Sept. 29, 2010 Changing our Air Force’s Drinking Culture Did you know that drunken driving now accounts for 32% of all traffic fatalities? In our Air Force, drunk driving and its ramifications are directly tied to our mission readiness, so it's a critical time for us to change our drinking culture! Nationally, one in three people will be involved in an
Sept. 1, 2010 Squadron always busy improving Offutt’s infrastructure You've probably noticed open holes scattered across the base and may have wondered why they're there. Quite simply, we've been fortunate to receive funding to perform sorely needed upgrades to our infrastructure and are in the midst of several projects which will ultimately make our infrastructure
July 21, 2010 The Spiritual Thread: a Ministry of Airmen The Air Force Chaplain Corps is a ministry like no other. Worlds removed from its civilian counterparts, our chaplain corps remains faithful to its motto: ministry for the military life. That means the entirety of military life. Indeed, there is scarcely an aspect of military life not affected by
July 21, 2010 Balancing faith, family and force When I was a brand new lieutenant, a squadron commander tried to explain to me how everything we do can be put into three categories: faith, family and force. I questioned his logic and explanation at the time, but over the years I've found the statement to be true. The challenge we all face is
July 1, 2010 Mentorship, leadership not always the same "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Isaac NewtonI believe there are misconceptions among our Airmen about mentoring and what it means to be mentored. I don't believe many recognize mentoring when they see it, nor do they truly understand what it means to have a
June 28, 2010 What have you done for your country today? Sitting in my spare bedroom Tuesday morning, I was looking at a career laid out before my eyes. I saw awards dating back to my days as an airman and goodbye gifts from many of my bases. I started to reflect on the role models I've had and one name stuck out. Chief Master Sgt. Tim Omdal was the
June 17, 2010 Social media: a sticky companion The written word, always a powerful tool, has become more so with the evolution of modern technology. But always remember once written and transmitted, your thoughts are no longer in your control. You are now at the mercy of all who view your e-mail or website. If your friend forwards your e-mail or
June 2, 2010 Gut-check on leadership The Air Force spends a tremendous amount of time, effort and money on leadership development. We're bombarded with leadership models to study, examples to emulate, and even within the 55th Wing, we have a goal to develop Airmen. This clearly includes bolstering and refining leadership throughout our
June 1, 2010 Don't be a target, secure your valuables For many being stationed in America's heartland may contribute to a complacent attitude toward the security of possessions. Most people, especially in military society, want to believe their fellow Airmen and guests are basically decent, trustworthy people who live by the same Air Force values, as
May 25, 2010 Efficiency in all we do Today we're facing the challenge of sustaining operations under resource constraints many of us have never seen, and all indicators tell us it's going to get worse before it gets better. The environment now, and likely for many years to come, either drives us to find more efficient ways to get the