Commentaries

The Crucible of Thanksgiving
December 4, 2009 — We have seen a year of change in our nation, at Joint Base Andrews, and surely in our personal lives - and we should take this time to reflect. In doing so, we count our many blessings, old and new, because they give us perspective that can elude us amidst life's pains and losses. Do we take time to also reflect on these challenges and are we,... MORE

Customer service is not a department
December 4, 2009 — This past week we celebrated Veterans Day. While Memorial Day honors the memory of our fallen soldiers, on Veterans Day we honor the service of all of our military veterans. The freedom we take for granted has been paid for by the sacrifices made by our veterans. Sacrifice describes selfless good deeds accomplished for the benefit of others. These... MORE

Service success tips
December 4, 2009 — I'm often asked the question of what it takes to be successful in our Air Force. Honestly, that's a very difficult question to answer as there are so many things that could be considered critical to individual-or even team-success. Sure, performing our assigned duties and accomplishing the Air Force mission is priority one and we should all focus... MORE

The Pursuit of Excellence
November 6, 2009 — In today's fast paced society it is often said that the average person's expectation is to have information, goods, services and all the little important things in life when they want them, and normally that is now. Of course, one must sometimes question whether it is reasonable to assume or maintain that expectation. Do we think of the things that... MORE

Why are you here?
October 30, 2009 — Well it's that time of year again. The leaves are changing color, the weather is becoming cooler and change is in the air. President John F. Kennedy once said, "The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable." This statement is most certainly true for our military. Over the past year, we have seen many changes... As I... MORE

Passion In Everything We Do
October 16, 2009 — "I ... do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States ..."These are more than just words to those of us in the profession of arms. Our oath commits us to a noble journey; a journey towards a more perfect union, to provide for our common defense, and to secure the blessings of liberty for our nation and our... MORE

Make Good Choices
October 9, 2009 — Much attention of late has been paid by Joint Team Andrews leadership on the dangers of inappropriate alcohol use with a focus on underage drinking. I also realize that some of our servicemembers who live in the dorms may feel they are being unfairly scrutinized regarding alcohol use on base. This if for good reason based on some concerning trends... MORE

What is Naval Air Facility Washington?
October 2, 2009 — Before I address the topic at hand, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Col. Steven Shepro, 316th Wing/Joint Base Andrews commander, and his team of professionals, both military and civilian, for making the transition to Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington, henceforth referred to as "Joint Base Andrews," as smooth as humanly... MORE

A "Time Out" has its place in the Air Force
September 25, 2009 — The end of the fiscal year is fast approaching and, as a squadron commander, I have many issues to consider during this period. Of the many possible issues I could discuss, the one I want to focus on today is Leave. In the following paragraphs I will draw two phrases from our AFIs and discuss how they relate to your welfare. Let's begin our... MORE

Get yourself something nice
September 18, 2009 — Today marks the 62nd birthday of our great Air Force. I know what you are thinking, "What gift can I get for the world's premier air power?" How about we pool our nickels together and get something really great! A few new airplanes would be nice; or even a new gym on base; that shiny new weapons system has been staring at me for months now.I've got... MORE