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  • Training for the 'real thing' - Lessons learned from combat training

    There I was, face down, low-crawling across 20 feet of New Jersey mud in full gear with a helmet, flak vest, web belt, two canteens, first aid kit, M-16 and four 30-round magazines. It was Day 1 of field-training at Air Force's Advanced Contingency Skills Training at Fort Dix N.J., one of many new

  • 'It' can happen in a blink of an eye

    It can happen in a blink of an eye. The car in front of you stops suddenly; the reason doesn't matter -- maybe the driver was talking on a cell phone and wasn't paying attention, maybe there was child who became disruptive in the backseat and the parent had to intervene - but within a split second

  • Myths and facts on sexual assaults

    It's time to take a stand. Mountain Home Air Force Base joins installations around the world to raise awareness regarding the alarming trend of sexual assault across the United States. National Sexual Assault Awareness Month starts April 1, and this year's theme encourages people to "Stand up

  • Keeping up Airmen's morale with 3 Cs

    We've all had a co-worker or subordinate share feelings of unhappiness with the job or lacks motivation. How do you help them to improve their morale? How do you help create a solution? I'd like to outline the three Cs of morale: competence, contribution and connection. When trying to get to the

  • Sometimes it's OK to say no

    "I'm sorry, but no." There, I said it. It wasn't easy and something I really hated to do. It meant having to swallow my pride and admit it was something we just couldn't do. There just weren't enough people, enough hours in the day or enough money to get it done, let alone get it done the right way.

  • Air Force family not just a catchphrase

    The Air Force has its established core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do, but there are also some unwritten concepts which play a pivotal role in the morale and well-being of all Airmen, from the lowest ranking to the chief of staff. One of those is the Air

  • 'Your dreams miss you'

    A popular commercial from network television features a deep sea diver, President Lincoln, and a beaver touting a new brand of sleep aid. As eccentric as a talking rodent is, what stands out to me even more is the tag line of the commercial, "your dreams miss you." In many ways that statement speaks

  • Mentors should invest themselves in subordinates

    In a word, mentors are helpers. They are people who care about us and what we try to accomplish. It seems almost intuitive to me that an Air Force which embodies core values of integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do also encourages mentoring amongst its members.

  • 'So, why didn't I win?'

    "Why don't I win awards? I do a good job." It's an all too commonly asked question. I offer the words passed down to me from the leaders who mentored and molded me. The harsh reality is, individuals don't earn (win) awards for doing a good job; they earn a paycheck. Like most words of wisdom, only

  • Communication, attitude are key for successful change

    Change is all around us these days. In order to successfully live in our world we must adapt. No one knows this better than Airmen of the U.S. Air Force. We frequently change jobs, permanent change of station, career fields as well as procedures that are handed down to us from our leadership. Change