Commentary Search

  • Ego check: A smack in the face by reality can be a good thing

    I majored in psychology in college, so Sigmund Freud was a fixture in many of my studies. I was constantly quizzed on Freud's theories of the id, ego and superego. Freud's theory of the ego stated that the ego developed later in childhood after needs were met and the child began to experience life.

  • Patriotism in and out of uniform

    When the national anthem plays at a baseball game or a color guard passes by during a parade with the U.S. flag unfurled, men, women and children stand and place their hands over their hearts and servicemembers in uniform snap to attention and render a sharp salute. But how do servicemembers in

  • What is leadership?

    Sixteen years ago, I stood on the parade ground at the Medina Annex on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, anxiously waiting to accept my commission as a brand new second lieutenant. Moments before my uncle asked me to raise my right hand, he pulled me aside and said "Matt, in a few minutes, you're

  • Reflecting on the history of nurses

    After serving 18 years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps, I'm finally getting a chance to deploy. To say I'm excited is an understatement. I even have a really cool mission -- to work with and teach Afghan nurses. Amidst all the excitement and preparation for my deployment, I've spent

  • Where did the time go?

    A college professor once told me the attention span of the average American was 30 minutes, roughly the length of a sitcom. This left me wondering what happened to a person's ability to sit still and focus on one thing at a time. What happened to taking some time and relaxing with a good

  • Keeping in touch with your Airmen

    In today's Air Force, it's vital we keep the best and brightest. As the force is tasked to do more with less, people are required to work longer and harder. Those who take on the challenge are a unique breed of people. You know the ones I'm talking about -- the ones who will do anything required to

  • Legends of the air: Honoring a warrior

    Honoring those who fought before us and selflessly offered up the ultimate sacrifice for God and country isn't necessarily a rare event; it's often a reflex for those in uniform. The following circumstances, however, presented an extraordinary situation which led the 391st Fighter Squadron to reach

  • You Send Them...We Mend Them

    You've often heard the medics holler this cheer at awards ceremonies and promotions ... but for many, it's much more than just a chant. As a recently deployed medic to Iraq, I witnessed events which gave me a more profound understanding and appreciation of Air Force health care. As force

  • The Air Force physical training program

    A monumental transition began a few years ago to improve the Air Force fitness program. Why, because the mission and operational tempo dictated improved fitness levels. Supervisors at all levels need to understand that in order to accomplish the mission, physical fitness plays a critical role. As

  • Leadership and the mentor

    As the dust settled on my third full night in Afghanistan, I wrote my thoughts in a journal I carry with me whenever I'm on a deployment. I wrote, "I could not imagine how Afghanistan would be or even dream of what my eyes would see. A war-torn country under Taliban rule, as seen on the faces of the