• Don’t feed the bad things and keep your Wingman close

    There I was, stranded on a section of coral reef about 100 yards from the friendly sands of Midway Island. Nightfall was approaching but I just couldn't force myself back into the water to swim to shore.The sun was setting, the tide was rising and there were sharks everywhere I looked. My survival

  • How to deal with the active shooter – and survive

    Everyday there are emergencies that occur, but some hit closer to home and make the headline news. Last week came to a close with a shooter at Fort Hood in Texas and one in Orlando, Fla.I believe the one at Fort Hood hit closer to home because it occurred on a military installation. Security Forces

  • Honor America’s trust by being visible on Veterans Day

    Nov. 11 is a day set aside by our nation to remember, honor, and give thanks to our countrymen who gave some or all of themselves for our defense. It is a special day for the entire nation to celebrate their trust in our veterans' patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve for the common

  • Changing role of an Air Force leader

    Our charge forward to fight an active insurgency continues in Afghanistan. Air Force members fill a critical role in both the combat service support and brigade support team by linking U.S. and coalition forces with the Afghan national support forces through the embedded training team mission. In

  • Change… accept it, embrace it, move on!

    It has often been said that the only constant in the U.S. Air Force is change. In my opinion, that saying has never been more relevant than right now. Today's Air Force, and Department of Defense for that matter, is changing at a pace almost beyond comprehension. In my nearly 22 years of service I

  • Lorenz on Leadership -- Cherish your spouse

    Just last week, while walking past the base chapel, I witnessed a scene that caused me to pause and reflect. I turned and watched as people, dressed in their Sunday best, flowed from the chapel doors, smiling and casually chatting. They slowly split into two lines, creating a path that led to a

  • Exercise lesson learned -- we need to play for real

    I want to take you behind the scenes and show you what it was like to participate in our recent hazardous material exercise. Shortly after the Force Protection Condition/Anti Hijacking exercise the first week of September, in-depth planning began for the October exercise block. In looking at our

  • Fierce competition ahead for 2010 AETC Energy Incentive Award

    Last June, Vance finished first place in the AETC Energy Incentive Award competition with an energy reduction of 13.4 percent, earning a prize of $1.5 million for the base. The competition for this year has already begun, and we have a great shot at winning. However, it is going to be even tougher

  • It’s great to be part of a singing wing!

    Music has an incredible capacity to stir our emotions, build cohesion, and enhance our memory. Furthermore, singing as a group involves issues of harmony, leadership, timing, being in tune and the need for practice. It's great to be a part of a singing wing! As a chaplain, I believe our souls

  • Life’s not fair -- what you do with it is up to you

    Not long ago I was in a meeting where we were discussing medical-ethical issues. As the meeting progressed and we dissected the ethical issue at hand somebody emphatically stated "That's just not fair!" Despite my better judgment, I just couldn't let that go. Maybe it was the father in me. After