• Character Lost and Found

    If you know me personally, you know there are times I question character and the ways people treat each other. I mean, there are signs all over that people are treating others with less and less respect and compassion. The news is often full of examples.Within the last few weeks alone, we had the

  • Inspections: What about YOU?

    The base inspector general's office continues to prepare Team Maxwell for the consolidated unit inspection, or CUI, in September. Steady-state mission readiness is a significant point for consistently and continuously demonstrating "excellence in all we do."But how do you know? What do you do to

  • Confessions of a rookie instructor

    Chances are had you told me a year ago that I would be an instructor at Squadron Officer School I would have called you certifiably crazy. I was so focused on being a C-17 Globemaster III pilot and presumed my career would lead to a staff tour at U.S. Transportation Command or Air Mobility Command

  • CUI preparation -- who conducts the inspection

    In preparation for the consolidated unit inspection, I want to articulate to you who the inspector general is and who to expect here in September.The inspector general of the Air Force is the top dog in the arenas of inspection and complaints resolution for the Air Force. According to the official

  • Practicing fiscal responsibility

    The continually increasing debt is the biggest threat we have to our national security." These were the words of Adm. Michael Mullen, former chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff. With sequestration looming and a national debt that tops $16 trillion, there is no question that the United States

  • ‘Why do I continue to serve?’

    When you think of the words "Airman" and "warrior," do they resonate with you? On Feb. 27, Squadron Officer School will showcase two wounded warriors that embody the terms "Airman" and "warrior," in an effort to persuade company-grade officers that these terms are not just buzzwords. SOS presents

  • Safety … How are we really doing?

    Let's talk safety, I mean really talk bottom line safety. As a whole, I think we talk a good talk, but are we truly effective? Do we really know whether we're having an impact or not? We know each one of us plays a role in ensuring our own safety and that of those around us, whether co-workers,

  • Steady-state mission readiness

    Happy February! Let me start by saying thanks to all who have helped initiate this series of articles providing information and updates, as we prepare Team Maxwell for our consolidated unit inspection in September. As noted in last month's commentary, the inspection system and the philosophy of

  • Attention to (standards) detail

    Gen. George Patton may have said it best: "It is absurd to believe that Soldiers who cannot be made to wear the proper uniform can be induced to move forward in battle. (Those) who fail to perform their duty by correcting small violations and in enforcing proper conduct are incapable of

  • The confidence conundrum

    People want to follow leaders who are self-assured. Few of us find value in working for or being led by those who are unsure of their own abilities or decisions. Confidence on the part of a leader, typically gained through experience and validation of technical and professional ability, inspires