Commentaries

Girl’s day out: My thoughts during an all-female C-17 flight
April 2, 2019 — On March 30th, I was fortunate enough to take part in the Women’s History Month incentive flight hosted by the 437th Airlift Wing. As a Public Affairs Officer we try to stay in the background and let others do the talking, but this experience could not be summed up in a caption and a hashtag. As I was contemplating the social media captions for photos and videos that I was going to publish later that day, I realized the overwhelming amount of feelings that I had about what I was witnessing... MORE

Recognizing the significance of our ‘Air Force Family’
March 28, 2019 — How many times have you used the phrase “Air Force Family”? I’ve used it a lot, but until recently, I’ve always related it to the fact that we spend more time with the people we work with than with those we live with. However, two significant events happened this month that really made me re-think what the phrase “Air Force Family” means to me... MORE

Respect for our civilian Airmen
March 25, 2019 — Customs and courtesies are integral components of navigating a military organization. They aid in promoting dignity and respect among the grades/ranks. With our civilian counterparts, we sometimes forget to extend the appropriate customs and courtesies because they do not wear their grade/rank on their shoulders or collars... MORE

JB Charleston helps vintage B-25 back on its ‘feet’
March 22, 2019 — In early January, Robert Simmons, deputy director at Patriots Point Museum Services Department, contacted me to ask if I knew of any individuals or companies that could replace the tires on their B-25. My response was, “wow, I am not sure I know anyone qualified on B-25s.” I told him I would make a few phone calls and get back with him later that day. My first stop was the 437th Maintenance Squadron’s Aero Repair/Wheel and Tire Shop. I thought, well, they change tires on C-17s, so maybe they could help. I made contact with John Speaks and Master Sgt. Ron Williams, who both thought this was something they could do—and more importantly, wanted to do. I then contacted Col. Mark Harris, 437th Maintenance Group commander, and Norm Moore, the 437th MXG deputy commander, to see if this was something the Air Force would allow us to do. After verifying some details, they agreed that yes, members assigned to 437 MXG could support Patriots Point, but they had to do it on a volunteer basis, much the same as other members did a couple years ago when they repaired damage to the F-4 on display at the Citadel. ... MORE

Another CAT Resource: Conflict Resolution
March 14, 2019 — Is your co-worker getting on your nerves? Do you come to work each day hoping for an assignment just to get away from them? If so, it sounds like you may be experiencing a workplace conflict. According to the Air Force Negotiation Center, when managed properly, conflict can result in innovation, increased performance, team building and increased self-esteem. Conversely, without conflict, organizations are at risk for remaining stagnant and failing to reach their highest potential. In other words, conflict is not always a bad thing... MORE

Leadership in an Airman's eyes
March 4, 2019 — I am coming up on two and a half years in the military. I have achieved many things in this short amount of time but have yet to supervise my own troops, something I am really looking forward to. When asked to write a commentary about leadership, I geared my thinking towards leadership qualities I have seen or learned rather than skills I have had to implement with a troop... MORE

Resolutions vs setting SMART goals
February 11, 2019 — Each year, millions of people make resolutions…and each year, millions of people fail to keep them. The most common New Year’s resolutions are quitting smoking, dieting and working out. People wake up on the morning of Jan. 1, very determined to make these important changes. However, the longevity is shockingly brief... MORE

Check yourself! Are you in compliance?
February 8, 2019 — Check yourself! Are you in compliance? It is a new day in the Air Force; at least as it relates to bullying and hazing harassment toward military personnel. Effective Feb. 1, 2019, the Air Force will implement its new harassment prevention and response policy. This policy was directed by the Department of Defense’s issuance of DOD Instruction 1020.03, Harassment Prevention and Response in the Armed Forces, dated Feb. 8, 2018... MORE

Leadership wisdom from a shirt’s perspective
January 18, 2019 — First, I want to give a big shout out to a first sergeant mentor of mine, Senior Master Sgt. Thomas, for sharing this with me. This message is very powerful and was too good not to share with other Airman. So sit back, relax and grab a coffee as this won’t be a short read—nor should it be. Leadership is defined as “the art of influencing and directing people to accomplish the mission.” We all have our ways of leading and developing others and there is no one right way of doing so. You cannot be the same style of leader for every Airman. You can quickly burn bridges and crush your relationship with Airmen if you take a cookie-cutter approach to leadership... MORE

A valuable question from the next generation of leaders
October 24, 2018 — The question was simple and straightforward, but at the same time showed a great deal of perspective and, to say the least, it was thought provoking. Simply put, the class asked me, “What would you change if you were given supreme power over the Air Force for a day?”... MORE