Commentary Search

  • Ringing in New Year with achievable goals

    It's the start of a new year and everything seems bright and fresh. It's time for the annual ritual of a New Year's resolution. These days, making a NewYear's resolution should be easier than ever because we can find a "how to" for just about everything. But before we get started, we should take a

  • PHA’s: Not just a physical health assessment

    The dreaded Physical Health Assessment is nothing more than a once a year waste of time with a so-called "physical," right? Physical Health Assessments are not another medical "thing," they are personal responsibilities and operational requirements. Well, on the surface it may seem so, but the PHA

  • Don’t let complacency become a killer

    When working as a bodyguard, the biggest enemies are not crowded streets or would-be assassins. The real killer is complacency. I've been here now for almost a year - and a half and, as time goes by, I've become more comfortable traveling off base. The problem with increased confidence is we can

  • Strength of mind, body, soul is critical for mission success

    By now, I'm sure we have all seen the Air Force Chief of Staff's new guidelines promising a "back to basic" approach and a reemphasis on compliance, inspection processes, accountability and military discipline. This is a very broad-brush view aimed at the Air Force as a whole. But what is your part

  • Professional Airmen are bedrock of today’s Air Force

    What does it mean to be a professional? Where does the word "professional" come from? As a chief master sergeant with more than 23 years of service, I've often thought about these issues and tried to come up with a simple answer: You can't be a "professional" until you understand the meaning of the

  • Bloom where you are planted

    Early in my life and military career, my mentors impressed upon me the value of taking advantage of every opportunity. They opened my eyes to the concept of not worrying about the next job. Always plan for the future, but never lose sight of your most important job: the one you are currently doing.

  • Pride, professionalism, passion guide mission

    What do you do at Incirlik? You might reply, "I work in the maintenance squadron" or "I work at the Child Development Center." Perhaps you might answer with a short description of the type of work you do: "I ensure our personnel are deployment-ready by providing immunizations;" or "I perform

  • Let change be a solution, not a problem

    Change isn't easy but it's especially hard for people like me. I'm a control freak and don't like to be the "new person." I want to know where things are and how processes work, but here I am at Incirlik, my 12th assignment in 25 years, and I'm new. At the beginning of any assignment we have a

  • 39 FSS update: A taste of Turkey, a touch of home

    We hear it all the time - "Get out and explore Turkey. There are so many things to see and do around the local area." Yes, Turkey has many wonderful things to offer and the 39th Force Support Squadron can help you enjoy them. Our Outdoor Recreation and Information Tickets and Travel offices offer a

  • Living a fulfilling, normal life easy as ‘ABC, Ds’

    As I embark on yet another assignment, I find myself reflecting on the truly important things in life that keep me focused on the "Big Picture." Here are my simple "ABC and Ds" of living a fulfilling and normal life. "A" is for Attitude. Only I can make myself happy or miserable. I can choose to