“Safety – It’s Personal” is the theme for this year’s Critical Days of Summer safety campaign, which runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. This year’s theme is a reminder that safety is everyone’s responsibility, and the decisions we make impact our friends, families and Air Force community. That’s the message from Maj….

My focus for this commentary is on our Air Force Core Values. Sure, I know, there have been hundreds if not thousands of such reviews and commentaries on this topic. But I think you’ll find this to be a somewhat different approach, so please indulge me and give it a read. The Air Force formally…

As I was searching for a topic for this article, I realized I needed to look no further than our Air Force Core Values: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. As our unit prepares for an inspection, I decided to focus on the third, but equally important, core value: Excellence…

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. It seems like we all know of someone who has gotten a DUI, but I’ve never heard of anyone end a drinking story with, “and then we took Airman Against Drunk Driving home.” Is it because we’re afraid that the word will get back to leadership and we’ll…

Enlisted Airmen, A week ago I sent an email message titled Leadership vs. Policy to Command Chiefs and Career Field Managers. You may have seen that message, or parts of it, but I’d like to take the opportunity to address it with you directly. The theme of the message was that too much arbitrary guidance…

Fellow Airmen: Sexual Assault Awareness Month reminds us to renew our collective and individual commitment to our core values and to focus on promoting an environment that prevents sexual assault. Sexual assault is criminal behavior that violates the basic tenets of our profession. There is no place in our Air Force for this crime. All…

As a master sergeant and the newly appointed squadron superintendent, I felt it was important to provide our unit’s airmen with an honest assessment of their performance. Seizing an opportunity, I asked a staff sergeant to come by my office for a chat. The staff sergeant was one of our hardest working NCOs and the…

Before I transferred from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., I had an incentive ride in an F-16. At 15,000 feet, the view of Rogers Dry Lake Bed was surreal. The moment made me reflect on history, and I considered the many changes since the birth of the Air Force in 1947: the advent of personal…

How are your New Year’s resolutions doing? Did you set goals for yourself? A funny question for the end of March? Maybe. Or maybe it is a great time to check your progress to ensure you are happy with your progress before 2012 slips away. Maybe your goal is to lose some weight? To keep…

Our nation is facing a number of challenges that affect our government. As a result, change is happening all around the Air Force. The institution of the Air Force will survive, but there is no doubt we’ll be operating differently. Over the past several years we have implemented a number of efficiency efforts to shape…