March 13, 2013 Responsibility and taking ownership of your career Being responsible takes motivation, dedication, and initiative. As military members, we are fortunate the Air Force provides an environment that supports and encourages all three. The Enlisted Performance Report process, physical training, and additional duties are a few instances where Airmen of
March 6, 2013 Preparing for a period of historical change John W. Gardner, former head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, once said, "History never looks like history when you are living through it." I will vouch for that. I was stationed in Germany in the 1980s when the Berlin Wall fell and when the first Persian Gulf War began. I got to
Feb. 27, 2013 Budget impact updates & shout outs! Like many bases around the country, Scott AFB has been in the news with many reporters asking how a budget sequestration would affect us here ... and how much of an impact it would have on the local economy.While we've addressed some of the actions we've already taken to slow down spending and
Feb. 27, 2013 I’m going to miss the uniform I have often wondered how much of our uniform traditions were arbitrary decisions and how many had meaningful purpose. As I faced retirement, I found myself looking forward to the day I would not have to go to work in a military uniform. Now I have a new perspective. Two months ago I got sick. After
Feb. 20, 2013 All I want is my two front teeth ... or a mouth guard Imagine joining your squadron's intramural softball team. You buy a glove, a ball and the proper shoes. You practice with your team. Then, after donning the team's jersey and showing up to the softball diamond for your first game, you take your position on the field.It's game time! An opposing team
Feb. 20, 2013 Don’t just fill squares … Make a difference! The term, "Filling Squares" has created a negative connotation causing our Airmen to shy away from doing the things expected of all Airmen. I would like to share my perspective regarding the filling squares comment I hear so often. I have sat on many boards for various types of awards and while
Feb. 13, 2013 A tale of two Armstrongs: What will be your legacy? As a young pre-schooler, I remember listening to a small, flimsy 45 r.p.m. record (this was well before cassettes, CDs and i-Pods entered the scene) that inspired the imagination of this impressionable child and future engineer. Some 40-plus years later, I can't remember where that record
Feb. 6, 2013 Facing the next challenge As we begin 2013, the Air Force faces stark reductions in resources, and diverse and unpredictable threats across the globe. Our Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, has asked us to remember our roots as risk-taking, innovative Airmen. To face the next challenge, really, the next
Jan. 30, 2013 Meeting the challenges ahead January has been one busy month! From our first Operational Readiness Exercise of the year to reviewing and prioritizing our budget requirements to just meeting all the day-to-day requirements of our missions, we've been hard at work!I want to thank all those who helped make our first ORE a huge
Jan. 30, 2013 From passenger to passenger briefings "Welcome aboard, ma'am. What may I get for you?" Those few words and a warm smile were a welcome sight for me each and every time I walked up the stairs of the C-40 aircraft while working as a military liaison. No matter how long I was gone, how little sleep I got or how many meals I missed, the