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  • Serving those who serve

    I stepped off the airplane in Pittsburgh ready to address a group of veterans at State Senator Jane Clare Orie's 11th Annual Memorial Tribute to Our Veterans and Service People. There were two other planned speakers, a Navy officer who had just returned from an Iraq deployment and an individual from

  • Living leadership

    Early in our Air Force careers we are taught that leadership is the art of influencing people to accomplish the mission and many would agree that successful leaders possess certain personal characteristics, such as having a positive attitude, compassion or courage that makes them successful. Yet,

  • It’s the time of the season … for PCSing

    Warm weather, sunny days, kids out of school. Must be that time of the year again - moving season. It's a sure sign of summer when the huge trucks clog neighborhood streets and cardboard boxes clutter lawns like clover. For outgoing families, the stress increases as the days click down. So many

  • A fresh perspective to preserve America

    In a dark alley on the outskirts of town, a sinister force lies plotting... It's difficult to discern a more challenging environment to operate in than today's Air Force - it's as challenging as I've seen in 17 years. Budgets and other resources are shrinking, taskings are growing. The threats to

  • Proud to have served

    This article has been the hardest for me to write since it will be my last as an active duty member. As I wind down my career after 29-plus years in service, I started to think about why I chose to stay so long in the Air Force. When people ask me that question, my answer is normally "because I love

  • If it is to be, it is up to me

    As we grow up, all of us have many different things that influence who we are today. Parents, teachers, coaches and friends all play a part. But for most of us, there are a few special moments, events or slogans that stick with us forever and perhaps guide our lives. I remember many of the sayings

  • Chaplains implement EMBRACE concept

    Nothing is more important to our purpose of the chaplain service than to be cognizant that we are representatives of God and work to facilitate the free exercise of religion. This reason for our existence, along with our personal touch and availability to Airmen and their families is what sets us

  • Uncommon courage

    This June 14 marks the 90th anniversary of the 13th Bomb Squadron. Established in World War I as the 13th Aero Squadron, the "Grim Reapers" have fought in nearly every major campaign since 1917. Some of the surviving veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam occasionally send me e-mails about the

  • My perspective: The purpose of Memorial Day

    Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day was established in 1868 to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. On Memorial Day, we honor those who have given their lives for us. At 3 p.m., we pause for one minute to participate in the "National Moment of Remembrance" of

  • The strongest of teams...

    Please take a moment to consider all that our team accomplished during the past year. We deployed a quarter of the wing, then performed magnificently in a record-setting effort during our Joint Nuclear Surety Inspection and capped this twelve-month period off with nothing less than the finest