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Commentary Search

  • Alcohol Awareness Month: time to educate, not condemn

    Many adults drink moderately and responsibly without complications. Having a drink of alcohol is a popular way to relax at the end of the day or spend time with friends and family. There are even indications from research that some can derive modest health benefits from an occasional drink.However,

  • Passing the buck

    I arrived at my first duty station, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Thanksgiving Day in 1987. There was a senior master sergeant working the front gate. His blue shirt was perfectly pressed, his pants bloused, and he had on highly polished jump boots with white laces, white gloves and an ascot. He

  • Integrity is forever

    It takes courage to do the right thing, no matter the consequences.It takes years to build a reputation as a person of integrity, but it only takes a second to lose that hard-earned reputation.Do you jeopardize your integrity to fulfill momentary desires?Ultimately, some such choices may have

  • Lessons my mustache taught me

    In February, Mustache March was a grand idea. In my mind's eye, I saw myself proudly strutting through the squadron bristling with masculine whiskers, fending off fawning admirers while humbly accepting effusive compliments on my bodacious mustache. Yet, as with many things in life, reality was far

  • The Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement

    In 1976, President Gerald Ford signed the Executive Order recognizing February as Black History Month. Men and women of all races across the nation take time out in February to celebrate, educate, and honor all contributions made toward African American History.This year's theme was "Civil Rights in

  • Overcoming barriers: African-American women in the military

    The reasons behind America's Civil War and why people fought are numerous. For one woman, freedom was the only reason needed. While working for the Union Army as cook and nurse, she was also an armed scout and spy. In fact, she would become the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war when

  • Heritage Months: don't hate, celebrate

    The United States of America has a rich and diverse ancestry that helped build this great nation, and our military draws its strength from our country's rich tradition of diversity. This is one reason why the military recognizes the achievements and contributions made possible by that legacy during

  • Support from wingmen helps defy once-impossible goals

    Since I can remember, I have always had an aspiration to join the Air Force, but joining meant an ample amount of physical activity, even after basic training, with yearly, if not twice yearly, physical fitness tests. A timed, mile-and-a-half run is the standard distance ran on the cardiovascular

  • Humility the mark of true leaders

    One of the best lessons I learned about "true leadership" was from a guy who lost an election.For people too young to remember, the presidential election of 1992 was a hard-fought, cantankerous campaign. One of the issues those opposed to Bill Clinton brought up was that he had managed to avoid