• Faithful to a proud heritage

    "We are a nation at war." In 2007, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, then chief of staff of the Air Force, used those six simple but strong words to begin his letter to Airmen that accompanied the new Airman's Creed.Moseley had a bold vision for the Airman's Creed. In his letter, he said it was all about our

  • Vance – That’s the one with the beach right?

    No, it's the one in Oklahoma - with the pool. When I am questioned about my assignment here, I find it comical when I tell people I requested this assignment and they can't believe it.It's true though - I asked for it, and I got it. I couldn't be happier either.The welcome to the installation was

  • Find your purpose to reap your reward

    A couple of months ago, I had my first opportunity to attend the pinnacle event that has defined Vance for more than four decades - a student pilot graduation ceremony.Seeing all of the misty-eyed moms and proud dads beaming at the accomplishments of their young Airmen made me incredibly proud of

  • Fatigue management, the dangers of micro sleep

    As the Air Force continues to increase its operational tempo, the number of Airmen suffering from fatigue will continue to increase. Fatigue is a subjective experience that is abundant, pervasive and insidious. In other words, it affects everybody, in everything we do, and we often don't know how

  • Contractors keep AF in the fight

    Sequestration, shutdown, furlough, force shaping, reduction in force -- these are lean times, and it seems we are all asked to do more with fewer people and resources. Under the circumstances, it is easy to lose sight of our overarching mission as we buckle down to conserve resources while meeting

  • Giving your life for your country

    Often times, you will hear that those who wear the uniform are willing to give their lives for their country. The image created in the mind is typically of a brave sacrifice in the face of enemy action or a dangerous mission that required the ultimate commitment with a heroic result and a fatal

  • Taming the “Tyranny of the Urgent”

    Many Airmen lead incredibly busy lives, full of unfinished tasks. We often wish that we had more hours in the day to fit it all in. In our professional lives, budgets remain tight, the Air Force is shrinking, and we are challenged to do more with less. Yet the demands on our time never seem to

  • Adapting to personalities key to teamwork

    "Why can't I get along with anyone at work? Everyone misunderstands me!" I have heard this phrase a few times over the last 16 years, and I've learned to be suspicious when an Airman uses the term "everyone." I often surmise that there is an issue with the Airman, not with everyone. I take these

  • Making the right choices -- What happens after a DUI?

    June 21, I was attending Airman Leadership School at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, preparing to become a staff sergeant and a supervisor. I have intentions of making the Air Force a career and eventually would like to retire. Now, my dreams are in jeopardy due to what could have been a fatal error

  • The Best Day Ever!

    My family recently took an extended vacation to Florida. I say extended, because I actually used 14 days of leave and only four of those were weekend days. I cannot recall ever taking so much time. We landed in Pensacola and departed from Orlando. What happened in between was magical. We visited our