responsibility of running the complaints resolution program for the wing commander, but we are also responsible for the exercises and inspections program. This is the function that is currently getting the most... MORE

Money Well Spent
March 4, 2009 — Do you have a plan for your federal income tax return money this year? If you are like most people who anxiously wait for a refund, I'm sure you have given a lot of thought to how you plan to spend your money. There's that big screen TV that you've always wanted or the new laptop computer that you desperately need so you can surf the Web even... MORE

Commander's Comments
March 4, 2009 — Did you go through basic training, Officer Training School, Reserve Officer Training School or the Air Force Academy? If you went through any of these excellent training venues I guarantee one of the primary lessons learned was to pay strict attention to detail. In trying to instill an expanded sense of discipline necessary for service in the... MORE

Motivational leadership … fact or fiction?
March 3, 2009 — One of the most common myths of motivation with today's leaders is people believe they can motivate other people to accomplish any task or mission. The fact of the matter is, individuals must motivate themselves. According to authors and organizational-behavior experts, Steven McShane and Mary Von Glinow, "motivation is an inner drive specific and... MORE

CMSAF defines service before self
February 25, 2009 — What does "Service Before Self" really mean? As Airmen, we raise our right hand and swear to defend our country, but how far does this commitment carry into our every action ... our every endeavor? When we look for guidance on serving, we need to look no further than the "Little Blue Book," the United States Air Force Core Values booklet. The... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley (U.S. Air Force photo)

Calling all senior NCOs
February 25, 2009 — At the most recent Charleston Top 3 meeting, a small group of base senior NCOs gathered to discuss issues affecting our enlisted corps. Unfortunately, only a small percentage was able to join us that day and I am sure there were several reasons why most of our senior NCOs were not there to include being on a temporary duty assignment, working the... MORE

Building foundation for relationships through faith
February 25, 2009 — Last week, I met with members of the construction crew who started the renovation project at the base chapel. In building a new annex, one of the most important acts the construction crew will accomplish is laying down a solid foundation. Just like buildings endure, Airmen also need a strong foundation for life. One of the strongest foundations... MORE

Command Chief’s Corner
February 19, 2009 — During my first two months as a member of Team Charleston, I continued to be amazed by the commitment to excellence, dedication and willingness to give back to the community the members of our total force team exemplifies every single day. Only one wing can win the Verne Orr award as the No. 1 wing in the Air Force as the 437th Airlift Wing did for... MORE