Commentaries

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

Mayor shows exemplary leadership during 9/11
September 11, 2009 — Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's actions following the 9/11 attack on the New York World Trade Center towers have been held by many to be a flawless example of crisis leadership. I believe there is much we can learn from the leadership behaviors he demonstrated during that trying time.On and after 9/11, Mayor Giuliani was out in front of the public and... MORE

A Little Gem of Innocence
September 4, 2009 — "That's what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong, that decency will somehow triumph in the end."- Lise Hand In his book, "True Faith and Allegiance: The Burden of Military Ethics," James H. Toner posited that the test of "true faith and allegiance lies... MORE

Whose job is this?
August 28, 2009 — My family and I arrived at Andrews Air Force Base June 8. As you can imagine, we were filled with many emotions as we made our 14th move. A new home, a new job, a new community ... After all, we were all coming to the launching point for the president, Cabinet, senior military leaders, Congress, and we were now living here; it was all a bit much... MORE

What makes a great leader?
August 21, 2009 — The U.S. Air Force is great because we demand leadership at all levels and ranks. So, what is leadership? Is it developed or innate? How do we apply leadership? These questions are raised at each professional military course.Leadership, for this article, is defined as the ability to set a vision and then inspire others to achieve it. In order to... MORE

‘Tear down this wall’ between leadership and feedback
August 14, 2009 — We are rapidly approaching the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. America's Armed Forces paid handsomely for the theoretical "Peace Dividend" that followed the Wall's fall - a dramatic reduction in our forces still being felt today as we have continuously rolled from one theater of operations to another without the stability offered... MORE

Famous Last Words
August 7, 2009 — "No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris," so said Orville Wright. "Everything that can be invented has been invented," was quoted by the U.S. Office of Patents commissioner in 1899. Ah, famous last words these famous men probably regretted ever thinking, let alone saying. What about you? Have you ever said anything you wish you... MORE

Empowerment key to betterment
July 31, 2009 — What is empowerment? According to Dictionary.com, "to empower is to give power or authority to; authorize, especially by legal or official means; to enable or permit."I see empowerment as one of our most critical skills as leaders: to build an environment of trust and empower others. In these days of increasing budget cuts and AFSO 21 further... MORE