Sept. 11, 2012 A Day of Service In 2009, Congress designated September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On this day, I think it is fitting that we remember and honor the innocent lives taken during that vicious attack by renewing our commitment of service to our Nation. As the son of an Air Force NCO, I grew up
Sept. 5, 2012 Youth programs combat negative influences If you have children, especially teenagers, you already know the harrowing statistics that illustrate the dangers they face in the world today. Daily we see news about kids left to their own devices after school who have taken the wrong path in life. Air Force youth programs help combat potentially
Sept. 5, 2012 Honoring heroes & our past This is a very special week and one that will be remembered for years to come. First, we will be privileged to take part in a ceremony that honors a fallen hero, and then we'll turn our thoughts to recognizing the achievements of our past as we look forward to a bright future.On Saturday morning,
Aug. 22, 2012 The most important thing we do There's not a single day that goes by where Command Chief Anderson, Col. [John] Price, and I don't have Airmen on our minds. We think about the ones who have deployed and who are now serving on the frontlines, oftentimes in harsh conditions and in harm's way. We've said goodbye and have wished them
Aug. 15, 2012 The false stigma of seeking mental health treatment In 2010, 29 percent of troops in Iraq who had symptoms of mental problems said they feared that seeking help would hurt their careers, down from 34 percent the previous year, according to an Army survey of more than 3,000 people.Nearly three-quarters of the 200 military men and women interviewed by
Aug. 14, 2012 A letter to 18th Air Force Airmen To the Airmen of our great global mobility enterprise: thank you!Last week I had the honor of becoming your 18th Air Force Commander. I can honestly say there are few experiences more rewarding and humbling than command, and even more so when it is command of our Air Force's largest Numbered Air
Aug. 8, 2012 Warm welcomes and more Showcase Standouts! This week we welcomed new 18th Air Force commander, Lt. Gen. Darren McDew and his wife, Evelyn, back for his third time at Scott Air Force Base! We're glad to have his experience--one that includes commanding the 375th "Showcase Wing," a phrase he coined back in 2002. Even though, as he said, things
Aug. 1, 2012 Leadership—You know it when you see it Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Roy's recent call for Airmen to unplug from their gadgets and practice analog leadership got me to thinking about leadership in general. What it is, what it isn't, the qualities that make a good leader and how an organization flourishes with it or
July 18, 2012 Meet the Almands It's been just two months since Col. David Almand took command of the 375th Air Mobility Wing and since then, he and his wife, Cathy, have spent their time setting up their home and getting to know the mission and people who make this wing--and base--in his words, "a great place to live and
July 18, 2012 Visit to Capitol Hill Next week, Chief Master Marty Anderson (375th Air Mobility Wing command chief) and I will be on Capitol Hill visiting with Congressional leaders from Illinois districts as part of the Wing Commander Capitol Hill Visit Program.The Air Force Chief of Staff implemented this program in 1998 whereby wing