19 Jul 2007

The best job in the Air Force

Being a supervisor is the most important job in the Air Force. You're now responsible for someone else's career. If you perform poorly as a supervisor, the end result could be a substandard subordinate. Do you want to be responsible for someone's failure? I've heard many people tell me about bad supervisors, and the sad premise is they seem to

19 Jun 2007

Fourth of July safety message

The Fourth of July is always a great occasion in our country and is celebrated with enthusiasm and patriotism. However, as we approach the Fourth July and the halfway point of the "101 Critical Days of Summer" it's important to not misplace our enthusiasm and forget the risks that might be mixed in with some of the fun. President John Adams once

22 May 2007

Don’t let this happen to you!

It was just over a year ago when I was asked to speak at a Memorial Day ceremony for a retirement community in St Petersburg, Fla. I'm not sure why I was asked as I certainly did not feel qualified to speak to a crowd of proud veterans on Memorial Day. I'm sure that it was just the simple fact that I was an active duty member of the Armed Forces. I

16 May 2007

Standard-free zone?

Since becoming an airman leadership school instructor, I have learned to truly savor part of my day that as a member of security forces I never knew - the lunch break. That's right, my lunch break; a wonderful hour of my day where I can honestly take a breather and relax. There are a lot of incredibly hard working people on Ellsworth AFB that will

11 May 2007

Why Teamwork is a Perpetual Moneymaker--Pass it on!

It was a teaching moment I'll never forget - a former commander of mine shared what he considered the most important factor in measuring the success of his squadron commanders: Does the officer play well with others? I assumed "playing well with others," or "teamwork," wouldn't even make a commanders top 10 list when weighing factors like strong

10 May 2007

Outdoor activities Summer fishing

Editor's note: this article is part one of a series.The Black Hills and surrounding areas offer great areas to fish. Whether you fly or bait fish, there are areas to be enjoyed by all. To take advantage of such an outing you will need to first purchase a South Dakota Fishing License. An annual license costs $27 through Outdoor Recreation; you must

30 Apr 2007

How do you do it?

The 28th Munitions Squadron is well on its way to attaining our goal of 365 days without a driving under the influence infraction. So far we've gone approximately 260 days without a DUI and I am very proud of that. I am even more proud of my squadron members for their efforts. The question I am frequently asked around the base is "How do you do

16 Apr 2007

101 critical days of summer

The Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of the Command's 101 Critical Days of Summer Campaign. Historically, these "days of summer," May 26 - September 3, have seen an increase in the number of fatalities associated with sports, recreation and motor vehicle travel. While I am extremely proud of our effort last year as we experienced zero

12 Apr 2007

Final week for AFAF

This is the final week for this year's Air Force Assistance Fund (AFAF) campaign drive, which will officially end April 18th. This campaign raises much-needed funds for four official Air Force charities. These charities are chartered to assist our fellow Airmen, which includes Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, Retired personnel and our families in times

11 Apr 2007

We improvise, adapt, overcome

This month marks an important anniversary not only for the U.S. Air Force, but also for Ellsworth Air Force Base. Sixty-five years ago on April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle avenged the Japanese attack on the U.S. by leading 16 B-25s on his famous raid against Japan. Two of the four squadrons used in that raid live today here at Ellsworth in