Commentary Search

  • Our Responsibilities to Operational Security as Airmen

    As members of the United States Air Force, we are entrusted with a great deal of responsibility. It comes with the territory when our job is to protect this country and its values from the bad guys of the Earth. To protect this county we have to keep ourselves and our mission as safe as possible.

  • Political Activities - Do's and Don'ts

    As servicemembers have probably noticed, political advertisements are running on TV, radio and the occasional billboard along the interstate. "Vote for Me" and "Don't Vote for My Opponent" seem to be the standard messages. Oftentimes, the advertisement tries to recruit servicemembers to help them

  • Day of Service

    Some may recognize Jan.16, 2012 as just another federal holiday, but for others it is a day to recognize one of America's greatest heroes, Martin Luther King Jr. Establishing this holiday took persistence. Four days after King's assassination, Congressman John Conyers Jr. introduced legislation

  • No place for hate

    As Americans, we have many freedoms and constitutional rights. But as Department of Defense military and civilian members, our rights are limited. While mere membership in extremist groups is not prohibited, actively participating in their activities is. Commanders must preserve the servicemember's

  • Bystander syndrome, shockingly real

    Ms. Kitty Genovese was murdered in an alley by her home as more than a dozen people either saw the attack or heard her screams through their apartment windows. Bystander Syndrome, also known as the Genovese Effect, is when a person witnesses a crime, emergency or an individual in need of help and

  • Changes ahead for Ellsworth Airmen

    We are at a historic economic juncture for the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the nation at large. Without question, the financial issues that face the nation will directly impact the Air Force and shape our future construct--how we organize, train, equip and resource

  • Profit found by Investing in workers with disabilities

    National Disability Employment Month is celebrated every October. This campaign was first presented as an awareness week in 1945. Forty-three years later, Congress changed the name and extended the week to a month. The theme this year is about the profit that is received when hiring personnel with

  • When I was an Airman …

    "Rainbow rainbow don't be blue, we were once rainbows too." Those are the words I remember hearing as my basic training flight stumbled (can't say marched) to receive a "shorter than average" haircut and our initial uniform issue.This was one of my first memories some 29 years ago when I entered the

  • 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

  • 9/11 Remembered | Mari Schwanke

    September 11, 2001 ... I remember everything like it was yesterday. I used to work at the office in midtown New York City. On that day, I was about to take PATH train to the World Trade Center, but for some reason, I felt weird and didn't get on the train. Instead, I took a different route to my