11 Dec 2007

Childhood Obesity: A Growing Epidemic

I am sure that by now you have heard all of the latest about the USA's growing obesity trend reported this past summer by the CDC. It is disturbing to say the least, but what is especially unsettling is the number of children identified as being obese. The annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the Centers for Disease Control

14 Nov 2007

Take the AETC Holiday and Safety Challenge!

As we approach the most joyous time of year when many people travel home to visit family and friends, the mass holiday season exodus exposes our military and civilian members, and their families, to increased risks. To reduce that risk, I am asking all members to embrace the AETC Holiday and Exodus Safety Challenge. As part of our mishap prevention

6 Nov 2006

We must remember

Recently I was in Washington D.C. and had the opportunity to visit the World War II Memorial. I had previously seen the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials - they are all powerful testimonies to the duty our nation's veterans performed. Monday is Memorial Day. As active duty Air Force members we do not always think of ourselves as future veterans -

3 Nov 2006

Core values, part of Air Force culture

In our Air Force, we tie our behavior and expectations of others to our Core Values.  Everyone is indoctrinated into this culture from Basic Military Training through continuing professional education. In my time in the Air Force, I've found that these core values represent the minimum standards of behavior and are complemented by a fourth element

2 Nov 2006

CFC: Supporting legitimate charities of your choice

How time does fly? We hear this phrase when something is once again upon us. And, once again that time is the Combined Federal Campaign which will start on Altus Air Force Base Sept. 23. It's the time for all Department of Defense military and civilians to reach deep down into their pockets and make a contribution to the charity of their

2 Nov 2006

Mission Success and customer service go hand in hand

All civilian and military personnel on Altus AFB have a common purpose of providing customer service.  This basic principle is paramount to the success of the Altus AFB mission. Think about it, how many times a day do you depend on someone to successfully perform his or her job? Our jobs and the mission would be extremely difficult, if not

26 Oct 2006

Don't wait to donate: be someone's miracle

If you have already contributed to the Combined Federal Campaign, thank you. If you have not yet contributed, please take five minutes to consider the following. Each year, federal employees are given an opportunity, which Webster defines as, "...favorable or promising ...circumstances; a chance for...improvement." You may ask, "How can giving my

20 Oct 2006

My money went where?

As a young man in high school, I remember awful stories of people who took advantage of kind-hearted citizens and collected money in the name of charity only to be exposed as frauds. The bad publicity had me struggling with the idea that no charity could be trusted. If I had not heard of a specific charity such as the Red Cross or YMCA, I