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  • Fit, Focused, and Fighting: Supporting the Mission of the 39th Air Base Wing

    The 39th Air Base Wing's mission is to support and protect U.S. and NATO assets and people throughout Turkey while providing a full spectrum of capabilities to the warfighter. I think the mission statement can be a little hard to understand; so, what does it mean? It means every member of team

  • October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

    Did you know that 54 million people in the United States live with some sort of disability? Initially, that number sounds almost unrealistic until you stop and look at your own family history. Chances are you may find at least one member of your family challenged by some sort of a disability. When I

  • Supply and demands

    With American unemployment at its highest in recent history, it's no surprise that more and more people of all ages are considering military service. This rise of new applicants is impacting those of us already in the service. As the pool of potential recruits grows, the Air Force can be more

  • The value of your ABC's

    I'm sure everyone has examples of who they believe are outstanding leaders. For me, it was simple, my grandfather, Reverend Thomas Grant, Sr. He was a preacher at the church in our neighborhood and was affectionately known throughout our community as "Rev." If he were here today, he would not

  • Leading in Challenging Times: Integrity Also Means Consistency

    Every Airman knows that "Integrity First" is the foundational pillar of our core values, and we all understand what it means. We will always strive to do the right thing and be honest in all that we do. I also believe integrity carries with it the idea of consistency in how we conduct every aspect

  • Pride in Ownership

    Take care of what you've got, an adage we learned when we were kids with our toys. This adage still rings true as adults, however, the things we must care for are worth much more and are sometimes not ours alone. An example of this is taking care of the grounds and facilities we share here at

  • Inspection ready: Don't put lipstick on a pig

    Have you ever heard the phrase, "Putting lipstick on a pig?" Quite the image comes to mind, doesn't it? The phrase is often used to refer to the process of preparing for an inspection and it isn't complimentary. It suggests that rather than fix the problem, you are just going to make a broken

  • Attitude is everything

    This week I have followed a sport I never really paid attention to in the past. I sat and watched tennis during the U.S. Open not because of the sport itself, but because of the story unfolding on the screen. Melanie Oudin, ranked number 70 in the world, was beating opponents she was not supposed to

  • Welcome to Incirlik

    "Welcome to Incirlik." I am so sick and tired of hearing those words; this crusty Shirt is ready to spit nails. The words are not said in earnest and they are not said with warmth; they are said at the end of every question I have asked 'why' to since my arrival here at Incirlik. "Why is this like

  • Chaplains lead the way to spiritual fitness

    In today's Air Force we are much more in tune with the "Warrior Ethos." The shift from launching sorties and returning to the relative safety of a base located far from the combat zone, to a forward operating base that puts us in the middle of the fight has dramatically increased the number of