30 Mar 2007

Reflections of my Air Force career

Now that I am nearing my retirement from the Air Force, I have taken time to reflect upon my experience. I cannot begin to put a price on the knowledge, experience and confidence I have gained since entering the Air Force in 1983. My reading and writing skills were below average, and it was not until I went through the NCO Leadership Course that I

22 Mar 2007

Thanking our unsung heroes

There is a group of unsung heroes who have silently supported our Airmen and our nation as we fight the War on Terrorism whose sacrifice, service and heartache too often go without recognition or respect. These heroes are the spouses and family members of our warriors who have selflessly created the bed-rock from which our nation launches its

22 Mar 2007

Who is your inspiration?

What type of person inspires our military members to do what we ask of them each and every day? Could that person be Ms. Anna Nicole Smith? In the news, we have seen Ms. Smith mentioned so often that I've had to ask myself if someone like her might possess qualities that inspire our Airmen. There is at least a part of her life story which some

15 Mar 2007

What's stopping you from getting your CCAF degree?

It's the ONLY one in the Department of Defense. It's the LARGEST in the world. How much better can it get? Let's see ... it's also accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It's the Community College of the Air Force and you're already enrolled! Earning an Associate of Applied Science degree is

15 Mar 2007

What does the base legal office do for you?

Maintaining discipline is always going to be important in any military organization. At Malmstrom AFB, where we have the youngest work force in the Air Force, we have a very busy military justice workload. But while helping commanders ensure good order and discipline in their units is an important part of our job, it's not the only service the

9 Mar 2007

Energy conservation, efficiency priority for AFSPC

Energy conservation is a national and command priority. The growth and demand for energy is increasing quickly, putting a great deal of pressure on the available resources. Reducing the amount of the energy you use is one of the fastest, most effective ways to save energy and money. It will also help fight climatic change and provide for cleaner

9 Mar 2007

PRESS: The keys to mission success

When I first took command of the operations group in June 2005, the "mantra" my predecessor used to guide the group was "Make No Errors." This was a foundational approach aimed at focusing on doing the mission right every day by paying attention to the little things that are often easy to ignore ... like the notes, cautions, warnings, etc., in our

2 Mar 2007

Deliberately reflecting on human dignity as a spiritual activity

Respecting human dignity is critical. It can, at times, be elusive. Each individual, and each generation collectively, must come to terms with the idea, the responsibility, and the determination to make it part of their (and collectively "its") internal make-up and part of a core inner-principle from which external actions are driven (both the

23 Feb 2007

Images that last

The year was 1944 and the family of 7-year-old Antonio Cellini was not doing very well. The German troops that had occupied Antonio's hometown near Altuzzo, Italy, for the past two years had been especially brutal lately - more so, since the Allies had finally broken the stalemated beachheads near Nettuno and Anzio, and were on the move north,

19 Jan 2007

The other side of leading

Reams of good advice have been written on effective leadership principles (by far worthier authors than myself). One critical aspect of leading a diverse set of individuals is often overlooked - the part where you as a leader make a concerted attempt to thoroughly know your folks. Supervisors often get caught up in the myriad of mission-essential