Commentaries

437 AW Inspector General: an honest broker
November 3, 2009 — Long work hours, deployments, training, family ... it's the all too familiar balancing act most of us serving in the Air Force face every day. Fortunately, we don't face these challenges alone. We're part of a very special organization full of highly capable individuals who passionately share an overriding belief that our country's security, and... MORE

Lt. Col. Nelson Novo, 437th Airlift Wing Inspector General

AMC commander pays tribute to veterans past, present
November 3, 2009 — Veteran's Day is a time for all of us to offer thanks and pay tribute to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting and serving our great nation with honor and dignity. We owe our freedom to the unwavering support and sacrifice of those who have served and continue to do so today. The United States has a history of celebrating... MORE

Who do you want to be like when you grow up?
November 2, 2009 — "When I grow-up I want to be like ..." Does that statement sound familiar? This is something we may have said as children or maybe even heard our own kids say from time to time. We may have looked to our parents, brothers, sisters, family, friends, sports figure or a celebrity as a role model. For me, I wanted to be like my father. I wanted to... MORE

Commander’s Comments
October 28, 2009 — Part of our training culture is a healthy lifestyle and every day we have to balance our personal requirements. We also have to fight against the things that make us unhealthy (my fight is against a big box of Cheez-its). It's easy to get wrapped up in the pressing issues of the day, but it's crucial to make sure you take the time to stay... MORE

Col. John Wood, right, and Col. Benjamin Wham lead 437th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight members on a ruck march here Oct. 27. The EOD personnel train with ruck sacks to prepare for embedding with sister services and foreign special forces in a dismounted capacity while deployed. Colonel Wood is the 437th Airlift Wing commander and Colonel Wham is the 437th Mission Support Group commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/James Bowman)

Answer the call with a warrior spirit
October 27, 2009 — The word, "warrior" often brings to mind images of swords and shields; of victors and the vanquished. Despite that common perception, being a "warrior" does not necessarily mean physical combat. It may also refer to a state of mind and a fighting spirit. A little more than 25 years ago, April 18, 1983, the American embassy in Beirut was attacked... MORE

Integrity also means consistency
October 26, 2009 — Every Airman knows putting integrity first is the foundational pillar of our core values, and we all understand what it means. We will always strive to do the right thing and be honest in all that we do. I also believe integrity carries with it the idea of consistency in how we conduct every aspect of our lives. Recently, I received the out-brief... MORE

What is your expectation of this article?
October 26, 2009 — We all have expectations every day whether we are consciously thinking about them or not. For instance, I'll bet a lot of people expect to be sitting in traffic on Dorchester Road every morning or evening during what should be a fairly short commute to work. Once at work, what are your expectations of the day? Is it going to be ridiculously busy... MORE

Lt. Col. Randy Huiss, 14th Airlift Squadron commander.

Commander’s Comments
October 21, 2009 — Every week at Charleston AFB brings change. Promotions, assignments, retirements and separations impact every squadron on base. Chief Ivey and I also see our new arrivals that always feel like "reinforcements." We brief our First Term Airmen and it is a pleasure to see their energy and commitment as they step into our Air Force and get the job... MORE

Tech. Sgt. Michael Williams is awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor by Col. John Wood at the Charleston AFB theater Oct. 15. The Bronze Star is awarded to service members for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service and may be awarded with valor for courage under fire. Sergeant Williams is an explosive ordnance technician with the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron and Colonel Wood is the 437th Airlift Wing commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Katie Gieratz)

What's the most popular computer password?
October 19, 2009 — Do you know what the most popular computer password is? My guess would have been "password," or the every sneaky "p@ssword." Turns out, the most common password is "123456." Wow, that will surely baffle cyber crooks. Believe it or not, some folks have looked into that. They researched passwords stolen from a popular e-mail service by phishers... MORE

Inspecting our integrity, embracing higher standards
October 19, 2009 — During my last deployment, I watched as one of our chief master sergeants performed an inspection of the security forces morning guard mount. As I watched him move from Airman to Airman, I was reminded that the rite of inspecting the troops is a very old military ceremony. This ancient ceremony has particular importance to Airmen because it speaks... MORE