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  • The quality of our lives is based upon the quality of our rituals

    Over the last year I've been on a quest to identify and highlight simple success strategies that, if followed, will increase career success.Where does one start on the path to becoming successful?Some would say, "habits," but it goes farther than that. Habits are repeatable actions that we don't think about. Rituals are actions embedded with

  • Fly, Fight, Win

    It was 95 years ago at precisely 11 a.m., Nov. 11, 1918, the "war to end all wars" came to a termination of hostilities after the death and wounding of millions of veterans. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as Armistice Day with this statement: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn
  • Chief Master Sgt. Stuart Allison is the command chief of the 509th Mission Support Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. He is currently deployed with the 407th Air Expeditionary Group as its superintendent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry/Released)

    'Good' is the new 'average'

    In today's ultra-competitive environment, being "good" is the new "average." We must continually progress toward being "excellent" and "outstanding." Each tip below, when applied with consistent effort, will put you on a path to continued success. If all you do is give each a passing glance, or try once and give up, your chances of success will

  • Resiliency: The ability to 'bounce back'

    Lock him in prison, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snow drifts of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Deafen a genius composer, and you have a Ludwig van Beethoven. Raise him in utter poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln. Have him born into a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a George Washington
  • Col. Max B. Mitchell stands in front of the B-52H Stratofortress for the last time as an active duty Airman, Oct. 9. After serving as vice wing commander of the 5th Bomb Wing, Mitchell officially retired from the U.S. Air Force, Oct. 11. Mitchell served 25 years with nearly 4,000 flying hours in the B-52 as a master navigator. (U.S Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Aaron Allmon)

    25 years of service before self

    "Humility or humiliation." That is a maxim that Col. Max B. Mitchell has held himself to for 25 years of service in the U.S. Air Force; a maxim for which I had the honor of learning firsthand from him. Col. Max "Myway" Mitchell officially retired from the U.S. Air Force Oct. 11, after serving as the vice wing commander of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot

  • Surviving a DFAC closure on ramen noodles

    In light of the recent news of the upcoming Dining Facility closure I tried to think back to some hard lessons learned as a young service member and came up with the following first sergeant true life story.While assigned to my first base, I was able to go back to my small town in Mississippi and retrieve my classic 1968 Chevy El Camino. Needless

  • Becoming a military mom

    The moment I saw that life-changing plus sign, one very big question ran through my mind: can I do this? After calling my husband - who hung up on me at the time out of pure shock - I paced the layout of my house for at least a few hours trying to figure out just how I could serve my country and my now growing family at the same time. As an

  • President Truman's leadership lessons inspire leaders today

    Who is the leader you most admire? If you've never thought about it or no one has sparked your interest, I encourage you to start searching. It is said that history creates the best lessons. When examining leadership qualities and what makes a great leader, this is most certainly true. The leader I most admire is unquestionably President Harry S.

  • Closing a blind eye

    In the light of the day or that of a room, you are able to see a lot of things. However, if you take a moment and close your eyes and try to navigate a room you are familiar with, could you make it to the other side of the room safely? Odds are you couldn't. As humans, we take a lot of things for granted. We enjoy the sound of children playing

  • 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
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