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Commentary Search

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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,

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Sexual assault prevention: Own it!

    When we talk about preventing the crime of sexual assault, we are talking about before the crime happens. We've all participated in sexual assault education through mass auditorium in-person programs, smaller focus group discussions and one-on-one interactions with your local Sexual Assault Response

  • "Hit it out of the park"

    As America's pastime sport quickly enters its new season, baseball pitchers across America prepare for the season in hopes of making it to, and winning, the World Series. This can also be said about the Air Force and their preparation to be inspection ready.In order to be successful in both, it

  • Trading pain for a purpose

    Every time I run a marathon, I cringe just a little bit as I contemplate the back half. I think about the back half a lot, and by back half I mean miles 17-26.2. I'm just an average runner, but marathons have taught me almost as much about spiritual growth as seminary training.In a marathon, the

  • Overcoming failures

    You will fail. The question is, how will you respond? This reminds me of a parable of the carrot, egg and coffee.A senior irman was distraught when he learned he did not make Staff Sgt. after his first time testing. His staff sergeant supervisor saw a teaching opportunity and the next day he filled