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COMMENTARIES

  • Please don't thank me for my service

    The other day a good friend and mentor, a retired AF Master Sergeant, sent me a message made up of a few simple words. Words that we, folks who wear a military uniform, may be accustomed to ... "Thank you for your service." I don't know about you, but I am very uncomfortable when people thank me

  • Bridge the communication gap between Ops, Maint

    I'm a crew chief in the 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here and in my years on the flight line, I have noticed a number of pitfalls in which maintainers could possibly be trapped. The most prominent would have to be a sense of complacency and an inability to see the big picture. As

  • Sacrifices...Don't Underestimate Their Importance

    As I was reviewing some enlisted performance reports and decorations today, I started contemplating a huge event in my life that occurred almost 20 years ago. In April of 1995, I asked my then girlfriend Tiffani, a fellow Airman at the time, to be my wife, for better or worse. We were married later

  • Leadership - it's not rocket science, it's harder

    Editors Note: On Jan. 27, 2015, the Air Force Public Affairs family lost one of its own, Col. Aaron Burgstein, a former 1st Combat Camera Squadron commander, to a hard fought battle with cancer. In memory of Col. Burgstein, we are re-running his commentary about leadership, as he was the ultimate

  • How the Military Pro Bono Project Saved My Family

    I have been checking my mailbox every day since Thanksgiving. The letter I'm looking for is from the U.S. Department of State. When I open it, I will find the overseas birth certificate of my oldest son, who will be nine in March.There's a special reason why this is so significant. The birth

  • How to live life

    There's a poster hanging at my desk entitled "How to Live Life According to Capt. Brandon Cyr."  On this poster are six simple suggestions for living life to its fullest, and while there have been many who have offered similar lists, this one is special.It's special because this list comes not from

  • Strengthening Your Holiday Spirit

    An elderly man in Miami calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing. Forty-five years of misery is enough.""Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams."We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old man

  • Maintenance verses Repair... of our Airmen!

    This commentary is not about aircraft, vehicles, or even any mechanical components. It's about our Airmen and how we manage their care and development throughout their careers. The Maintenance versus Repair concept is borrowed from the maintenance community and speaks to how maintenance managers

  • AMC Commander: Thank you for a tremendous year

    The holidays present us with an opportunity to reflect on the past year, recognize the accomplishments of our incredible team, and refocus for even greater prospects in the new year.  To all of our Total Force mobility Airmen and families, thank you.  Thank you for your dedication to delivering our

  • The "Lone Wolf" Threat

    In the news lately has been a lot of discussion about terrorist groups such as ISIS encouraging "Lone Wolves" to attack US military members in America. I take this threat seriously, because during my last assignment, ten people were killed after making themselves easy targets through their use of