6 May 2014

Ask Mehmet: Mesir Macunu

Editor's Note: Ask Mehmet is a forum for people to ask questions of the local area, as well as the outer confines of the region and the country as a whole. To submit a question, send an e-mail with the subject "Ask Mehmet" to 39abw.pa@us.af.mil. Mehmet, One of my Turkish friends went to the Izmir area two weeks ago. When he came back he gave us a

25 Apr 2014

Finding light through darkness

Keeping a secret that defines you, that has shaped your life for nearly three years now and is sure to shape the rest, a secret that you go to sleep with every night and wake to every morning is sometimes hard to keep trapped inside.I could probably go my entire life without revealing the sad truth that I was raped, but to stay silent is to allow

17 Apr 2014

Zero

33 - the number of Airmen who have taken their own lives as of April 12, this year. 66 - the number of Air Force moms and dads who have to bear the grief of losing their son or daughter to an untimely and preventable death this year. I have children of my own, and I can't even bear to think about what it would feel like to lose one of them. I can

10 Apr 2014

Trees please

Strong winds blew through the Adana area at speeds of nearly 60 mph near the end of last month, knocking down various species of trees all over base. While there's no way to quickly replace the mature trees that were lost, base residents do have an opportunity to undo the damage from the storm and leave a legacy for the next generation.It just so

21 Mar 2014

I love inflation!

I'm a ball. Yeah, you heard me right. I didn't say I'm having a ball. That's what my momma did when she gave birth to me. I'm a sports ball - the "basket" kind to be more specific.We sports balls have it pretty rough. My cousins and I may have different functions, but we all, without exception, have to put up with an awful lot of abuse ... and I

10 Mar 2014

Diverse Airmen strengthen Air Force's global presence

A diverse force is our unique advantage to providing forward-based combat power for America.Diversity of cultures, beliefs and ideas are ever-present in our professional and personal lives. These differences among Airmen make us more effective.I read a January Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa article about an Airman who exemplifies

7 Feb 2014

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 ask. And, rightfully so. The truth is I don't believe

23 Jan 2014

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 competency, our ability to receive feedback and make

23 Jan 2014

'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 Air Force, running generally refers to a

13 Jan 2014

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 trust.Several years ago, my trust was taken away when