Commentary Search

  • Minot Air Force Base Commentary Logo.

    Chief Wieser Commentary: Does Your Video Match Your Audio?

    Serving this great Air Force the past 22 years, it never ceases to amaze me how cool and awesome are the new things one learns from the individuals we serve with.

  • Diversity, inclusion are tools for national defense, not buzzwords

    We live in a dynamically changing and increasingly complex global security environment. In order to maintain ourselves as the world’s leading Air Force, we must continue to adapt and prepare for any potential contingencies—in today’s highly competitive environment.While present and future decisions on weapons systems, force posture and force
  • USAF and DOS representatives at Aero India 2021

    Accelerating Change at Aero India 2021

    The command chief provides a firsthand look at behind the scenes of Aero India 2021 and bomber Airmen participation.

  • Survivor Benefits Plan: How does it compare to insurance?

    Think of Survivor Benefits as retirement protection. It pays a benefit when the insured person's retirement pay stops. SBP won't make a single lump-sum payment like insurance. Instead, SBP will pay up to 55% (with annual inflation adjustments) of the military member's retirement pay to a spouse or dependent children every month.
  • Graphic that reads African American History Month with red, green and yellow shapes.

    Heroes to all Americans

    February, as Black History Month, is a time to reflect on the contributions of African-Americans to our country. Though no single article can adequately cover African-American history justly, there are few areas that can rival the vast participation of African-Americans in war.
  • light graphic

    Living a life of gratitude

    A long time ago – at least it feels like forever ago when I was still wearing a uniform - I worked with a very eccentric chief petty officer (that’s a Navy E-7 to all you Air Force folks).During the time we worked together, we had endless discussions on life, music and the Navy. Yet one conversation stuck with me and likely will for life.He had a
  • Graphic for Leadership Commentary Series

    Lead selflessly

    When I was asked to write a leadership commentary, nearly two dozen topics instantly launched into my head, swimming around with stories and anecdotes of which could have the best impact, which could truly influence the reader and others which could teach and improve our Airmen. Things like: genuine care for people, respect, trust, empathy,
  • Graphic outlining warning signs of suicide

    Missed opportunities, lifetime of regret

    The day before one of my best friends tried to take his own life, he was laughing, joking and goofing around like he usually did.It was a normal March day in Florida in 2001, and several of us were hanging out after class. We talked about the upcoming football season, the ongoing hockey season and whatever else came to mind.Though nearly everything
  • A roundel celebrating 50 years of Minuteman III history.

    Minuteman III: 50 years of deterrence and counting

    August 19, 2020, marks fifty years since America’s Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile was first placed on alert at Minot AFB, North Dakota and since then, Americans and their allies have slept peacefully at night because our Airmen were on alert.Currently, 10,600 Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen have the watch, 24/7/365,
  • The B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay parked on Tinian. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

    75th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing Missions

    On April 26, 1945, 859 men loaded onto two trains at a small rail station in western Utah for a two-day journey to Seattle, Washington. After a short stay, the men boarded the ship “Cape Victory” and on May 6 set off for Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands where they were met by Lt.Col. Hazen J. Payette on May 29. The men were members of the 509th Composite Group, a part of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the predecessor to the modern Air Force. Payette, the group intelligence officer, had led an advanced Air Echelon of 90 men that arrived several days earlier. Over the course of the next two months, most of the remaining members of the 509th CG would arrive on the island along with equipment, supplies and fifteen specially modified B-29 Superfortress aircraft.
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