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  • Political season do's and don't's for Reservists

    With the presidential election upon us, everyone is encouraged to vote – including those in the military. “The Department of Defense has a longstanding policy of encouraging DoD personnel to carry out the obligations of citizenship,” according to DoD officials. However, civil servants and military

  • Leading fearlessly and openly

    Col. Scott L. McLaughlin, 446th Airlift Wing Commander, writes about how much the military has changed regarding diversity and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) inclusion among our armed forces.

  • Embracing diversity by leading from the front

    Often times when we hear terms like diversity and inclusion, we think of them more as buzz words or a way to hold someone accountable for not doing the right thing.But what does diversity actually mean to us in the Air Force?  To me, it’s simple, place the right people in the right positions to

  • Vietnam veterans honored decades after sacrifice

    The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Ceremony that took place in a hangar at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas April 22 helped me understand the impact of that war on service members and their families.

  • From the Top: Passing the Torch

    The ending of any assignment is bittersweet, and the end of this one is no different. As I prepare to transition into the next phase with my family, I am excited but also a bit sad. We have accomplished so much together over the last four years, and it will be hard to leave the incredible people and

  • Chief's View: Own Your Career; Own Your Path

    I believe it is absolutely critical for you to know what I value as your chief and what we are doing at the headquarters to help our Airmen succeed. My job is to provide you the tools, training and support you need to have a successful Air Force career, but to do that, you need to be proactive and

  • An adventure of a lifetime

    Everybody has their idea of what an “adventure of a lifetime” is for them. I got to realize one of those adventures recently as I was invited to attend the Army’s Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia.Many events led to an invitation by the battalion commander of the 507th Parachute

  • Yellow Ribbon attendee cites value of conference

    I recently attended a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program conference held in Orlando, Fla., with my wife, DeAnne. This conference helped Airman who are deploying -- and their families – on how to manage life while the deployed member is gone.Since I work in Air Force public affairs, I’d already

  • Wounds within: a veteran, a PTSD therapist, and a nation unprepared

    I wish the story didn’t sound so familiar.On June 22, 2004, Marine Lance Cpl. Jeff Lucey used a hose to hang himself in the basement of his house in Belchertown, Mass. Surrounding him lay a semi-circle of photographs. In the center was Jeff Lucey’s platoon group photo from his deployment to Iraq.One