• Use HAWC, fitness centers for summer exercise

    Happy Friday Team Vance! Monday marks the official start of summer even though it feels like summer has been here for several weeks. In addition to getting longer, the days become increasingly hotter. As the heat becomes more unbearable we are forced to spend more time indoors avoiding it. While we

  • Team Vance joins nation in mourning loss

    Team Vance -- our nation today mourns the loss of a former President! As the entire base is aware, former President Ronald Reagan passed away last Saturday. In remembrance of his contributions to our nation, President Bush has designated today as a National Day of Mourning. The base chapel is

  • Prepared man sleeps when the wind howls

    The last time I had the opportunity to pontificate in the Airscoop, I spoke of passion and how passion affects each of our abilities to achieve greater outcomes and our influence on those around us. As I was mulling over a good sequel to that article, I came across a short story I had saved about

  • Team Vance volunteers help change

    Team Vance- "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead. Team Vance volunteers have embodied this quote and are diligently working to change the world starting right here in Enid. There is so

  • Take care of your Airmen

    Over my career, I have often heard the leadership quotation, "If you take care of your troops, they will take care of the mission." While some may think this statement is nothing more than a cliché, I truly believe from personal experiences as both a leader and a subordinate this axiom is accurate.

  • Wing mourns loss, maintains safety focus

    Team Vance -- I write this week's article with a sad heart. We received some sad news Sunday afternoon -- Enid's mayor, Irv Honigsberg, passed away. Irv was a Team Vance member more than 50 years ago. He actually attended pilot training right here at Vance Air Force Base in 1950, and served with

  • Navy commander sails out of Vance Air Force Base

    This is the second article I have written for the Airscoop. My first article was a quasi-satire about my initial submersion as a naval officer and aviator into the headwaters of Air Force culture -- Air Education and Training Command. After its publication last fall, the only person to respond in a

  • Construction gives Vance AFB facelift

    Team Vance -- orange barrels and barricades continue to pop up basewide so let's review the "construction" projects underway! To start with, Phase One of our base housing modernization continues with earnest! As you approach the base on Fox Drive from Highway 81, you clearly notice our prime

  • Vance Air Force Base is at war

    I invite everyone to visit the Air Force web site to read the latest "Secretary's Vector," written by our Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. James Roche. In this vector, titled "America's Airmen Fighting the War on Terrorism," Secretary Roche makes three key points that he wants us all to keep in mind:

  • Best wishes to our departing chaplains

    Team Vance -- we are blessed in so many ways! My family and I had the pleasure of attending the Vance Air Force Base Volunteer dinner Sunday night at the Ramada Inn (hosted by our chapel staff) and what a great event to say "thanks" to the many volunteers that make Vance AFB a very special place to