Commentaries

Fit to Fight
August 7, 2008 — The Air Force "Fit to Fight" program focuses on physical fitness to increase our preparedness to deploy and fight. I have adapted my personal view of "Fit to Fight" to include not only physical fitness, but also mental, emotional and spiritual fitness.Physical fitness includes a regular exercise program of aerobic fitness, muscular strength and... MORE

Commander says farewell and thanks
July 31, 2008 — Today marks my final day as the 316th Wing Commander and installation commander for Andrews Air Force Base. It will be several days of reflection as I drive west to Randolph Air Force Base but I am already filled with pride and thanks for what the 316th Wing and Team Andrews has accomplished these past 25 months. Andrews has always made its mark in... MORE

Airmen preparedness key in GWOT
July 24, 2008 — This month I took command of AFOSI 7th Field Investigations Squadron located on Andrews Air Force Base. The 7 FIS is responsible for providing criminal, fraud, and counterintelligence investigative and operational capabilities to support wings and Airmen at Andrews and Bolling Air Force Bases, the Pentagon, and Fort Meade. While we conduct our... MORE

Air Force Smart Operations, A Journey of Excellence
July 16, 2008 — Having served in our wonderful Air Force for quite a while, I realize "smart operations" are not new buzzwords, but a system that can transform an entire enterprise. It is about intelligent changes in how we think and operate in times of rapid transformation, resulting in an environment where Airmen aspire to improve daily operations by eliminating... MORE

'Disipline is the soul of an Army'
July 11, 2008 — Then-Colonel George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of Virginia Forces, said "Discipline is the soul of an Army." This piece of wisdom is as true today as it was in 1757. In order to establish discipline, commanders and leaders must cultivate an environment of respect so that their subordinates have confidence in them. The guidance for enforcement... MORE

Transforming Andrews’ Landscape
July 3, 2008 — It seems everywhere you look on Andrews lately, something is under construction, major renovation, or extensive repair. In concert with several other agencies on base, on May 28, we provided the installation's combined leadership a comprehensive update on the major facility and infrastructure projects going on around the base. While the prospect of... MORE

What bonds us?
June 30, 2008 — I am constantly amazed at the character of our military people who secure our nation's liberties. As an Individual Mobility Augmentee, people often ask "When are you going back to your civilian job?" and the first thing I ask myself is why would I want to leave a job where I can be around great Americans? What is it about our military personnel and... MORE

The Hard Right
June 12, 2008 — Jane is traveling 63 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone when she is pulled over by a patrolman. She: a. scolds him for not going after real criminals. b. ekes out a few tears and tells him she is on her way to the hospital to visit a dying relative. c. says, "You know, you're right. I was speeding." Dave spots a wallet full of cash on the ground in the... MORE

It's been an honor
June 2, 2008 — To the men and women of Team Andrews, I have come to a crossroad in my career where I must move on to another assignment. I want to pause to reminisce on the accomplishments of Team Andrews during this period. Shortly after I arrived to Andrews, I challenged each of us to sync our goals with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's top 3 priorities,... MORE

Thanks to Team Andrews
May 27, 2008 — Andrews is a place like no other. It is very hard to sit back and relish the amazing success of this past weekend. As we closed the gates to the public and marshaled them off the installation, Team Andrews was working at a feverish pace to bring the airfield back into "normal" operations and it didn't stop there. That very night, we had security... MORE

The road less traveled
May 12, 2008 — At the end of his poem "The Road Not Taken" the American poet Robert Frost exhorts us to break away from the herd with the oft quoted lines: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. There has been a lot of discussion recently about creative thinking and finding innovative solutions... MORE

Job well done, Team Andrews
April 25, 2008 — One week ago today as we said goodbye to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, we closed another chapter in Andrews Air Force Base history. I would like to personally thank each one of you for your support and efforts during this significant and truly successful event. While His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's ceremonial arrival and departure were both... MORE

Leadership lessons ... Just look around
April 25, 2008 — I thought I would be awed and humbled by Air Force One and our mission, the prospect of airlifting the President of the United States on time, every time, without fail. Doing so in a 231-foot aircraft that is spotless to the last inch inside and out, with hundreds of complex systems all working to perfection - and being responsible for it - should... MORE

