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What it means to be a mentor
In the course of our military careers, we all have heard the words mentor, leader, etc. It was not until my deployment to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, however, that I realized what it really means to be a mentor, and that mentoring can be a two-way street.After 17 years in the Air Force, it was an Airman, not a fellow senior NCO, who taught me
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7/14
2011
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Social networking has its place
As I begin my yearlong deployment, I think about differences between then and now. As a young Airman deployed to Southwest Asia in 1991, I recall waiting in the morale tent to make my weekly phone call to loved ones. I hoped to be lucky enough, once I got to the front of the line, to catch a family member or friend at home so I could hear a
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7/05
2011
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It's a Balancing Act
My boss warned me about the PT changes and to prepare for a more rigorous test as the fitness program was going to see significant changes. I never thought twice about what he said as I had always passed my PT test. I had always focused my free time on fitness and had been a good fitness role model for years as a certified Spin Instructor. As the
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5/14
2011
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High touch leadership is an interactive experience
Major General Tim Byers, the Air Force Civil Engineer, has said that today's high tech Airmen still require "high touch" leadership. It's true we have become extremely reliant on technology to accomplish our daily tasks; but many Airmen, young and old alike, enjoy using technology for entertainment and personal communication. Skype and Facebook are
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4/30
2011
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Surviving the Deployment
The 380th Expeditionary Wing is my first deployment and it is a marathon twelve months. I am absolutely grateful for this opportunity but a year is a long time away from family, friends, and the freedoms of home. The following techniques made my first five months of deployment not only tolerable but also a great experience. I challenge all of you
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4/02
2011
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Molding Generations of Air Force Superiority
It was another winter day in Southwest Asia dodging clouds and avoiding icing that could destroy my fragile aircraft. I didn't get excited when we found our target through the layered deck below. We'd seen him before, but the weather just wouldn't cooperate for an air strike. This time, he was out in the open thinking we couldn't find him. The call
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3/20
2011
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GOD or George Washington: Inspired by Madison "Mad-Dog" Shaw, age 5
"Dad, who invented water bottles" an inquisitive 5-year old asks her father. "Why Madison, who do you think invented them?" With all the serious and conviction a 5-year old can muster: "It was either GOD ...or George Washington." Dad, who invented refrigerators? Who do you think? God or George Washington, this went on for weeks and covered nearly
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2/18
2011
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Explore your culture of operations
For centuries, military members have meticulously studied the environment in which they were operating. Armies would pore over terrain maps of land upon which they would advance while naval personnel studied the water currents. Here at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, this same mantra applies - pilots study approach routes and monitor the weather,
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12/16
2010
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Times are changing at the 380th AEW
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" Bob Dylan sang back in 1964. Well things are certainly changing here at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing and we all need to ensure that we are enabling the changes and not impeding them. Although those of us deployed here may not be able to directly participate in these upcoming and ongoing changes, we all need to be
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12/10
2010
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Lessons from a chief
Several years ago I traveled to Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. to attend the First Sergeants School graduation of a co-worker. Little did I know, but this two-day trip would have a profound impact on me and on the way I approach life.My trip started out as you would expect, with crowded airports full of busy people. I arrived at my connection in
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11/26
2010
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