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  • My wingman in the casket

    I stood sharp, crisp and motionless as family members, friends and wingmen mourned around me. I disconnected from myself and all feelings I typically reserved for funerals. I am no longer Senior Airman Paige Weldon, here, I am a body, playing a role, putting on a show. When the time was right, I

  • Finding Security at McConnell’s Mayroad

    When I first moved to McConnell Air Force Base, I was looking for safety and peace after a rough and unsettling experience with off-base apartments. From finding bullet casings to the frequent smell of neighbors smoking every substance imaginable, I never truly felt safe living there. My instincts

  • Martin Luther King Jr. birthday commemoration

    Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "When your character is built on spiritual and moral foundation, your contagious way of life will influence millions.” King influenced how Americans felt, thought and acted during the civil rights movement in the 1960s like no one had ever done before him. Martin

  • The Letter to My Mom – Beyond the Blue

    It is not what happens in life that makes me who I am, but it's how I am able to overcome obstacles that I face. Going through abuse shaped the way I thought, made me question who I trust and even changed my perspective on life. As a child, I was molested for years by my ex-step-father — someone I

  • Hoaxes, cyberattacks and scams - oh my!

    During this COVID-19 outbreak, we face unprecedented challenges touching every aspect of our lives.  This has brought out the best in many of us, including McConnell’s military and civilian personnel and their families. Sadly, these challenges also provide an opportunity to bad actors looking to

  • Fun dental facts for kids

    February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and we, in the profession, believe educating children about dentistry should be fun.

  • Reflection

    The end of the year marks a threshold and invites a pause for reflection. It’s a great time to take stock of the year behind and look ahead.

  • Loyalty

    The greatest military in the world requires loyalty throughout the chain of command in order to efficiently achieve desired effects. Healthy organizations are loyal throughout the chain of command.

  • Taking care of your family, today and tomorrow

    In my business as a Casualty and Mortuary officer, I have heard it all. From notification teams knocking on wrong doors because the address on the member’s record of emergency data is incorrect, or while notifying parents we find out the Airman is married or has children, to informing spouses that