June 5, 2018 Unbowed, unbent, unbroken Full spectrum readiness has been a priority among our Air Force leaders and has translated into countless exercises, numerous training hours in mission-oriented protective posture gear, and realistic scenarios to ensure we are able to respond to any threat anywhere in the world. But what does this
June 4, 2018 “That’s just the way we do it” is not a good answer I’ve been lucky in my career so far to instruct on three different aircraft and serve in the contingency response world. I started off flying C-21As (LearJets) doing distinguished visitor travel, then transitioned to the C-130 E/H doing airland and airdrop missions. I’ve also flown on air-refueling
May 30, 2018 Good, not dumb A favorite quote of mine is from “Space Balls,” the 1987 movie parody of “Star Wars.” In it, the villain Dark Helmet, says, “Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.”
May 2, 2018 Trust: The foundation of a high performing organization Trust is an intangible characteristic based on a belief that the person, group or organization bestowed with that trust will act in the best interests of those who have faithfully provided it. Trust is the bedrock upon which the Air Force functions.
May 2, 2018 Be the leader we remember In my 25 years in the Air Force, I have had the opportunity to work with many types of leaders. The leaders I remember most are the ones who weren’t afraid to make decisions. Many times, I found that people waivered and failed to make a move because it might be unpopular or be an uncomfortable
April 24, 2018 Military children serve alongside parents Being in mission oriented protective posture gear “sucking rubber” may not be the best part of your military career—or maybe it is. But try doing a post-attack reconnaissance sweep with a child tagging along with you.
April 24, 2018 Life as summer child gives perspective on the winds of winter I heard a statistic recently that made me stop and think: Over 80 percent of the Airmen in our Air Force today came into the service after the fateful events of 9/11.
April 24, 2018 To win, we must be tough, disciplined With resource readiness trending to the positive, what about restoring personal readiness? Have any of us really considered what personal attributes we will need to win any fight in any environment? Have you ever asked yourself if you are truly prepared to forward deploy in the harshest of
April 17, 2018 Leaders need resiliency too For supervisors at every level, it is easy to live vicariously through our subordinates. Let me give a brief example. Within the last year, my superintendent and I had to deal with a disciplinary situation within the unit. How did we both react to the challenge?
April 17, 2018 Working vs. serving: an important difference Every military member takes an oath. Among other things, this oath verbally confirms that each of us will support and defend the Constitution of the United States. This is not merely an occupation, this is a service commitment that requires true dedication and sacrifice.