Commentaries

More than talent accomplishes a mission; work as one team
July 11, 2008 — "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." -- Michael Jordan As we have trimmed our Air Force down, I have seen an improvement in the quality of Airmen. We no longer have room for individuals who want to take the easy way out. Most of us are here because we want to be and we are not afraid of the challenges we face. The... MORE

The Berlin Airlift: delivering hope
July 8, 2008 — To the average American, June 26 is just another day on the calendar. But to citizens of West Berlin, it was a watershed moment, not once, but twice. To beleaguered West Berliners in 1948, June 26 represented "hope" as the 15-month Berlin Airlift began, symbolizing the promise of the western world we would not leave Berliners behind the rapidly... MORE

Command Chief’s Corner
July 7, 2008 — Team Charleston, everyone knows that first impressions are lasting impressions. That is true with many experiences. Almost every day, new Airmen are assigned to Charleston AFB and it is our responsibility to ensure their experiences are positive. The intent is to integrate Airmen into their units and make them productive as quickly as possible... MORE

Command Chief’s Corner
July 3, 2008 — Team Charleston, today we celebrate what is considered the birth of a nation. Today is Independence Day, signified by the adoption of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776. This document gave the United States its independence from Great Britain. Throughout the country, Americans will take time in their own way to acknowledge the day. This... MORE

Commander’s Comments
July 2, 2008 — Last week's exercise was an excellent test for Team Charleston as we demonstrated our initial response capabilities by processing more than 400 Airmen and approximately 400 short tons of cargo. These impressive numbers were accomplished by hard work and long hours. Thank you to everyone who helped make this exercise such a safe success. It was a... MORE

AMC/CC sends Fourth of July safety message
July 1, 2008 — Now that we're a little more than one month into the 101 Critical Days of Summer, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you for the safe start we've had so far. This year's slogan, "Be your own safety manager" has proved to be a great tool to keep us all properly focused, and with the Fourth of July weekend just a few days away, now's a... MORE

Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, Air Mobility Command commander

Safety compliance important this weekend, always
July 1, 2008 — There will be a safety send-off at both gates on base July 3 from 2 to 5 p.m. as one last chance to emphasize the importance of operational risk management and good decision making before the long holiday weekend. The 437th Airlift Wing Safety Office has teamed up with the 437th Force Support Squadron to provide safety incentive giveaways. Along... MORE

What does “Back to Basics” mean to you?
July 1, 2008 — Once when I was exiting the doors of the club at Yokota AB, Japan, I accidentally dropped some of my personal belongings. The only challenge I did not master that afternoon was putting my cover on my head tightly enough before I had everything securely in place. Well as you can imagine, this is where things took a slight turn. As I bent over to... MORE

Know the facts about ORI … or are they myths?
July 1, 2008 — There's a popular show called "Mythbusters" which takes a concept and either proves it to be true or it "busts" the myth. A good example is when they disproved the myth of quicksand sucking you under to your death. They determined quicksand is denser than water, with greater buoyancy; so while you may get stuck, it won't drag you under. So what... MORE

Continue striving to let freedom ring for others
June 30, 2008 — "Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women: when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. But while it lives there it needs no constitution, no law, or any court to save it." Judge Learned Hand, May 21, 1944 This week, as a nation, we remember and celebrate our... MORE