Commentary Search

  • Don't read this commentary -- it's just a sobering personal journal entry

    Wednesday, Dec. 22 - Holiday cheer seems to be permeating our entire organization. Judged the office decorating contest. Tied up loose ends with my directors before most head off on well-deserved holiday leave. Drafted commander's commentary for January issue of base newspaper. Thursday, Dec. 23 -

  • Air Force expressions

    Perhaps the most meaningful and profound reason for serving in the U.S. Air Force is to secure the blessings of liberty. Airmen have the solemn duty of defending a nation whose political values and institutions secure freedom and justice for both its citizens and others. Freedom of speech is one of

  • Are you being a good wingman?

    Picture this...a cold winter morning and a crew chief positioning a heater hose at just the right angle to warm his hands while performing one last check of his toolbox. A minute later, a pilot walks up and receives a snappy salute and a "good morning sir!" from the crew chief before reviewing the

  • "A day on, not a day off"

    As the turn of the New Year concludes, another important holiday follows -- Martin Luther King Day.Some may recognize it as just another federal holiday but for others it is a day to celebrate much more. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the holiday recognizing one of America's greatest

  • Sacrifice #384

    It was one of the coldest mornings of the winter season thus far, when we gathered at the Black Hills National Cemetery. The temperature was a scant 14 degrees and the winds made it feel sub-zero. I was one of hundreds who sacrificed the warmth of his or her home on this Saturday morning to honor

  • Are you mature enough to be an Airman?

    Being an Airman is a tremendous responsibility. We are responsible for flying, maintaining and supporting the most awesome weapon systems the world has ever seen. It takes mature men and women to handle such serious responsibilities where failure has larger consequences than most can imagine. So, I

  • Lesser-known UCMJ offenses

    Some Airmen destroy promising careers, and it's not always because they are caught stealing, using drugs or misusing their government computer. Having served as a prosecutor, defense attorney and military judge, I've seen people lose their careers for many reasons: from voyeurism to disloyal

  • Gaining a deeper appreciation for our Air Force

    I spent my winter holiday season in Baghdad last year. Not by choice, but as the deployed air advisor to the surgeon general of the still-young Iraqi air force. When first advised of the tasking, I had little idea of what I was being asked to do. As I began to find out, I must admit to having had my

  • Customs, traditions of remembrance

    As I sat at my son's gymnastics training in Ipswich, England, Alex, one of the 14-year-old gymnasts, and Maria, the mother of one of the other boys, were talking about the Remembrance Day ceremony at Alex's school that day. Remembrance Day is very similar to Veteran's Day in the United States. They

  • Attitude for success

    Anytime someone tries to initiate change or look for a better way to do things, inevitably they face naysayers -- the "road blockers" who try to stop you. They say, "it can't be done" or "there's an Air Force regulation that says we can't do that". Many don't even try to think outside the box.As