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  • Stand Like An Airman (Air Force Illustration by Master Sgt. Michael Voss)

    Stand like an Airman

    Are you a paper Airman? Airmanship isn't about what someone writes in your enlisted performance report or what is written in your most recent decoration. Airmanship is about what you are doing to help the Air Force complete the mission. The Air Force's mission is still to "Fly, Fight and Win" and whether you are flying the aircraft, maintaining the

  • Youth programs combat negative influences

    If you have children, especially teenagers, you already know the harrowing statistics that illustrate the dangers they face in the world today. Daily we see news about kids left to their own devices after school who have taken the wrong path in life. Air Force youth programs help combat potentially negative influences in our kids' lives by
  • Paul J. Firman, a retired senior master sergeant who works at the Air Force Negotiation Center of Excellence, provides a peripheral blood stem cell donation in Washington, D.C. The donation went to an anonymous patient in Italy as part of the Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program. (Contributed photo)

    Save a life

    When it comes to saving a life, seldom is it something you can plan. You might witness a car crash and spring into action. Most would probably do what they could to help. However, what if you could actually be part of a plan to save a life? I retired from the Air Force nearly three years ago. The retirement ended an almost 23-year career full of

  • Military professionals: the ultimate Olympian

    The pomp and pageantry in Great Britain's opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics provided a spectacular forecast of what will follow - friendly, but intense competition in summer sport. What could not easily be discerned from the opening ceremony is the amount of hard work, long hours and personal drive required of the athletes before they are

  • What toothbrush should I use: manual or automatic?

    It has been nearly three months since your last dental cleaning and it is time to replace the freebie toothbrush your dental technician/hygienist gave you. While in the store looking for a toothbrush you are inundated with options, both automatic and manual. To help decide, think about what you want your toothbrush to do and how it is used.A

  • The right to lead part 6: Personality

    Given that competence determines what a leader is able to do, and character bounds what a leader will do, personality then is how leaders do what they do. There are a various scholarly debates as to what determines personality, but suffice to say that it is developed through some combination of your DNA, environment and experiences. These factors
  • Cost Conscious Culture

    Cost Conscious Culture: doing a little reaps big savings

    Fellow members of the AETC team, thank you for all you do to keep our Air Force and our nation strong. As I travel around our command, I see firsthand how magnificently you are executing our recruit, train and educate missions and I want you to know how proud I am to be on your team.Our ability to continue to execute our mission with excellence is

  • The right to lead part five: Character

    The topic (and sometimes the issue) of character is an opening to the discussion of what gives a person the right to lead. There are many definitions of character. Some have a psychological bent to them, while other definitions lean heavily on the moral aspects of character.I tend to think of character as a balance sheet, one that takes into

  • The right to lead part four: competence

    In last week's right to lead segment we examined obligations and requirements and found them to be related, but not necessarily the same thing. This week, in the fourth installment of the series, we will explore the vast topic area of a leader's competency. At first glance, the topic of a leader's competence seems straight forward. Upon deeper

  • The Maxwell Opportunity: Welcoming thoughts for the international fellows

    You are senior leaders. You have garnered indispensable experience in the service for your country and are among the very best of your nation's armed forces. Now your country and the Air Force offer you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study at the "Intellectual and Leadership Center of the USAF" - this is your Maxwell Opportunity!Welcome to
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