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COMMENTARIES

  • Exceptional Family Member Program provides support to Airmen, families

    Military families are often asked to leave their homes, schools and friends to go where they are needed. In combination with goodbyes and making moving arrangements, it can be a very stressful time.Recently, a family of three was asked to do just that.  In the middle of an already complicated

  • AF launches yearlong ‘Cyber Secure’ campaign

    The Air Force message is clear -- October may be National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but with the continuous advancement of technology and evolving cyber threats, one month of cybersecurity awareness is no longer enough.In a memorandum sent to Air Force personnel, Lt. Gen. William J. Bender, the

  • Becoming human again: developing the ability to empathize

    SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- From the moment we’re born, we need human interaction and crave to be understood. It can have a profound effect upon our personal lives by making us feel empowered or conversely by making us feel powerless if those needs are neglected. It also extends into our

  • Celebrating heritage by getting back to basics

    It was July 7, 2016, and the 436th Mission Support Group change of command ceremony had just ended. A conversation ensued between Lt. Col. Todd Walker, 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander, 2nd Lt. Akeem Parks, and myself about how we need to do things that honor the traditions of the Air

  • From engine grease to Air Force blues

    I grew up covered in engine grease. In a dimly lit garage, I watched my grandfather rebuild classic cars. Sitting on the tailgate of his Ford truck, I learned how the world worked. We discussed politics, history, current events and common sense.I heard stories about his childhood in war-torn England

  • New civilian performance management and appraisal program on the horizon

    SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill.-- The Defense Performance and Appraisal Program fosters a high-performance culture by linking the organizational mission and goals to individual performance plans.  This new program encourages regular communication and feedback during the appraisal cycle between employees

  • My experience with Green Dot training

    I volunteered to teach this new program, Green Dot, without really understanding what it was all about. All I really knew was that it involved bystander intervention, in some way, shape or form.I searched online, read a few articles and saw the program was designed to stop personal violence, which

  • Fairchild Youth Center’s hard work reaps rewards and awards

    Recently, the Fairchild Youth Center was honored three times for its efforts and achievements in the areas of outdoor adventure programming, daily participation increases, and desire for science, technology, engineering and mathematics outlets.Through the Youth Center’s affiliation with the Boys and

  • PTSD awareness leads to positive treatment

    Post-traumatic Stress Disorder can be debilitating in some patients, but thanks to advancements in research and the continued training of mental health providers, treatments are getting better all the time.Maj. Joel Foster, Chief of Air Force Deployment Mental Health, said treating PTSD has improved