22 Jul 2013

Privacy Act, personally identifiable information: What you need to know to protect you

A couple of weeks ago, my brother called me upset after just finding out he was a victim of identity theft. Without going into too much detail, another man using his name and date of birth was acquiring prescription drugs from a pharmacy in another state via his health savings plan. My brother spent an enormous amount of time trying to find out how

12 Jul 2013

The best advice I ever received

Summertime is usually a time of change for military members. There are new commanders, new duty stations, massive moves across the country and other changes that create a new environment. The stress of so much change can be mitigated with a very simple approach I learned 16 years ago.As a senior at the Air Force Academy, I attended an after-lunch

2 Jul 2013

How will you react to change?

Summer is here, school is out and families are planning their camping trips, visits to national parks, amusement parks and taking time to enjoy the outdoors and beautiful weather here in Wyoming. Summer is also our typical permanent-change-of-station season and over these next couple of months we will be experiencing change of commands and change

2 Jul 2013

To the Airmen of Global Strike Command: Enjoy a safe and enjoyable Independence Day

The Fourth of July is an opportunity to reflect on the courage exemplified by American patriots who pursued independence and gave birth to our great Nation. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the freedoms and opportunities afforded us in this wonderful country and to salute the men and women of our military who continue to stand ready to defend

7 Jun 2013

Filling squares

As Airmen, we are more than familiar with the need to fill the proverbial squares as we strive to progress in our military career. To be competitive for awards and promotion we must commit ourselves to goals such as education, passing the fitness exam, and community service. It is through completion of these expectations and requirements that we

22 May 2013

Remember Our Legacy

During the last weekend of May we honor the men and women who have died while serving in the United States military. It is a day of reflection for all Americans, but Memorial Day holds a special place in the hearts of veterans, those currently serving in the military, and their families. Each generation's legacy of achievement, courage and

16 May 2013

Surviving the Crisis

You have cancer. Feb. 26, 2008, I heard those dreaded words. After a few months of feeling run down, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. With that diagnosis came the expected whirlwind of thoughts: Will I survive? What about my family? Is my career over? Will I ever fly again? What exactly is a thyroid?The next few months were a blur--part due to

13 May 2013

Have courage, speak up

Recently I saw a commercial depicting what appears to be a typical business meeting. An older man, clearly the boss, says something along the lines of "So, we're all agreed--it's a good idea?" To which an employee responds "I think it's a stupid idea." In the next scene, the employee who gave his opinion is out on the street with a box of personal

26 Apr 2013

Mental Spring cleaning

Spring is in the air! During this time of year cleaning is emphasized, and I'd like to take some time to focus on mental cleaning. By the time this is published, the 90th Missile Wing will be finished with three major inspections. During stressful times such as these, mental preparation is a daily activity. So let's look at some ways to help clean

19 Apr 2013

Leading with our hearts

My father, an Army sergeant major, raised his children to not follow the crowd and to be strong leaders. When one of six children would 'follow the crowd' and commit a wrongdoing; Dad would give his lecture on leadership, often asking, "If they jumped off the bridge, are you going to jump too?" and "Be a leader of good, not a follower of bad."A