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Commentary Search

  • Commentary – Journey as a tech school instructor

    "Remember IWAS; ISO, white balance, aperture, shutter," I yelled at the mass of basic still photography students as they try taking photos while getting pegged with paintballs. We're in functional area four, the field training exercise, and the students are photographing their performance exam.

  • ALS: A journey to becoming a successful leader

    I was once told that a true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. I recently had the

  • FROM THE GUNPOINT: A dark, cold battlefield: My 'Happiest place on Earth'

    It's cold and dark. The only sound heard are small crunches in the sage brush as I slowly shift from knee to knee, in attempt to stay warm and keep my legs from falling asleep.It's well past midnight, the only thing keeping me warm is my breath, but I'm hesitant to breathe because it fogs my camera

  • Living in Orange: My deployment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    October 2012 (Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo):0545 hours: my alarm goes off. I reach for my cell phone. Several texts throughout the night report fighting inching ever closer to Goma. The M23 rebels are continuing their offensive; this time killing a man, woman and child in a village about

  • Keeping mentally tough during challenging times

    There is no doubt we live and lead in some of the most challenging times in history. That said, what is really meant when someone refers to being mentally tough; both very powerful words. I have been through many challenging times throughout my career and I have grown as a leader regardless of the

  • Fly, Fight, Win…not just a catchy slogan

    In August 2008, Air Force senior leaders made the most recent change to our mission statement adding the word "win" and simplifying the overall text. A few years later, we returned to our roots by adopting "Aim High...Fly-Fight-Win" as our official motto. These words are incredibly simple, but they

  • Trust is not given it is earned

    We are blessed to live in a time and a community that is grateful toward those that wear a uniform. However, the trust and respect of the American people is not something we should take for granted. I would like to share a few personal examples of kindness that people have shown toward me over the

  • HARD WORK, TEAMWORK, and “HORSE” WORK

    I was assigned to the 823rd RED HORSE as the First Sergeant approximately six months ago, and I was issued a RED HORSE hat to wear with my ABU's. My first day in the squadron, I was allowed to wear this symbolic hat and I automatically got credit for the rich legacy previous RED HORSE members built

  • I'm ready, are you?

    For many, what initially comes to mind when thinking of U.S. military men and women are images of strength and courage. Imposing Captain America-like figures who seem to be chiseled from stone rather than born of flesh and when not fighting global injustice, spend their time working-out. In certain

  • What if

    How many of us can truthfully say they don't have regrets? I'm talking about the times you have asked yourself, what if? What if I had taken those college classes? What if I had worked a little harder toward making rank? What if I had capitalized on an opportunity when it was presented to me? Many