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  • Leading carries many burdens

    Being a sincere and engaged supervisor is the key to developing our next generation of leaders. As a group superintendent, I see a number of waivers, exemptions and other requests. It always surprises me when I see a member who moved out of the dorms more than 11 months ago and never realized they

  • Military leaders must avoid hitting 'easy button'

    A chain of popular office supply stores use a memorable advertising theme to convey how simple it is to get whatever you need from its stores. They call it the "Easy Button." Just hit the button and whatever you need is delivered. I love this idea for the office supply store, but I often talk about

  • Why character really matters to all of us

    When it comes to leadership, competencies determine what a person can do.Commitment determines what they want to do and character determines what they will do. Character is the foundation for effective decision-making. Mistakes are made because of a leader's shortcomings in his or her competencies.

  • Our job to greet Airmen, families

    Permanent Change of Station season is upon us once again and it is time to say goodbye to some of our leaders, co-workers, subordinates and friends. Part of our military tradition is transitioning from one location to another, diversifying in our leadership and followership experiences. This is the

  • Details matter in all parts of lives

    During the past week, I could not help but consider the birth of our nation and our service. Our nation was born out of a hope of a better life and better way to govern. The Air Force was born out of innovation and the theory that there is a better way to defend our nation. As an independent force,

  • Wing commander's simple parting: Thank you

    Next Tuesday, Travis will host a wing Change of Command ceremony. At this ceremony, I will pass our 60th Air Mobility Wing guidon to my replacement Col. Corey Martin. As my final commentary in the Tailwind, I'd like to take a few moments to thank each of you.For the past two years, I've arrived at

  • Fitness crucial in Air Force careers

    Fitness has been, and always will be a cornerstone of your career as you develop in the Air Force. Without fitness your ability to produce as an effective warfighter is hampered and you cannot move forward without it. Airmen are responsible for knowing when their fit test is due. Plan in advance to

  • Soccer game provides reminder

    I recently had the privilege of coordinating a military appreciation event for a Major League Soccer game.The event coordinator asked for 100 volunteers from each branch of service to participate in their halftime show to showcase the military and all that they do.Of course, we had a few glitches in

  • Experiencing legacy of caring forms leader's traits

    I want to share with you three of life's lessons that have shaped the way I lead today. They are simply sweeping a garage, digging a pool and taking care of family members. Let's take a trip through my life, starting with a lesson on how to sweep your garage.At the age of 10, I started to get more

  • Dickens' phrase embodies Air Force service

    Charles Dickens begins his novel "A Tale of Two Cities" with the well-known phrase, "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." He follows with words juxtaposed to show conflict and set the stage for the story: "The age of wisdom and foolishness, the epoch of belief and incredulity, the