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  • Climb Mount Nitaka

    "Climb Mount Nitaka", sent on Dec. 2, 1941,was the coded signal that Japan had made the decision to go to war. Having sortied in late November, the Japanese battle fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo was now north of Hawaii in violent seas surrounded by a picket line of submarines

  • Warrior Airman

    Our new Airman's Creed published shortly before I deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. In September, our 455 Expeditionary Wing Commander had posters of the creed framed and posted in every office. I'm not sure if its the sight of the Creed at every turn, or the deployment experience, or the

  • Volunteerism

    What a great time of year to write about volunteerism! There are so many opportunities available to us to volunteer throughout the year. During the months of October through December my email box is inundated with offers to volunteer during the holidays. These are examples of what I consider

  • The best gifts

    On the day after Thanksgiving the Christmas shopping rush officially begins. The proverbial starter's pistol sounds and most of us sprint to the races...stores! As usual the malls are crowded with people, parking spots are at a premium, fender benders increase, etc. All who are veterans of the

  • Old Glory

    To many individuals the flag of the United States of America is a symbol -- one of liberty, freedom, strength and unity. It motivates and inspires the citizens of this country and serves as an enduring beacon of hope for those on the outside looking in. To others it's even more important than that.

  • Niner's notes

    With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us we all should take time to reflect on those things that we are thankful for in our lives. My family and I are most thankful for the opportunity to serve here at Whiteman Air Force Base with all the great American's that make Team Whiteman so valuable to our

  • Big service in a "small" war

    In my last article I told the story of 2nd Lt. Rich Walker's uncommon courage in World War II as he braved the heavy defenses of the Japanese to strike shipping targets in the Pacific. Courage and service go hand-in-hand. The combat experiences of the 13th Bomb Squadron "Grim Reapers" in Korea

  • The Air Force: An experience in saving lives

    Before 9/11 - Private Practice I was in private medical practice in Wheeling, W.V., for almost 15 years. As part of the solo private practice, I was a dying breed. No partners, no groups, just me and my office staff. Even so, it worked and I built the practice up to almost 6,000 patients, attended

  • Nobody likes a quitter

    That used to be a favorite saying of mine for years. I used "Nobody likes a quitter!" in reference to my chewing tobacco use. I chewed tobacco more than 18 years, beginning at the ripe old age of 14. I tried several times to quit over the years, but they all failed due to several reasons: 1) I was

  • Sweat the small stuff

    Have you ever heard the phrase "Don't sweat the small stuff?" We used that phrase all the time when I was a younger Airman. What is the "small stuff?" To me, it was the mundane tasks that I didn't consider important, but had to do anyway. To others, it's the small details that are tedious and you