Earn this
April 17, 2008 — In the summer of 1998, there was a lot of discussion in the media about the opening 10 minutes of the film "Saving Private Ryan" and how traumatic it might be for our greatest generation, those who actually stormed the beaches at Normandy and lived to tell us their tales. As I sat in a very cold theater in the Pentagon City Mall in the midst of a... MORE

You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be
April 11, 2008 — Thirty years ago, I was an Airman at my first duty location. I had enlisted in the Air Force out of high school and thought I would spend four years in the Service while I figured out what I wanted to do in life. Working in the Consolidated Base Personnel Office, the predecessor to today's Military Personnel Flight, Airman Basic Geuting was a good... MORE

Success through great mentors
March 28, 2008 — I am a very fortunate person. In May I will have 20 years of commissioned service in the United States Air Force and I have had some really amazing opportunities in that time and I've also faced a couple of really difficult challenges. Much of what I've enjoyed though is a very direct result of women who served before me and women I had the honor... MORE

Malcolm Grow Medics ...The Face of Air Force Medicine
March 21, 2008 — My name is Col. Bob Miller, and I took command of the 79th Medical Group Malcolm Grow Medical Center on Jan. 17. As a Uniformed Services University School of Medicine graduate, some 20 years ago, I could not have been happier to return to my old stomping grounds in a different role. It has only been two months since my arrival from RAF Lakenheath... MORE

The Little Blue Book
March 14, 2008 — On my desk is a simple reminder of what it is that we, as members of this United States Air Force, are about. A small pamphlet titled, "United States Air Force Core Values, 1 January 1997." This is my technical order for providing Superior Service each and every day. On the first page it reads:"The Core Values exist for all members of the Air... MORE

Air Force Reserve An Unrivaled Wingman
March 6, 2008 — President Harry Truman directed in the National Security Act of 1947 that the services revitalize their reserve programs. Since its inception in April 1948, the Air Force Reserve has evolved from a mobilization-only force into an Operational Reserve integrated 24/7 with the Active Duty Air Force. Dedicated Citizen Airmen stand ready to fly and... MORE

Celebrate, recognize diversity daily
March 4, 2008 — "The power of excellence is overwhelming. It is always in demand and nobody cares about its color." These hallowed words are from one of our greatest original Tuskegee Airmen, General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr., who flew 101 combat missions in Korea, and 78 more in Vietnam. These words are inscribed on the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Va.,... MORE

Airmen and Ambassadors
February 22, 2008 — A critical component of the greatest combat force in the world today, the United States Air Force gains its unparalleled strength from its people. We are well trained, equipped and organized to meet our leaders' objectives in an ever changing domestic and world climate. An all-volunteer force, our people are motivated to succeed by the very freedom... MORE

Resolutions and discipline
February 15, 2008 — It's been a few weeks since you started your New Year's resolution, how are you doing? If you're like me, you've had your ups and downs. Don't be discouraged, you might be surprised, but what you think, and how you think about it, are key factors for your success in achieving your New Years resolution and just about anything else you want to... MORE

The Secret to Success
February 11, 2008 — The Super Bowl is now in the record books and over the next year people will expend vast amounts of energy and emotion debating the outcome. What is it that separates the champions from the rest of the pack? If you are not a football fan, you can substitute whatever endeavor appeals to you and the question remains the same - "Why is it that some... MORE

Diversity in the workforce creates ingenuity
January 24, 2008 — As I enjoyed time at home with my family over the long weekend and read the numerous newspaper articles about the life and struggle of Dr. Martin Luther King, I thought about the progress that has been made and how the nation and the Air Force have benefited from the dreams of a man whose life was taken too early. We remember grade school Social... MORE

One New Year's Resolution You Can Do
January 18, 2008 — It's the start of a new year. Most of us make resolutions to eat better, exercise more, or work towards our next degree. I'm curious though to know how many of us made a resolution to get to know those we serve with better. Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President, was a great leader because he stood for what was right, honest and self-evident. But did... MORE

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Joint Base Andrews Commentaries