Commentaries

Thank you Joint Base Charleston
May 24, 2011 — As I prepare for my upcoming change of command in July and reflect on my past three years as commanding officer of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, I want to give a special thanks to the Joint Base Charleston team and to all of you who shared in our collective vision to make Charleston a joint logistics, transportation and... MORE

Diamond Tips
May 23, 2011 — A Tribute to First Sergeant Paul YeckeFirst sergeants spend the majority of their time taking care of their Airmen, whether it's for disciplinary reasons or in their time of need. Some may wonder though ... who takes care of the first sergeant? My answer is: other first sergeants. The first sergeant council is a very special group, a fraternity so... MORE

It’s our obligation
May 23, 2011 — The Department of Defense calls upon its employees to accomplish remarkable things while upholding the highest standard of excellence. Our actions are heavily scrutinized by Congress and the American public, but every day we meet and, most often, exceed the expectations placed upon us. However, in this atmosphere of decreased manning and increased... MORE

Responsible use of alcohol
May 20, 2011 — Over the past few weeks we have had a master sergeant, a staff sergeant, two senior airmen, and an airman first class from the 437th Airlift Wing arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. This is a very alarming trend that keeps me up at night. It takes me back to the memorial service last year when Staff Sgt. Joseph Villasenor was killed while... MORE

Taking You to the Next Level
May 11, 2011 — Team Charleston, I treasure this opportunity to talk with you through this medium. First, let me thank you for everything you have done for our community. Since we started the year we have seen military members, civilians, spouses, children, civic leaders, professional organizations, and more deeply involved, making a positive difference. Isn't it... MORE

Career Notes
May 11, 2011 — The U.S. Military Apprenticeship Program is available to all active duty members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and gives these personnel the opportunity to improve their jobs skills while earning a nationally recognized U.S. Department of Labor Certificate of Completion. USMAP doesn't require any off-duty hours and can grant up to one... MORE

Diamond Tip
May 11, 2011 — In my current job, I talk to a lot of people on base during my day. As I talk to Sailors and Airmen, I hear a lot of complaints ranging from low pay to high work load, to deployment schedules and lack of time with our families. I can deal with all of those complaints and I understand most of them. However, the one complaint I probably hear more... MORE

Not your Air Force
May 3, 2011 — I recently had the honor of presiding over a retirement ceremony for a master sergeant with 25 years of service. When it came time for remarks, he made the usual comments and thanked his friends and family, but his message to the Airmen is what struck me the most.He relayed that when he first joined, the in-vogue term was "not in my Air Force!"... MORE

Diamond Tips
May 3, 2011 — In today's world, service members live in a very unpredictable environment where the bad guys are looking to find any means necessary to cause undue harm to us and our families. We need to do everything possible to keep our Airmen and our families safe. And in spite of the death of Osama bin Laden, terrorism is not going to go away. We need to... MORE

Diamond Tip
April 27, 2011 — Sometimes we impede our own progress because we overlook the small things.The first time I heard the term "senior" as the term of address for a senior master sergeant was in 2004. It perplexed me because for the previous seven years, I was in a special duty outside of main stream Air Force culture. I thought to myself, "I sure do have some catching... MORE