Commentaries

My never-ending, untold story
May 22, 2012 — I have a story to tell. It isn't a happy story ... but it is mine, and it does have a happy ending. It's a story I've pretty much kept to myself for almost 13 years. It is also a tale that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was sexually assaulted. No, ... I was raped."But wait a minute petty officer, Sexual Assault Awareness Month was... MORE

The Devil is in the Details (of Your Uniform)
May 16, 2012 — One of the biggest complaints I hear from the base population is when someone gets corrected for a uniform violation, "Staff sergeant so-and-so jumped all over me because my pockets were unbuttoned" or "Why does Lt. Shiny care if I wear my pink cell phone clip while in uniform?" The short answer would be because Air Force Instruction 36-2903... MORE

Leading an amazing organization; SPAWAR
May 16, 2012 — In July, I will celebrate one year as the commanding officer of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic. As a Lowcountry native, it's great to be back home. I began this great Navy journey from my hometown of Walterboro, S.C., some 30 years ago. When I raised my hand and took the oath back in 1982, I never in my wildest dreams would have... MORE

Offical photo of Captain Mark Glover, Space and Naval Warfare commander. (Courtesy photo)

Illicit drug use ruins lives
May 16, 2012 — The Airman sat in a military courtroom nervous with palms sweaty, waiting to hear how his life would change. The jury finished its deliberation and announced that he was found guilty for violating Article 112a, use of controlled substances, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He felt his heart skip a beat because he knew he was going to... MORE

How do you measure success?
May 15, 2012 — Everyone measures success differently - from athletes who win championships to business owners making the Fortune 500.But how do we as professional Airmen measure success?Throughout my career, my ideas of success have changed greatly over the years. When I first enlisted, I thought success was getting through my first four years without getting... MORE

AMC: Maintaining a Global Lifeline
May 3, 2012 — More than a decade after the start of American involvement in Afghanistan, pilots and aircraft belonging to a global mobility enterprise headquartered amidst the cornfields of Illinois here continue to provide a lifeline for thousands of Americans overseas.Each day, Air Force C-17 and C-130 aircrews provide critical resupply to U.S. troops deployed... MORE

Maj. Gen. Rick Martin, Headquarters MC Director of Operations

Language is critical to mission success
May 1, 2012 — Does the Air Force have a language all its own? You betcha! Have you ever thought about what "language" we speak as Air Force members and why it's important? While it's becoming more and more common to speak our hodge-podge, English-acronym-text style language, I argue that it is more important than ever to understand and communicate the one true... MORE

Healthy squadron
May 1, 2012 — So, I am sitting in a place surrounded by people who are talking, laughing and just overall enjoying the environment and the company they are in. Husbands and wives are holding hands, friends are telling stories and I am awed by the sense of camaraderie that fills the air. The 15th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing has just recently returned... MORE

Diamond Tip: Explore the Space … because only your journey can be your testimony
May 1, 2012 — In 2004, I attended the Senior Noncommissioned Officers Academy. As most of you know, at all levels of Professional Military Education, we are required to give speeches. Each of our speeches had to include at least one visual aid. For my speech on leadership, my visual aid was a photo of a mouse with a crash helmet sitting right at the edge of a... MORE

Every leader an innovator
April 25, 2012 — "Innovation comes from people meeting up in the hallways or calling each other at 10:30 at night with a new idea, or because they realized something that shoots holes in how we've been thinking about a problem" - Steve JobsSteve Jobs was a leader and an innovator, never happy with the status quo, always pushing the envelope. His products failed... MORE

Col. Erik Hansen, 437th Airlift Wing commander