Commentaries

April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April 3, 2013 — Sexual Assault Awareness Month occurs in April nationally and within the Department of Defense. The month is designated as an extension of a variety of yearly events to further raise awareness, prevent and eliminate sexual assault through public education.This year's theme, "We own it. We'll solve it. Together," recognizes the impact on total force... MORE

Days of remembrance: heed the warning signs
April 3, 2013 — The term,"holocaust," should require no further explanation. The majority of Americans are aware of the horrors and atrocities inflicted upon the Jewish population by Nazi Germany during World War II. As we look back upon perhaps the single most defining event of the 20th century, I invite you to take a moment and consider the evil humanity has... MORE

Vietnam POWs experienced hardship, maintained honor
March 29, 2013 — As many of our Airmen are still putting their lives in order after Hurricane Sandy, much is happening in the world, with ongoing mobilizations, federal sequestration and fiscal arguments occurring now and for the foreseeable future. As a result, we all are faced with the added stresses of uncertainty about how our country and military may be... MORE

Who likes conflict?
March 21, 2013 — I will say most people do not like conflict. Occasionally, some people enjoy being challenged with a friendly bantering of words and aren't afraid of disagreements, but most of the time we prefer to avoid conflict.What is conflict anyway? The dictionary defines conflict several ways: to come into collision or disagreement, to be contradictory or in... MORE

Sequestration is here
March 21, 2013 — Most people are now aware of America's fiscal crisis. The national debt is at $16.5 trillion and rising. The fiscal crisis is driving the need for budget cuts across the federal government. The Department of Defense makes up approximately 20 percent of the federal budget, so we should expect that the DOD will have to make its fair share of budget... MORE

You don't have to leave the 'Hooah' behind
March 14, 2013 — It may be time, but sometimes it's hard to leave the "hooah" behind. Military skillsets gained and deployment experience, along with the camaraderie built with fellow Soldiers can make the prospect of transitioning to civilian life daunting. That's even before you factor in the struggling economy and job market.Even if "one weekend a month, two... MORE

Heads up for Brain Injury Awareness Month
March 14, 2013 — Every month of the year has an awareness theme, with some months having multiple important causes to recognize.March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. One month is a relatively short time to highlight brain injury awareness, but we need to acknowledge, practice and prevent it year-round. Life, as we know it, is worth the endeavor.Approximately 1.7... MORE

You don’t have to leave the ‘Hooah’ behind
March 7, 2013 — It may be time, but sometimes it's hard to leave the "hooah" behind. Military skillsets gained and deployment experience, along with the camaraderie built with fellow Soldiers can make the prospect of transitioning to civilian life daunting. That's even before you factor in the struggling economy and job market.Even if "one weekend a month, two... MORE

Don't be rude, please reply
March 7, 2013 — We sometimes forget to extend the simplest of courtesies to our friends, neighbors, co-workers and leadership even though customs and courtesies are a large part of our military culture. We occasionally need some reminding of the appropriate action to take in a given situation, whether it is saluting or as simple as responding to an invitation. We... MORE

Getting back to basics can save lives
February 28, 2013 — In the stressed, overworked and strained ops tempo environment of today's Air Force, safety sometimes ends up pushed to the back burner. While cutting back on safety precautions is one solution to our over-filled plates, it is the most dangerous, with literally, life-threatening consequences. However, there is another option that can be lifesaving,... MORE