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Commentary Search

  • Great leaders assume responsibility

    It has been said before that leadership is the responsibility of those who share the glory of success, and suffer the blame of failure. Perhaps no man better grasped this concept than the thirty-fourth president of our nation, the Supreme Allied Commander during World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower.

  • Small things speak big

    Did you know when Ruffles and Flourishes is played, you have to turn towards the general that is being honored? When the flag is lowered to half mast you are to stand at attention and salute ... even in a deployed location. These are a couple of seemingly small things that speak big when they are

  • The gift

    Throughout the course of the last week of October, I noticed several situations that made me think about generosity. Before I tell you about those situations, I want to define generosity. I know everyone has a basic understanding of what generosity means, but a good definition is "readiness or

  • Mentoring easy as pie

    We are often told we need to find a mentor or be a mentor. It seems to be the word of the day lately. But mentoring is not done well if it's just another thing you have to put on your "to do" list.Of course, there are times when you will sit down with an Airman or another young person -- we do have

  • Do the right thing

    There are some things that I believe are just plain right.  I believe that it is right that every Airman receives proper guidance and feedback from their supervisor.  I believe that it is right that supervisors rate their Airmen truthfully on Enlisted Performance Reports.  I believe that it is right

  • Fire safety is everyone's responsibility

    We live and work in an extreme fire hazard environment.  We are all familiar with Kandahar's low humidity, strong winds, and combustible materials everywhere you look.  What does this mean to you?  It means a small fire can turn into a large out of control fire in a matter of seconds, and fires in

  • Leadership challenges, qualities

    As military members we are constantly learning about developing leaders.  What is leadership, and what does it mean to you?   According to the Professional Development Guide, Leadership is the art of influencing and directing people to accomplish the mission.  Leadership is more than getting others

  • Shoulders of Giants

    How much do you know about Sir Isaac Newton?   Newton was born in 1643 and died in 1727.  He was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, alchemist, inventor and philosopher.  He is best known for discovering the laws of gravity.   There is a phrase, which Newton used in a letter written in

  • Why so many standards?

    Why do Airmen need so many standards? Why must they read them, save them to their computers, file them, print them, post them and even bother to enforce these standards?   A technical standard (e.g. Air Force Standard) is an established norm or requirement.  It is usually a formal document that

  • Are you positive?

    Winston Churchill said, "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."  You could be in the worst circumstances in the world, but if you have a positive attitude, it can still be a good day.  You may not have any control over your circumstances, but you are the only one who can control