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Commentary Search

  • We’re deployed, pay attention to surroundings

    In this deployed theater it is important for us to stay vigilant. I have noticed some of us in this environment have become quite comfortable here at Kandahar, Afghanistan. Thankfully, there has not been a substantial amount of incidents occurring at this base. However, there are some particular

  • Each skill set vital to body of 451st AEW

    Last week I attended the Company Grade Officers Council meeting where Col. Hansen gave a wing mission briefing. During that meeting, he related the wing to the analogy of a body. He said a body, like our wing, is comprised of muscles, tendons and ligaments. That got me thinking ... we are one body!

  • Kandahar Air Wing's First Combat Sling Load Mission

    The Afghan Air Force Kandahar Air Wing conducted its first operational combat logistic support flight using the Mi-17 "Sling Load" method of delivering cargo on Nov. 9. During the mission, more than 13,000 pounds of winter supplies, including firewood, were delivered to a remote Forward Operating

  • Language scores validate Afghan Air Force English Immersion Lab

    The Afghan Air Force's English Immersion Lab, known as the Thunder Lab, received exciting news from Defense Language Institute in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov 10. Three of our first seven lieutenants have achieved the minimum English Comprehension Language score needed to head to U.S. Air Force

  • 25 … No, 28 years of change

    NOTE: I initially wrote this article in 2007 while stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy. During that time, we were struggling with a new wing mission and a pending merger of operations and aircraft maintenance. The concepts still hold true today as we are faced with impending budget pressures, the

  • Extraordinary people in our lives …

    Many of us have met people who have made a major impact in our lives. This could've been at work, different assignments, deployments, vacation spots or just in your neighborhood where you grew up. A lot of us would consider them to be "mentors" or "extraordinary people." Can you think of anyone who

  • Change from within this fall, even though the world isn't

    Got fleece? The nights have been getting noticeably cooler and many people are breaking out the warmer clothing. The seasons are changing and we are finding out what that means in Afghanistan. We like living in a narrow range of temperatures. Our bodies have the ability to cope with big changes, but

  • Take care of Airmen with ‘Rules of Thumb’

    I'm often asked by new supervisors what to do when one of our Airmen runs into some kind of disciplinary issue. I'll admit, determining the appropriate level of disciplinary action is probably the most difficult thing to do as a leader.Coming down too heavy on an Airman destroys motivation and

  • More than halfway there, but who’s counting?

    Many count the days, weeks and months ... others don't count at all. Counting the days left in a deployment is a common thing to do -- almost tradition. Some people use devices such as calendars. Others have creative ways of counting down the days, such as counting events that happen weekly or maybe

  • Kandahar Wing hosts Sports Day

    On Oct. 14, the Kandahar Air Wing and their NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan advisors held their second sports day and picnic. While on face value, the day featured a number of competitions between athletes, there are several deeper meanings to this event. First, it allows Afghans and Americans