31 Aug 2012

CAF: Resiliency: It's not just a 'buzz' word anymore

Resilience is defined as the ability to return to the original form or position. It can also be defined as the ability to recover readily from illness, depression or adversity.On the surface, the definition leads me to believe one must be out of sorts in some manner in order to benefit from the very principles of resilient practices or actions.The

23 Aug 2012

Comprehensive Airman Fitness: The best definition of humility

The best definition of humility that I have ever heard is, "Humility is not thinking little of one's self. Humility is thinking of oneself very little." This is just not a cute play on words. Sometimes people have the wrong understanding of humility as though there is something fundamentally wrong acknowledging personal gifts, abilities, skills,

9 Aug 2012

Comprehensive Airman Fitness: Spiritual Fitness – A time for restraint and re-evaluation

Here in Southwest Asia and around the world, Muslims anticipate the arrival of Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month of their calendar year. As many of us know, during the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink and other physical needs from dawn (about an hour and a half before sunrise) until after sunset. In contrast with other

18 Oct 2011

Honoring our fallen warriors

The early morning brought a crisp, cool wind with just a hint that fall was on the way. Even though I could not see the changing of the leaves as I normally would, I had the honor of praying over service members who gave their lives willingly, so that I and others might live in freedom each day. As I walked onto the C-17 Globemaster III, my mind

10 Oct 2011

Sexual Assault reporting is first step to recovery

We all have received the annual "SARC Training;" Restricted versus Unrestricted reporting, this is what sexual assault is, blah, blah, blah. There are always the whispers when the SARC walks into the room, "Oh great, it's time for another 'don't rape' briefing..." This is simply a subject that people do not want to hear about, especially over and

8 Oct 2011

Cyber Awareness Week highlights importance of cyber defense

The 379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron hosted a Cyber Awareness Week (CAW), Sept. 11-16. The week was the brainchild of Lt. Col. Terrence Adams, 379th ECS commander. His vision played out over the course of the week, by creating an event intended to increase user awareness of cyber threats and adversarial tactics. By incorporating fun and

3 Oct 2011

Legacy of Leadership -- Decade of Dominance

October 7, 2011, will mark a decade since America began combat operations in Afghanistan. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) commenced with the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron (EBS) as the lead B-1 unit. Ten years later the "World Famous" Thunderbirds are stationed in Southwest Asia with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW). We will mark the

24 Sep 2011

For my family

Departing for a foreign location can be a challenging time for many families. Deployment usually won't make a family stronger if it isn't strong from the beginning. If there are problems with finances, health, communication or trust, adding thousands of miles of distance will only aggravate things. Tensions rise toward the approaching departure

18 Jul 2011

Finally home: one man’s pure desire to serve his adoptive nation

It's amazing how sometimes you get just what you need, right when you need it. More than five months into another deployment, I was tired. Tired from the challenges faced in a new job, a new place. Tired from the long hours and pressure of trying to be the best. Tired of being away from my wife and kids. With my personal battery gauge hovering in

13 Jul 2011

Preventing sexual assault is everyone's responsibility

Every week I brief to newcomers during the Right Start briefing. I always begin my brief by asking the audience if they know what a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator does for a living. For the most part, I get a blank stare back from the audience, with the occasional person shouting out, "You help victims of sexual assault." While there is truth