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  • Teamwork: the heart of air refueling

    Congratulations, Team McConnell, on your selection as Air Mobility Command's winner and one of two Air Force finalists in the Installation Excellence Award for 2012! This amazing accomplishment speaks volumes of the pride, partnership and Teamwork which are the hallmark of McConnell and our surrounding communities. What really makes the men and

  • A reason to be thankful

    Two weeks ago, we kicked off the holiday season with a truly wonderful American tradition: Thanksgiving Day. I hope the choice to be thankful extends well beyond that day because we have much to be thankful for as Americans. Most notably is the opportunity we had at the beginning of last month to openly and peacefully cast our vote for everything

  • Don't get too close: how to fight bad breath

    A patient recently stated, "Doc, even after I finish brushing my teeth, my wife tells me I have bad breath." He then asked me what he could do. Bad breath, or halitosis, can be an embarrassing and common problem for many people. It can lower our confidence during some of our most intimate interactions with friends, co-worker and significant others.

  • Isaman Word: Mentoring

    "I need you to mentor your Airmen," seems to be the "buzz-phrase" of the day.Even though I truly believe in mentoring, I think we cheapen it by trying to make mentoring into an action that we can just pick up and do whenever we feel like it. Mentoring is actually a relationship and as such cannot be forced but really has to be developed, even

  • Creating safe work environments

    The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in America during 2010, 3.1 million people suffered a nonfatal workplace injury or illness. These preventable tragedies have the potential to disable workers, causing devastation to families and the Air Force mission. Each day at McConnell, the 22nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron remains dedicated to

  • Foster a culture of excellence

    I would like to begin with what I was once told, "the hardest thing about being a leader is not what you have to do -- it's getting your personnel to do what you want them to do." As a leader it is my job to provide the appropriate guidance and atmosphere to ensure we accomplish the mission. Therefore my philosophy is simple and supports Team

  • Excellence in all we do

    Excellence in all we do; the back bone of the U.S. Air Force Core Values. Excellence is being outstanding or outperforming the standard. This U.S. Air Force Core value helps to set the Air Force cultural norm on how we as Airman should perform any and all tasks. This sounds good on paper, but how do leaders teach excellence? There are a number of
  • (Left to right) Staff Sgt. Thomas Barina, 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter crew chief, Airman 1st Class Jeremy McLaurin, 22nd CES firefighter, Staff Sgt. Alfred Mines, 22nd CES crew chief and “Sparky,” the fire safety dog, speak to preschool-aged children at the Child Development Center about fire safety, Oct. 10, 2012, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. The Airmen visited the CDC to ensure the children have a fire safety plan in case of an emergency. They also demonstrated how firefighters quickly don their safety uniform. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jose L. Leon)

    Have Two Ways out

    If you woke up to a fire in your home, how much time do you think you would have to get to safety? According to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association, one-third of Americans households who made and estimate they thought they would have at least six minutes before a fire in their home would become life threatening. Unfortunately, the
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    'I am Air Force Energy'

    October is Energy Action Month. This year's theme is "I am Air Force Energy." As the theme implies, whether you are a military member, civilian or contractor, your ideas are vital to improving efficiency.In the last 6 years, Airmen in Air Mobility Command have reduced aviation fuel consumption 4 percent, ground fuel consumption 6 percent and

  • Thunderbirds photographer 'pays it forward' to young Airman

    "In all that I do, I try and pay it forward," said Staff Sgt. Larry Reid Jr., U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds photographer. Reid is one of only two photographers assigned to the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds. I got the honor of being able to spend some time with him on Sept. 30, 2012 during the 2012 "Wings Over McConnell"
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