5 Sep 2018

A little care goes a long way

The seventh week of Basic Military Training hit Flight 176 like a ton of bricks. The stressors from the last few weeks weighed on the 50 trainees as we finally started to see a light at the end of the tunnel. There were only a few obstacles standing between our transition from trainees to Airmen. One of which wore a navy blue campaign hat with a

30 Aug 2018

More than the mission

The next war will be won with discipline, aggressiveness and creativity in the execution of assigned missions. Execution of our mission is our purpose behind service. This requires sacrifice and the highest calling of all ranks and responsibilities. Mission success is not guaranteed without properly organized, trained and equipped Airmen, but

28 Aug 2018

Warrior Ethos

The crux of military law is to maintain good order and discipline in the pursuit of promoting justice and effectiveness in the military establishment. The Warrior’s Ethos further exemplifies these principals, representing the ideals that drive military law through physical and moral courage. Former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley

21 Aug 2018

Dignity and Respect: United We Prevail

Dignity and respect are terms we have heard echoed up and down the chain of command. These words are more than a description of an ideal end state but a call to action, a foundation upon which to conduct both our professional and personal lives. Applying them requires self-reflection, self-awareness, and the willingness to accept realities that may

14 Aug 2018

Thule Air Base, Greenland: It will surprise you

Before my arrival at Thule Air Base, Greenland, I received three reactions when I told people where I was going. Feedback ranged from, “I didn’t know the base existed,” or “I thought it was shut down a long time ago,” to “… that’s pretty cool.”  Cool (no pun intended), doesn’t even begin to describe a place that looks like another world. This is

7 Aug 2018

Unsung Mission Partners

When we think about readiness and being ready to fight tonight, we tend to focus our attention to the men and women who serve in uniform. As many of you already know, the 21st Operations Group has a global presence and we are always vigilant and always ready for the fight, wherever we find ourselves.  In the 21st Operations Group, we have men and

24 Jul 2018

Mind over cancer

Almost four years ago I received some troubling news. After discovering a small lump in my neck, I was diagnosed with stage 4 medullary thyroid cancer and informed that the five to 10-year survival rate for my condition was about 50 percent.

18 Jul 2018

We are NOT a family

At a recent Wingman Day event, I stood center stage in front of my squadron and declared, “We are NOT a family.” Nobody saw that coming.

28 Jun 2018

Taking advantage of summer at Cavalier AFS

Cavalier Air Force Station is the U.S. Air Force’s only CONUS-Isolated installation, located 15 miles from the Canadian border and 90 miles north of Grand Forks, North Dakota. For about eight months out of the year, the Spartans of Cavalier brace for the harsh North Dakota winters, where temperatures routinely hover around 0 degrees and dip as low as -40 degrees with 40+ mph winds. We also have lots of snow and rarely see the sun.

22 Jun 2018

An open letter to the men and women of the 21st Space Wing

Knights, 32 years ago when I started my military career at as a freshman at Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, my goal was to graduate and receive a commission in the United States Air Force. A stretch goal was promotion to captain. The honor of serving as the vice wing commander of the 21st Space Wing was beyond consideration. When I was selected for this dream assignment, I was concerned that it surely couldn’t be as exceptional as I imagined. Now, after three years in the seat, I can say that this assignment has been everything I imagined and more. It has unequivocally been the highlight of my career because of the great Airmen I have been honored to serve.