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  • Lt. Col. John Vincent serves as the 39th Operations Group commander at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey

    Lt. Col. Vincent, 39 OS/CC: Shaping the future through mentorship

    We have all heard mentorship is key to Airmen development. We are told as supervisors we are required to mentor. We even have an Air Force Instruction dedicated to mentorship! But, how many of us have actually been taught what mentorship truly is and how to accomplish it?Let me begin with a definition: In accordance with AFI 36-3401, Air Force
  • A poster board celebrating the 50th anniversary of Incirlik Air Base that took place in 2005 sits at the top of a flight of stairs in the 39th Air Base Wing headquarters building at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, May 2, 2013. Local sources have confirmed this picture has been on display for the past eight years. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. David Liapis/Released)

    A lesson from an interior design 'fail'

    You might be wondering why there is a boring photo of a poster board sitting on an easel associated with this article, and you should. Since when does quality Air Force photography look like this?This picture, believe it or not, is really worth a thousand words (ok, maybe more like half of that). Here's why:If you scroll through the photos, you'll
  • Ancient Byzantine ruins sit on the edge of a sink hole March 31, 2013, at Kanlidivane, Turkey. Legend explains that wrong doers would be hurled into the sink hole to pay for their crimes, where wild animals awaited them. Kanlidivane is one of several trips offered by various agencies at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Daniel Phelps/Released)

    Traveling Turkey: The road to Alahan Monastery

    Editor's Note: This is part of an ongoing series of spots of interest in the area.One of the things I hear most from people who have been stationed at Incirlik is, "I wish I would have traveled more and seen more of the country."Turkey is full of so much history and beautiful scenery, and all you have to do is step outside your front door.And to
  • Col. Jerome Wizda serves as the 39th Medical Group commander at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.

    Col. Wizda, 39 MDG/CC: Leadership lessons from a not-so-well-known President

    Short in stature at 5 feet 4 inches, not particularly handsome, a bookworm and not exactly the life of the party, James Madison does not fit some perceptions of a leader.In today's world, he probably would have been perceived as a nerd. But, his brilliant mind and leadership skills now have historians re-embracing Madison's presidency and his
  • Lt. Col. Mark Galler serves as the 425th Air Base Squadron commander in Izmir, Turkey.

    Lt. Col. Galler, 425 ABS/CC: Leadership ... observations from a year in command

    Leadership is a craft which can be taught, developed and should be constantly improved. For the purpose of this article, we'll look at four factors consistently found in successful leaders and a leader who exemplifies each of them. These factors include: positive communication; knowing the strengths of your people; trusting your team; and
  • (Graphic courtesy Air Force Public Affairs)

    'Every dollar counts' challenge

    Did you get the email from the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. Larry O. Spencer, about Airmen Powered by Innovation? Check it out! The Air Force is looking for Airmen of all ranks to find ways we can cut costs, and, as our Vice Chief says, "better fly, fight and win."While finding cost-saving and innovative ways of doing things has been part of

  • ‘Do to others…’

    If you have been following the news recently, you might have read or heard the stories of Audrie Pott - a 15-year-old California girl who was allegedly raped by three fellow high school students last September - and Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old from Nova Scotia who was also allegedly sexually assaulted in November 2011. These sad stories
  • Capt. Tenille Woodward, 39th Air Base Wing Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, speaks on AFN Incirlik radio about sexual assault and causes and effects it has on a person and the mission. Sexual assault is a zero-tolerance issue in the Air Force and the SARC help combat these issues by raising awareness of this assault. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Summers Jr.)

    Reflections from the outgoing SARC

    If you weren't aware, April is a busy month for increasing our awareness of serious social issues - National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Alcohol Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. As I considered how all these serious social ills bleed into each other, I contemplated this quote by inspirational speaker and author, Ogwo David
  • Francisco Morales, 39th Security Forces Squadron, turns to finish the 20-kilometer bike ride during the 3rd Annual Sprint Triathlon Aug. 20, 2011, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. The triathlon also included a five-kilometer run and a 225-meter swim.(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Clayton Lenhardt/Released)

    Even though I work in safety...

    Editor's note: This commentary first appeared in the Winter 2012 Air Scoop magazine, a publication of the United States Air Forces Europe Safety office.   Do you plan to have a mishap when performing your daily activities? I sure don't have that talent or clairvoyance... do you? That is why I not only work in safety, I live it.One sunny morning I

  • Sequestration is a big deal, so are you

    As you know, budget cuts went into effect March 1. Across the command we took action to help manage the impact and to prepare for a worst-case scenario. We are in the process of cutting non-mission critical travel, base maintenance contracts, and facility projects, and we are anticipating steep cuts to our flying hour program. Other potential cuts
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