Commentaries

The holiday blues
December 26, 2012 — The other night, while flipping through the channels, I ran across a Christmas special on TV. It was an old one about the year without Santa Claus. In it, a little girl sang about having a "blue Christmas without you." It reminded me this is a time of year when many people get the "blues." Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, or no holiday... MORE

Timely and effective feedback, Stat
December 4, 2012 — Performance feedback is an important requirement. Feedback outlines expectations, improves work performance and tells an Airman where he or she is at in the reporting period and contributes to positive communication. I have heard Airmen too many times throughout my career say that they haven't received timely and effective feedback from their... MORE

Intentional leadership
December 4, 2012 — In a recent article, CMSAF Roy: 'Future is now', provided by the Air Force News Service, Chief Master Sgt. James A. Roy said, "Air Force leaders must ensure future enlisted leaders are skilled in things like leadership and communication - the institutional competencies that are essential to any career." It is an unfortunate fact of life that the... MORE

The spirit of giving
December 3, 2012 — You never know the impact that your gift may have in someone's life. What, to you, may seem like a very small, even insignificant, gift may be a life changing moment for the recipient. For most, it will not be because of the gift itself, but the spirit with which it was given. Many of us live our day to day lives unaware of the difference our small... MORE

Success...It's a state of mind
November 29, 2012 — What is success? I believe success is a state of mind. It is having the determination to keep trying while applying lessons from past failings or experiences. Success is the willingness to pursue your dreams and goals while facing challenges to reach your goals. Take Winston Churchhill for an example: Did you know that he failed sixth grade or that... MORE

Leadership--It's Not about You
November 21, 2012 — The sooner you accept the fact leadership is not about you, the sooner you can focus on your Airmen, the organization and the mission. Leaders who use their positions for their own agenda or personal goals often end up bitter and disappointed. If your goals are to pursue awards, recognition, and outshine your peers, you risk eventually compromising... MORE

Post-surgery exercise: Pain and Gain
November 20, 2012 — Whether it's due to an emergency, or to correct a problem, surgery by natureinterferes with exercise habits. The problem is this: exercise is a keyingredient of pre-surgery preparation, and post-surgery recovery. So how canone combine surgery and exercise? The answer, of course, is very carefully,with the involvement of your health care... MORE

Andrews Community Fund improves morale, readines
October 3, 2012 — One of the benefits of being part of a "military family" is that you know your family always has your back. For many, the Air Force Aid Society has helped them in times of financial strain. But, AFA loans have specific criteria before being approved.What other options are there if an Airmen or Sailor cannot meet that criteria? The Andrews Community... MORE

Get fit with HIIT
October 1, 2012 — Would you like to increase the effectiveness of your cardio or aerobic workouts? Do you sometimes feel like you don't have enough time to do an effective workout? Are you interested in losing weight, increasing your cardio/aerobic endurance, or bulking up? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be interested in "High-Intensity... MORE

Strength in adversity
October 1, 2012 — (October is Suicide Prevention Month. This story on Resiliency, is the third in a series of three dedicated to this cause.)Bad things happen to all of us. Sometimes it is just a minor irritant, but at other times, it is a major hurt. How we deal with these setbacks is the key to our resilience.Resilience is a current buzzword a lot of folks are... MORE

The Nellis Mental Health Resiliency Element opened a new web page designed to be a one-stop shop for information on helping resources Feb. 15.