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  • The above illustration is a rendition of Angus, an adopted Scottish terrier who resides in Oxford, Maine. According to the Humane Society of the United States, of the six to eight million dogs and cats animals shelters care for every year, nearly four million will be euthanized in the U.S. (U.S. Air Force illustration/Senior Airman Katrina Heikkinen)

    Uncomplicated love: Adoptability of dogs

    Nails clack against the floor as their tails knock down everything in their path. Tunnel vision leads them straight to the door as a car pulls in the driveway. Tongue ready for licking; they squeal out an excited "woof!" We've just walked through the door after being apart for 10 hours. But for our four-legged friends, it's been a lifetime.For many

  • From musician to Airman

    I grew up in a very musical household. Music was more than just something to enjoy every now and then with my family; it was a way of life, how my parents made a living and the glue that held our family together. One of my fondest memories as a child, and also one of the most irritating things a person could endure, was when my father would write

  • Self-defense, self-confidence: A new start

    As an Airman of the public affairs career field, I'm often exposed to the negative perspectives of the Air Force by people outside the norms of military life - and sometimes within those norms. Unfortunately, it's become part of today's society for media outlets to focus on the negative more than the positive. It is easy to define my purpose in the

  • Thanksgiving message from the commander

    We've arrived at one of the most important times of the year.It's not important because of the worsening weather and all associated safety reminders. Not because of the tree-lighting ceremonies and gift-buying sprees. Not because of holiday parties and time changes. Not even because our team just successfully emerged from an unending period of

  • Diversity and the elephant in the room

    As a wing, we were asked, "What are you doing to support and enhance diversity in your unit--that which is frequently done and supported by action?" All levels of all organizations should answer this question. So as you look around your office, ask yourself, "What am I doing?"Now, before you tell me you have no control over who ends up in your shop

  • AFA: It’s time to take another look

    In the face of continuing defense budget cuts and more force "reshaping," what can you do to protect your own interests and make sure the United States doesn't return to the days of hollow military forces?The answer is simple; add your voice to the nearly 150,000 voices in the Air Force Association. When it comes to fighting the good fight on

  • Hunting Safety

    As the summer months fade away, many of us look ahead to hunting season. October brings with it the chance to head to the field in search of birds or to the mountains for deer and elk with a bow and arrows. This is the time when many may forget the safety practices that got them through the summer injury free. Do not let it happen to you. There are

  • Changes in the Air Force Inspection System

    "Out with the old, in with the new" - we have all heard this expression and many of us have seen a multitude of changes take place as the Air Force has morphed and adopted new programs during the 21st century. One of those changes is just ahead in the creation of the Wing Commander's Inspection Program, or CCIP, within the updated Air Force

  • Organizational success

    What are a few primary reasons that are directly influential to the success of your section? Your squadron? Your wing? The Air Force in general? An obvious answer is our core values, but there are many more reasons - probably enough to write an entire book. For the sake of being brief, let's consider three:Commitment - What does this word mean to

  • Becoming a military mom

    The moment I saw that life-changing plus sign, one very big question ran through my mind: can I do this? After calling my husband - who hung up on me at the time out of pure shock - I paced the layout of my house for at least a few hours trying to figure out just how I could serve my country and my now growing family at the same time. As an
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