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  • Service honors predecessors

    Last Saturday, I had the honor of attending a ceremony where I presented the Congressional Gold Medal to Mrs. Frances Gilbert Johannessen who served selflessly with the Women Air Force Service Pilots. The WASPs served honorably during WWII transporting military personnel, towing targets for gunnery

  • A passion for excellence

    Every month, I get a chance to welcome newcomers to our squadron and share with them our philosophy, vision and goals. We talk about the area, the war on DUIs, the squadron, the pace of deployments and the great opportunities available across Team Travis (AIRPOWER). In each of these sessions, I

  • Today is time to say 'thank you'

    Too often in our lives we wait for those special moments to say thank you or great job. We say it at funerals, farewells and retirements. I pick today as one of those special moments and I want to say, "Thank you for a job well done."I pick today because, in my opinion, every day we are privileged

  • Teamwork ... the key to any successful organization

    As a child I can remember always wanting to be part of a team and a winning team at that. Whether it was the local backyard pickup football game, organized little league baseball or the neighborhood kick-the-can game that lasted well into the evening, I wanted to be a part of a team. I think if

  • Museum Commentary

    I will never forget the first time I saw "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." It was as if Indy himself punched me square in the jaw with a history book. Ever since that evening at the drive-in, I have had a love for history. Unknown by many people at Travis, there is an air museum on

  • Our Core Values

    Several years ago, I stopped at a transition point on my way to Kirkuk, Iraq. While I was there, I learned an improvised explosive device had killed Special Agents Ryan Balmer and Matthew Kuglics during an off-base mission. It was June 5, 2007, and the unit to which I was deploying, had just lost

  • Be a good wingman: show fellow Airmen you are all in

    The wingman concept is a well-known tenet of our Air Force culture. We trace its origin to the early days of combat aviation. Pilots conducting missions during World War I relied on each other for support, discovering the advantages of flying in formation. These forerunners of modern-day Airmen

  • Courtesy is crucial

    Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "There is no outward sign of true courtesy that does not rest on a deep moral foundation."Benjamin Franklin"To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness."Galatians 6:7-9 (King James Version)"In due season, what you plant, you will

  • Welcome home Warriors

    Welcome Home Warriors is a great event held monthly here at Travis that recognizes our Airmen who have recently returned from deployment as well as their families. These Airmen know what it's like to put service before self and their families have made many sacrifices as well. It's always great to

  • Yes, you’re brave enough to go to war . . .

    Sometimes we think we should be able to handle everything in our lives - all our problems, all the stress of life and the use of alcohol on top of that. We are vulnerable when we drink; ignoring that reality leaves you more vulnerable to risking your own death or killing someone else. Somehow we've