Commentaries

Commander's comments
February 23, 2010 — Perpetual motion. That is how retired Gen. Tom Mikolajcik, a former wing commander at Charleston AFB and now a civic leader in the community, describes our base. Whether supporting Haiti operations as the lead airlift operation for the Air Force, working with the Navy to merge our installations or going downrange to augment ground operations, Team... MORE

GTC dos and don’ts: know the guidelines for official use
February 23, 2010 — Have you ever been on a trip and attempted to use your personal credit card but were unable to because of reasons unknown? Well, I have. It is not a pleasant experience. It may have been an honest mistake or it could have happened for not abiding by the bank's credit card policy. Many of us meticulously plan our trips down to the penny, especially... MORE

Wasting time: what can you do to eliminate it?
February 23, 2010 — Since 1956, the traditional punishment for rule infractions at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., has been "the tour." The tour is one hour spent in service dress, carrying a rifle at right shoulder arms, while marching in a single-file line around in a square. This isn't a particularly arduous task; however, what makes this... MORE

Brig. Gen. Robert Otto, 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander

Fit-to-Fight Tips
February 17, 2010 — For people who are struggling with working out or just have a lack of motivation, I can recommend the following tips.Set goals - This will keep you pushing yourself toward higher standards and also gives you a sense of achievement when you reach them. Keep setting higher standards for yourself once you've reached prior goals.Workout partners - It... MORE

Command Chief’s Corner
February 17, 2010 — Many of us refer to ourselves and those around us as wingmen, but do we really uphold the virtues of being good wingmen? What does it mean to be a wingman? The wingman culture is one in which we come to the aid of a colleague in distress, steering him or her toward appropriate resources and above all taking action. A great example of this is Tech... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. Terrence Greene, 437th Airlift Wing command chief

Driving safety starts with leadership from the bottom
February 16, 2010 — The Air Force lost 49 Airmen in fatal vehicle accidents in Fiscal Year 2009, and 20 of these were on motorcycles - this is unacceptable. These 49 deaths are the highest since 2004, and nearly eight times the total number of Airmen killed in aviation accidents in the same period. Conventional wisdom states that leadership starts at the top, but I... MORE

Lt. Col. Scott D'Antoni, 437th Airlift Wing Safety Office

Simplified leadership: crucial principles for setting the example
February 16, 2010 — In the Air Force Professional Development Guide, leadership is defined as the art of influencing and directing people to accomplish the mission. When defining the word leader, the definition reads, "The leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person in the group that possesses the combination of personality and skills... MORE

Master Sgt. David Turnage, 16th Airlift Squadron first sergeant

Strength, influence and multiplied effects of mentoring
February 16, 2010 — Mentors touch our lives and help shape us into the people we are today. We value mentorship in the Air Force; we both develop it in our subordinates while seeking it from our supervisors.I think that one cannot have enough mentors, nor can one mentor enough. I've had many through the years, but one sticks out above the rest. This particular mentor... MORE

Gen. Stephen Lorenz, Commander, Air Education and Training Command

Doing the right thing: a practical perspective
February 9, 2010 — Integrity first ... you have heard it before. But do you know what it really means?The dictionary talks about integrity as basically following a certain code of values and remaining firm on them, So, it has something to do with doing the right thing, but can you relate to it? I hope so. I like ideas like having a "moral compass" and collectively... MORE

Traditions: do you know your customs and courtesies?
February 9, 2010 — Military history dates back hundreds of years. As a result of military history, many traditions have been established. To understand the military better, one might want to study military traditions. From basic training, officer training school, or the Air Force Academy, we have been introduced to military traditions, such as customs and... MORE