Creating a dynasty Published Jan. 18, 2007 By Col. Ken Stefanek 39th ABW vice commander INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Congratulations Team Incirlik. I hope you feel the sense of pride experienced only by those who sacrificed by working long hours and as a result realized complete success. I am awed by your efforts and applaud the results you've achieved. So what's next? Most athletes will agree that winning a single championship is difficult, but maintaining a sustained level of excellence is much harder. While we refer to teams that win a single title as champions, we refer to teams that sustain excellence over time as dynasties. College football dynasties include the USC Trojans, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and of course the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish. Surprisingly, something these three teams have in common, aside from their tradition of excellence, is that each has suffered through .500 (or worse) seasons within the past seven years. This fact is important because it demonstrates that even the best teams are susceptible to substandard performances. Team Incirlik is building a remarkable record of success; a record that clearly demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together. Hopefully this record also leads to us to having higher expectations of ourselves, as we now have the opportunity to transition from being champions to being a dynasty. The choice before us now is whether or not we're willing to dedicate ourselves to that goal. Dynasties are not built by celebrating current achievements, but by concentrating on the task at hand with an eye on future challenges. These challenges include numerous assessments and a Unit Compliance Inspection. We'll need our whole team working at peak efficiency to excel in these events, so when you celebrate this past success, do it safely -- not dangerously -- and return from the weekend recharged and ready to start preparation for the next event. Again, congratulations on acing the NSI. Enjoy the victory over the next few days and then let's get to work building our dynasty.