• Every Airman brings a skill set crucial to the Vance mission

    "There's the snap. The quarterback steps back, turns to his right and hands off to the half back. He dives up the middle. He scores!!"Those words are repeated any number of times during a football season and at any level of the game from Pop Warner to the pros. Invariably, the focus of attention

  • A cut above all others

    One of my fellow squadron commanders recently wrote an outstanding article on the importance of being both a strong leader and follower. He was right on the mark.The traits of leadership and followership are gained through training, experience and lessons learned as we encounter both success and

  • It is your responsibility…

    In the last month or so I have come across several violations of AFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel. These were not just subtle violations, like hands in the pockets during cold weather, that you do without really thinking about.The violations I am talking about are

  • What about followership?

    Twenty-five years ago this summer, I started basic training at the U.S. Air Force Academy and was quickly taught how to adjust to military life. I learned about marching, wearing a uniform and military customs and courtesies.Each and every lesson learned seemed to come back to the importance of

  • Fight the fade

    At the end of his esteemed military and political service, one of the Founding Fathers of America, George Washington, wrote to Alexander Hamilton, "I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of 'an honest

  • Consilium, Virtus, Justicia: Guiding principles for living the core values

    This will be my last commentary as the Staff Judge Advocate at Vance. It seems like only yesterday I was trying to come up with the first one.Over the last two years, I have written commentary about leading by example, true leadership and finally about working smarter. In this last commentary, I

  • Our trials are small compared to our purpose

    Maj. Gen. Robin Rand reminded me of an important lesson a few weeks ago. During his lunch with Vance squadron commanders, he said the most important thing for us to remember is this: don't get jaded.This won't be a shock to many, but sometimes I get jaded. And let me be perfectly honest -- although

  • My CCAF journey

    I sat down hard on the bed in our small Wiesbaden apartment when the news came: child number two was on the way and I knew, right then, that I had to get my collective together.It was January 1985, cold and sunny, and Kim and I just stared at each other. Child number one was strolling through the

  • Don't forget to bring your 'A' game every day

    In his commentary two weeks ago my colleague and fellow commander, Lt. Col. Dave "Sparky" Merritt, 71st Operations Support Squadron, said that we all need to "bring our A game every day" and to "never quit." He is absolutely right.Taking a macro-view of current headlines, it would be very easy with

  • I am an officer first

    I am an officer first. Have you heard this expression before? Do you understand what it means? You can replace the word officer with petty officer, noncommissioned officer or simply Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine. To me, simply put, it means that I put my oath foremost in my decision making