Commentaries

‘Charleston way’: No different from Air Force way
January 13, 2009 — When I first arrived at Charleston AFB, I would occasionally hear people make the statement, "It's the Charleston way." At first, I was confused by this statement because "the Charleston way" should be the same as the Air Force way. I quickly realized "the Charleston way" was not something different than the Air Force way of accomplishing the... MORE

What are you going to do with the new year?
January 13, 2009 — I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that the new year finds you well. During this time of year, many people focus on what they can do to improve their lives. What do you have in store for the new year? Have you made a resolution or set new goals for yourself and your family? Many people focus on improving their health, financial... MORE

Commander's Commentary
January 8, 2009 — Welcome to the New Year Team Charleston! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and had some down time to relax with friends or family. With the holidays behind us and the start of the New Year, it is time to focus with laser-like precision on many important events in the coming months. The New Year brings with it some challenges, most notably the... MORE

Command Chief's Corner
January 7, 2009 — Team Charleston, the mission of the U.S. Air Force is to fly, fight and win ... in air, space and cyberspace. This statement encompasses everything we do for our country. Our senior leaders precisely define our roles as Airmen using one short sentence that by itself doesn't seem all that complicated. Successfully accomplishing the Air Force mission... MORE

The spirit of giving, alive and kicking
January 6, 2009 — While we were children, we always would dream about the next gift we were going to receive for Christmas. Now as adults we mainly concentrate on giving, whether to our children or others in the community that need a little extra to get by. It seems we pay attention more to the needs of people during the holiday season, as we did during this past... MORE

No matter your job, just work
December 31, 2008 — Helen Keller once said that "the world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of tiny pushes of each honest worker." Recently I was honored to preside over a retirement ceremony for one of the finest senior master sergeants I have ever worked with. During his speech, Senior Master Sgt. Zack Edison of... MORE

Tankers: From a Question Mark to Today's Fight
December 22, 2008 — Air refueling operations continue to be amazing aerial feats, especially for people who witness the process for the first time. As mobility Airmen, we consider it simply part of what we do but, in reality, it is quite remarkable to have two aircraft meeting less than 50 feet apart at more than 20,000 feet above the ground traveling at speeds close... MORE

General Arthur J. Lichte,
Commander, Air Mobility Command

Commander's Comments
December 17, 2008 — Happy holidays to all and a merry New Year! This is the last paper and the last commander's comments for the year; the next Airlift Dispatch will come out Jan. 9. It's also the last call to speak about safety issues during the holidays and I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about situational awareness. Wikipedia defines situational awareness as "being... MORE

Command Chief’s Corner
December 17, 2008 — Team Charleston, As we make our way through the holiday season and enter a new year, many of us will make resolutions to lose weight, take college classes, spend more time with our families, and to do many other things in 2009. Whether or not we follow through with our resolutions remains to be seen, but consider my suggestions for a few simple... MORE

Air Force leaders send holiday message
December 17, 2008 — The following is a holiday message from Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley: The holidays give each of us an opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments of the past year and cherish time with our families. It is also a time to look forward... MORE