Commentaries

July 31, 2012
Year in review

Allow me to share one inevitable law of nature I've observed: As we get older, time accelerates. If you're young enough to have not experienced this time dilation yet, you'll find out before too long - I promise. When I was eight years old, sporting bell bottoms and dodging water moccasins in the
July 24, 2012
My job is prosecuting sexual assault

Here's a simple truth...sexual offenders reject our core values of integrity, service and excellence, in favor of following their own base, undisciplined, criminal desires. Most sexual assaults committed by Airmen are "blue on blue," or Airmen victimizing other Airmen. So in addition to rejecting
July 24, 2012
Follow up: The key to effective leadership

Gen. George Patton asserted, "Commanders must remember the issuance of an order, or the devising of a plan, is only about 5 percent of the responsibility of command. The other 95 is to insure the order is carried out." Although Patton made this statement during World War II, it rings true today and
July 6, 2012
Wing commander discusses doing what's right

Few leaders are commended for putting up walls. In fact, in all the books I've read and classes I've attended, I've never seen wall-building promoted as a leadership technique. That's exactly what the mayor of a Japanese fishing village did, though. Mayor Kotaku Wamura made the construction of a
July 6, 2012
Are you ‘IN?’

The way you look at how you see your responsibilities can highly influence the way you approach your job and life overall. Being a military member can add a different perspective to life, it's definitely a different kind of lifestyle! As Air Force Pamphlet 36-2241, The Professional Development Guide
July 2, 2012
Humble, credible, approachable

Fellow Knights, as I write this commentary the Waldo Canyon Fire rages on and has been for six days. I know I speak for all of us when I say that my heart goes out to all who have lost so much as a result of this tragedy and relay a resounding 'thanks' to those working to extinguish the blaze and
June 26, 2012
Mediocrity does not work

In today's environment of shrinking manpower and fiscal constraints it is very easy to fall into the trap of believing, "it can't be done," or "doing everything the right way is impossible." This, in turn, leads to cutting corners and doing just enough to get through the day without getting in
June 18, 2012
Living the core values

While in many respects it seems like yesterday, it also seems like an eternity ago that I was handed the guidon to start a tour as the 21st Mission Support Group commander. As I started, I had my ideas of what the job would be like, in retrospect ... I had no idea! Quickly though, I began to
June 12, 2012
Developing the skills of followership

Regardless of how long you've been in the military, you've been exposed to ideas and theories of leadership. It's a favorite subject of scholars, executives and military professionals. Leadership has been taught, debated, touted, challenged, applauded and cursed. It's been wrapped up in neat little
June 5, 2012
Nurture the family foundation

Recently, I attended a chaplain corps conference where I had the opportunity to hear one of our senior Air Force leaders address the audience. One of his points that stuck with me was military members need to care for their families, because they are the ones who are still in our lives after our