SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. – “FIRING PARTY! TENCH HUT! READUP HACE! … Not quite up to par. Start over.” That was about the tempo of my first week assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing Base Honor Guard. Welcome to the life of the new guy. I remember stepping through the front door of the honor…

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. – I was sitting in a daze in a cold and uninviting waiting area outside an emergency operating room about one month before my high school graduation in 2005. I listened to the robotic beeps of medical machinery when I realized my life was about to change forever. Earlier that night,…

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – I was a young Airman, accused of a crime I didn’t commit – I faced a court martial with an outcome of a dishonorable discharge, years in prison and civil limitations for the rest of my life. I was ultimately found not guilty, but not before I tried to kill myself….

Master Sgt. Angela Womack is the 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) First Sergeant. She began her 18-year career as an Aerospace Medical Technician. In addition to holding a variety of positions in the medical career field, she has also served as the Professional Military Education Instructor for Airman Leadership School and the Family Readiness…

SOUTHWEST ASIA – In the words of Vince Lombardi “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.” I used to run for myself, I loved running and everything about it. However, with time comes change, and instead I now…

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. – There comes a time when one may want to look at purchasing instead of renting a home and if done smartly, the advantages of owning a home can be greater than renting. “Given a long enough time line, a good home can be an appreciating asset,” said Cory Carmichael, 56th Force…

The subjects of this story have chosen to omit their full names for operational security. One percent of the American population joins the military, and an even smaller percentage of that number serves in special operations forces. Being part of such a distinctive career field brings with it a certain set of survival and triage…

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – Most think that we have complete control over what happens next in our world. Life can always throw obstacles at us where we have to adapt and overcome. At times we can feel as if the whole world is about to crumble in front of us. To be able to make…

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – Out of the more than 20,000 people in the Joint Base San Antonio community, where do I fit in? It’s a question I’ve asked myself several times since I arrived here, and while I know my primary job, I like to think I serve another purpose. It causes me discomfort on…

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the 18th Chief of Staff of the Air Force, introduced the Airman’s Creed on April 18, 2007. It provides Airmen a tangible statement of beliefs that we cherish. The Airman’s Creed was not created to regain some ideal that was lost or never otherwise identified, rather, it…