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Commentary Search

Commentaries

  • Recognizing Contributions of Native Americans

    This month marks Native American Heritage Month, and is an opportunity for us to remember the contributions they made to not only our country but our Air Force. When I think about the Air Force as an institution, we should be proudest of the fact that we are all different and that we come together.

  • Holidays: Religious or Secular?

    We have officially entered the holiday season. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all nationally recognized holidays. You will find them listed on every calendar sold across the land. You can still buy cards, candy, and decorations for them in almost any store. Are these holidays secular or

  • Remembering Sacrifices of Veterans and Families

    Saturday, we honor those who have gone before us and have sacrificed so much for our country. Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with a good cross section of veterans from the Air Force and Army Air Corps. They meet every Friday at the K & W restaurant and they run the gamut from men

  • What's your life worth? Tread lightly with car maintenance

    How many of you would risk your life for $400? Most of us would probably say no way, but many Airmen take these exact odds and gamble everyday. They jump in their cars and drive to work on worn-out tires. On average, a new set of tires costs around $400, although this price may vary based on size

  • Honoring Military Families

    One thing we can't do enough of is communicate to our young Airmen and families who live on and off base. For them to take advantage of what Pope has to offer, they need to know what is going on. We have the base paper, commanders' calls, Airmen calls, marquees and base-wide e-mails -- all of which

  • PME Vital to Airmen, Leadership

    When I talk about leadership, one thing I usually emphasize is a big factor in how good you are is determined by your experiences. Whether it is something you've done, or a challenge you faced, people often don't think that an education is a vital part of that experience that will prepare you for

  • Know Your Voting Do's and Don'ts

    With mid-term elections fast approaching, Pope Airmen must be aware of what they can and cannot do as an active duty military member to express themselves. The elections in November will decide 435 House of Representatives, 33 Senate seats and 36 state governors, in addition to many state and local

  • Fire Prevention Everyone's Responsibility

    This week marked Fire Prevention Week and I can't stress enough the importance of checking your smoke detectors and making sure they are operational and that the batteries are good. According to the National Fire Protection Association, households with non-working smoke alarms now outnumber those

  • How to Improve? Get REAL

    Several months ago I attended an NCO Academy graduation dinner at Ramstein AB, Germany. The guest speaker spoke to the graduating class on being a leader, using a four-letter acronym he devised to define what he felt were some attributes of a leader. Coining a phrase he learned from his teenage son,

  • Healthy Work Environments are Paramount

    The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Pope was the small-town, homey feel that is sometimes referred to as "Americana." It was immediately clear to me that Pope people are special. Pope's Airmen accomplish our worldwide mission day-in and day-out with a sense of pride and professionalism that