• Who knew Vance really is a hidden gem

    I was caught off guard when I was told that I had to do a commander's commentary this week. Who knew? Who knew that 730 days, the approximate time a commander leads a unit, would go by so quickly?Who knew when I arrived 680 days ago, I would be wishing I could stay a little bit longer in Enid

  • Lorenz on Leadership -- Sustaining a wingman culture

    On April 20, a 22-year-old man with a history of violence walked into a bookstore in Wichita Falls, Texas, and started shooting. He wounded four women, then drove to a bar and killed an employee outside before he drove home and took his own life. This tragedy sounds like so many we hear about on the

  • Build belief in self, true potential

    Our personal and professional growth stems from not only our inner drive to achieve, but also from the support of those around us. As a leader, it's important that you really get to know those you work with day to day and others you might interact with on a personal basis.Learning the underlying

  • Lorenz on Leadership -- Leading Airmen through force management

    The chief of staff of the Air Force recently announced that our service must reduce its personnel end strength to meet congressionally-mandated limits.Air Force retention is currently at a 15-year high, which is a testament to the tremendous dedication of our Airmen serving during a time of

  • Remember selfless service

    Have you ever sat down and really thought about why you joined the military? Perhaps it was to get education benefits, or to see the world. Or maybe it was to please a family member, or to get away from a bad situation. Many join the military to gain a skill or just obtain a steady job. Whenever I

  • A helping hand isn’t far at Vance

    Have you ever heard a retired Air Force member who is now working as a contractor use the phrase "Oh, I'm just a slimy contractor." Inherent in that statement is a common belief that contractors are not part of the total team because they are working only for the money or a profit. Unfortunately,

  • Are you ready to graduate?

    Are you ready to graduate? If you're in Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 10-08, then I'd hope the answer is yes; but that is a different issue. Also, I'm not referring to high school, college or even professional military education.I'm talking about the well-touted "graduation

  • Lorenz on Leadership -- Motivation

    These are challenging times for our Air Force. We have been engaged in combat operations since 1990 and are balancing limited resources against an aggressive operations tempo. We are once again adjusting to maintain our authorized end strength while juggling priorities within a leveling budget. Many

  • Know your history to understand yourself

    Have you ever gone to an historic battlefield? Have you ever researched your family history to discover how your family story intersects our nation's history? History is more than knowing dates on a timeline; it provides a context for understanding yourself and others. When I was in elementary

  • Dump your old mop

    If you're wondering what this article is about, I'll cut to the chase. It's about "the power of influence." If you don't see the mop correlation, you're not alone. Since 100 percent of the English-speaking public would fail to connect mopping to influential behavior, I'll have to share a story from