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  • Be Positive

    There are innumerable aspects of our personal and professional lives that we cannot control. The baseball-sized hailstorm that destroyed the car you bought with your enlistment bonus…you could not control. How about the time your flight plans changed because the pilot did not show up? Again, you had

  • A short history of integration in the US armed forces

    The 514th Air Mobility Wing Historians Office, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., presents a paper on the integration of the U.S. armed services. This discussion investigates the numerous examples of Black military service, with Black Americans fighting in every United States conflict from the

  • The key to revitalizing the squadron: The supervisor

    The 21st Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. David L. Goldfein, announced in 2018 the need to focus on the squadron. He said, “The squadron is the beating heart of the United States Air Force; our most essential team.” Goldfein, like many others, had witnessed the gradual decline of the squadron during

  • Minutes of Success

    While there are numerous differences between active duty and the Reserve, the most difficult hurdle for me has been the consolidated timeline I have to be a successful and effective leader. As a supervisor while on active duty, I had my Airmen eight to 12 hours a day, five to six days a week. As a

  • Be your best

    What does being your best mean to you? Can you work on improving yourself? Is there a version of you which you have yet to discover?Always try to think big! Assess your patterns of thinking. Think about the ways great leaders think. The thoughts in your mind go far in defining what you do and how

  • Embrace Change ... or Be Left Behind

    In this edition, the boss and I decided to touch on a very complex topic: change. Either you love it, hate it or just try to roll with it. It is a billion dollar industry with books, articles and podcasts all hoping to educate and coach us on how to cope, handle or even lead change. One thing is

  • Positive Approach to PTSD Support

    June is PTSD Awareness Month. We all have a wide variety of experiences and we all handle stress and trauma differently. How we support one another and how we response to our trauma is what makes a significant difference in how we come through.

  • Welcome to the Team!

    As you’ve all recited many times in the Airmen’ Creed, you are truly part of a “proud heritage and a legacy of valor”. Your contributions and skills continue to add to that legacy. The Air Force is your team now and relies on each of you to continue to make it successful. The simple fact is that you

  • The literal cost of leadership

    Many years ago, a mentor of mine relayed a story about one of the founding fathers of the U.S. Air Force, retired Gen. Benjamin Foulois. He explained that Foulois was assigned to the Signal Corps in the early 1900s and was part of the initial cadre to fly dirigibles for the U.S. Army. In parallel,

  • Change ...

    Change is inevitable. Change is uncertain. Change may be uncomfortable. However, it is often necessary because the risks of complacency are too great. In April, the Chief of Staff unveiled the Air Force's new mission statement. These eight words are a mandate to continue our journey as an