Commentary Search

  • Always an Airman

    I am an Airman, but only from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and occasionally on the weekend. The rest of the time, I am just a person trying to have a good time. What I do during my off duty time doesn't have any bearing on my military career, nor should it. "Say what?!" you might

  • The equation for success

    You've probably heard the phrase, "Flexibility is the key to air power" more times than you'd like, and I just added one to the count. I'm here to tell you, as overused as it is, there's truth to it.As we prepare to receive a Staff Assistance Visit team that is coming to inspect our processes and

  • 'Daddy needs a new pair of shoes!'

    Running. There are few words in the English language that can evoke a wide range of emotions and carry so many meanings - "the refrigerator is running," "my nose is running," "you're running up the electric bill," " I love (or hate) running" and the list goes on.However, within the context of the

  • Redefining self - victim to survivor

    Editor's note: "The author of this commentary is being kept anonymous due to privacy concerns."Trust is a valuable asset in our Air Force. To me it is the cornerstone to our core values. Throughout our military education we are taught to trust our fellow Airmen. We build a foundation around that

  • 'Up-size' your emergency funds for the 'down-sized' military

    Airmen must be "fit focused and ready" for any contingency and this includes financial fitness and preparedness. Recent political crises and turmoil on Capitol Hill have highlighted the need for all Americans, particularly military and government workers, to make sure they have sufficient emergency

  • Ask Mehmet: Do Turks celebrate Christmas and New Years

    You might have already noticed that shops throughout Turkey have decorated their windows with pine trees, snow balls, red stockings, and statues and pictures of St. Nicholas. Turks, who are Muslim, may seem like they're observing Christmas like the Christians. But, they aren't celebrating Christmas,

  • How Airmen can affect climate change

    In spite of a bout of jetlag and some post-traumatic stress issues due to winter driving in the D.C. area, I want to take a moment to share some things I learned and pondered as a result of attending a summit last week for Air Force wing commanders. The main purpose of the three-day meeting in the

  • Force management and you

    The Chief of Staff's announcement concerning force management programs should have caught your attention because it could affect your status in next year's Air Force.The Air Force will become smaller, and that means some of you reading this will have important decisions to make very soon. That is

  • Ask Mehmet: Whirling Dervishes

    "Come, come, whoever; whatever you are. Come again infidel, idolator or fire-worshiper. Come again. Our monastery is not a place of despair. Even if you have violated your oaths a hundred times, come again." Millions of people from every corner of the earth have accepted that invitation throughout

  • Imagine hope

    My name is not José.Steve asked me not to use our real names if I write down what I recently learned about the events of 2002. He's not 'Steve,' either. Steve agreed to share his part, and I will tell you mine - our two sides of one story.What follows is our recollections of then and now.José: Steve