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  • Life is too short; don’t let it go up in smoke

    My uncle died April 30 from lung and brain cancer, most likely caused by smoking for 50 years. He was diagnosed with cancer less than three months ago. Likewise, my father died from lung cancer in 2004 after more than 50 years of smoking. His diagnosis came about eight months prior to his death. As

  • Are all these safety briefs and safety campaigns meant for me?

    Safety briefings, whether mandated from higher headquarters, given at the request of commanders and supervisors, or e-mail traffic received concerning safety, are a fact of Air Force life. Most safety briefings utilize scare tactics, years of statistical data and PowerPoint graphics. We also have

  • Become stronger links in the mission chain

    Are you someone's mentor? It's not something we normally discuss. I am not talking about being a supervisor, being a mentor to someone is much more. Webster's dictionary defines a mentor as a wise and trusted teacher or counselor. In addition to Webster's definition, I believe mentors must be

  • Who has the most important job in the Air Force?

    Some years ago (I won't say how many), an Air Force Academy cadet visited my base on Operation Air Force. She asked me a question that caused me to do some real thinking. She said, "Sir, I want to be a real leader in the Air Force someday. To do that, I think I need to be in the career field that is

  • Core Values: Don't leave your job without them

     As leaders, we are each charged to ensure the Air Force Core Values are adhered to on and off duty. They are briefed and discussed in numerous venues and commanders and supervisors are on a continual quest to relate them to daily activities and successful mission accomplishment. Under the Back to

  • Mentoring…the toughest job in the Air Force

    There's a well-known tradition in the Air Force for different specialties to argue over whose job is more important to the mission or tougher to accomplish. Whether operations, maintenance, medical or mission support, each organization vies for the title of world's most difficult profession. Perhaps

  • Get connected, stay connected

    I was recently asked if I had ever had a bad assignment. When I answered no, the answer seemed to surprise the group of young Airmen I was talking with. The discussion quickly evolved into one about the feelings of boredom that are experienced outside of the job. I shared with them how my family has

  • From where does my help come?

    A couple days after our McConnell Air Force Base Memorial Service for Col. Michael V. Krueger, 22nd Air Refueling Wing former vice commander, I was finally able to sleep in a little and catch a few hours of down time. The spiritual care demands of the previous 10 days or so were beginning to take

  • Construction coming to McConnell

    Spring construction is about to begin at McConnell. Thanks to an aggressive construction program and strong advocacy by wing leadership, McConnell received over $20 million for maintenance and repair projects during the end of fiscal year 2008. Additionally, the base received another $7 million for

  • Getting ‘Back to Basics’

    "Back to Basics," is repeated time and again as the Air Force, its leadership and every Airman strives to wrap their arms back around things that became less important in our drive to win the Global War on Terror and to do so with fewer and fewer Airmen. But have you really thought about how to do