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Commentaries

  • Sowing Acts Of Kindness

    While deployed I witnessed one of the most unselfish acts at Camp Al Saylaiah, a busy place with thousands of people passing through every month. One of our very own Special Forces personnel was folding the clothes of someone he didn't know so someone else could use the dryer. Some people might have

  • There Isn’t an ‘Easy Button’ For Leadership

    About a year ago I was talking with my operations officer, Lt. Col. Larry Floyd, about several complicated issues we were handling at the time when he made the comment, "There isn't an 'easy button' for leadership." He was referencing those commercials for a national chain store where an 'easy

  • The choices we make

    I still remember it so clearly. My youngest brother Brian was into climbing mountains in my hometown of Pennsylvania. Now these mountains weren't exactly Everest but they were formidable in their own right. One day he was telling me about a mountain he had recently climbed and asked me if I wanted

  • Maintaining your moral compass

    I feel the most formidable quality one can have is an open mind. This is not to say that personal opinions and values are unnecessary, quite the opposite, actually. To hold a strong opinion regarding a topic while realizing that, though important and true to you, is not wholly true to the rest of

  • The legacy of Sept. 11, 2001

    My son is almost 13 now. He was just 5 years old when the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, unfolded. Curious by nature, he has asked so many questions over the course of the years. "Why does everybody talk about 9/11 all the time? Why did they attack innocent people? Why can't we be friends with one

  • A Fresh Perspective

    As we sit on the brink of Pope's BRAC transition, changing duty stations has become a hot-button topic across base. Having relocated 10 times during my career, I want to share my perspective on some of the lessons I've learned through changing bases. Relocating can be extremely stressful on military

  • Warrior Ethos: Willing – Able – Ready!

    After 25 years of service fighting for this great country, I'm more than ever encouraged by our great Airmen and what they bring to the fight. I'm convinced Pope's Airmen are fit-to-fight. You won't hear me grumbling about our Airmen; their dedication and tireless efforts are obvious, and their

  • Safety Awareness Is Everyone’s Business

    This past weekend my wife and I took a trip to New York City to celebrate our anniversary. We planned the trip just like we always do: airline tickets, hotels, weather updates the usual stuff. This being our first trip to NYC, we decided it would be best to take the shuttle to our hotel rather than

  • Making Safe Choices

    What is so hard about doing things safely? After a year as the Chief of Safety at Pope, I've run into many situations that make me scratch my head and ponder this question. After all, it takes only a few extra seconds to buckle up, put on the appropriate protective equipment, or slow down to the

  • Making A Difference One Airman At A Time

    I recently received an e-mail that reminded me how important good mentorship is. Throughout my career, I've had the good fortune to be mentored by several very good NCOs. At my first duty assignment, Tech. Sgt. Ron Hubble always reminded me about the importance of studying my promotion material. If