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  • Memorial Day 2015 (Courtesy graphic)

    Memorial Day: Remember the fallen and their families

    Memorial Day weekend is so much more than a signal of summer's approach -- it focuses the Nation on the heroes who died while serving in this great country's armed forces. The first official Memorial Day observance was held at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868, to honor and decorate the graves of those who died during the Civil War. After

  • AFGSC remembers 8th, 20th Air Force sacrifices

    This time of the year is important as the nation recognizes those who paid the ultimate sacrifice while answering the nation's call. Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and Air Force Global Strike Command remembers the sacrifices of the 8th and 20th Air Force members.The sacrifices of those serving in the 8th and 20th Air Forces date back to World

  • A Wake Up Call

    Editor's note: Names and details were slightly changed in this article to protect privacy. However, the story and the author's reflections are true.My BlackBerry went off like a siren in the mist.  Coming to my senses from a deep sleep, sometime after midnight, I picked it up and saw my first sergeant's name on the screen.  "Sir?" His voice was

  • Stepping in

    About this time two years ago, our Air Force was making national news in the wake of reported sexual assaults in the ranks. Still more troubling was the estimated magnitude of unreported assaults and the unwillingness of bystanders to intervene or report them.As part of the effort to combat harassment and assaults, there were several wing and
  • A stuffed animal of Grover from Sesame Street sits in front of blue and silver pinwheels at Whiteman air Force Base, Mo., April 14, 2015. Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Longfellow, 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs photojournalist, received Grover from a police officer on the night she was taken out of an abusive home. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and the pinwheel is a symbol for healthy starts for all children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Longfellow/Released)

    Surviving, learning to live

    Red and blue lights surround my house. My biological mother is in tears and her boyfriend is yelling at the men with shiny badges and guns on their hips. My siblings and I are sitting on the couch, quietly.My life was about to change dramatically.My mother was at a young age when she found out she was pregnant with me - just 18 years old.We lived

  • How to be happily married to the military

    For those who have been married, do you remember when you got engaged and people would give you all kinds of unsolicited advice? I remember my aunt telling me that when you marry a man, you don't just marry him ... you marry his whole family. No one ever tells you that when you marry a military man, you don't just marry the man ... you marry the

  • Preventing sexual assault in the Air Force is our enduring responsibility

    As we begin Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, clear signs point to the progress we have made in combating sexual assault. We can cite encouraging numbers in the areas of prevalence, reporting and convictions; however, this serves as only the beginning of an enduring effort. This effort must continue without pause and we must not lose

  • Practice personal safety, security

    With more information than ever available in the public realm, everyone has the responsibility to safeguard sensitive information, both on the job and at home. Information that may seem harmless by itself can be pieced together with other information to form a more complete and sometimes harmful picture by our adversaries.There are a few steps
  • Leaders must provide suitable instructions for Airmen so they may develop into the future leaders, just as one must provide the proper nutrients to a sapling for it to blossom into a large tree. Though it may take years of personal sacrifice, providing the right core knowledge will allow them, one day, to pass on the proper information to those they mentor. (U.S. Air Force illustration by Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle/Courtesy photo)

    Providing shade

    In 2012, I had a long talk with my father about my future in the Air Force and of my challenges with stepping into the world of being a first sergeant.At the end of our conversation, he signed off with a Greek proverb, "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in."I chuckled with a bit of ignorance
  • Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Longfellow, 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs photojournalist, displays a tattoo of “Rosie the Riveter” to showcase how she became who she is today. The history of “Rosie” shows that with dedication and effort, anyone can do anything. Many women opted to take on male-dominated trades to support their families while their husbands fought in World War II, an era in which they typically held positions as housewives. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Longfellow/Released)

    Commentary: Rosie the Riveter and me

    As we recognize Women's History Month this March, I am struck by the thought that heroes and role models do not have to be one single person but, in fact, can be several people. For me, this truth is especially relevant.During World War II, many women opted to take on male dominated trades to support their families while their husbands fought in
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