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Commentary Search

  • I'll call him "Rick"

    I'll call him "Rick." In the words of his military friends and co-workers, Rick was one of the greatest guys you'd ever want to meet: A hard working NCO in a high operations tempo unit, a family man, a compassionate friend always seeking opportunities to help others in his unit succeed. Rick was

  • Are you ready to meet the board?

    Beginning September 2010, Airmen assigned to the Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command who are selected to compete for quarterly awards will be required to physically appear before a military selection board. Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year finalists will be required to physically appear

  • Courage in uncertain times fueled founding fathers' drive to independence

    The Air Force is no stranger to uncertainty, change and challenge. The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review outlines four priorities for the Department of Defense: prevail in today's wars, prevent and deter conflict, prepare to defeat adversaries and succeed in a wide range of contingencies, and preserve

  • Hold the line on timeless standards

    A couple of months ago I attended an awards ceremony at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, where retired Technical Sgt. Matt Slaydon was the guest speaker. Matt is an explosive ordnance disposal technician who suffered critical injuries when an IED blew up two feet away from him during his deployment to

  • Memorial Day calls for reflection on service, sacrifice of others

    Throughout my Air Force career, I've often reflected on the meanings of service and sacrifice. I'm proud of the service and sacrifices our men and women in uniform make every day so we, and all Americans, can enjoy our many freedoms. However, when I attended the reunion of the famed Doolittle

  • Earth Day ties into an Air Force core value

    Perhaps because I grew up in a large family, the proverb above became an ingrained practice. Some people today may think this attitude is dated, as if it were pulled from a Depression-era Farmer's Almanac. For me though, this proverb expresses a value that is more important than ever. It taps into

  • Eglin civilian recounts motorcycle-deer collision

    Feb. 28, 2010, was a clear and crisp Sunday afternoon.I was riding my 1100 Honda Shadow on Range Road 213. I can clearly recall right up to the point when a doe appeared to my left and ran along beside me. Then ... nothing. After that I was looking up and some guy was asking if I knew where I was. I

  • Safety as a mindset: Don't let good friends override good judgment

    Spring has arrived, and many of you are rolling out your two-wheeled freedom machines, looking for opportune days to experience the thrill of the open road without a cage of steel, glass and plastic. Spring also marks a time when too many of our comrades crash and burn their two-wheeled freedom

  • Hubble will astound you

    If you've ever looked up at the night sky and felt a sense of wonder about our place in the universe, you absolutely should not miss "Hubble," a new film which opens on Friday, March 19, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force here, as well as many IMAX screens globally.Much of the movie

  • Major accomplishments mark an outstanding AFMC year

    As 2009 comes to a close, it's important I say thank you to everyone in Air Force Materiel Command, and to your families, for your hard work and dedicated service to our command and the Air Force. Your skills, talents and professionalism have resulted in a year full of AFMC accomplishments.We've