18 Nov 2015

Celebrating National American Indian Heritage Month

During November, Americans will celebrate National American Indian Heritage Month. This year's theme is "Growing Native Leaders:  Enhancing our Severn Generations."  On November 11, Americans also celebrate Veteran's Day.  Through these two observances, Americans can celebrate not only the significant contributions of American Indians and Alaska

15 Sep 2015

Halloween and oral health

The kids plan for it. They talk about it. They pick out their costumes and candy well in advance ... it's Halloween! The holiday changes many parents' normal, daily food routines for their families and gives adults permission to snack on their kids' candy after they have gone to bed.  All this sugar consumption causes a silent war in our

9 Jun 2015

Taking the jump with Single Airmen Initiatives program

The roar of the plane's engine was so load that we strained our voices as we tried to talk. Finally, we gave up all together and remained silent. The small plane moved in circles like a spiral staircase as it ascended into the sky until it reached 10,000 feet. Suddenly, it became quiet.  The engine had been cut off.  As the instructors opened the

26 Mar 2015

The pieces of ‘military flair’ on your social media

Being a member of the United States Air Force should without question be a source of pride. The service you render to the United States is a vital one, and retired Air Force members and family members take an equal pride in the service they have rendered to the Air Force.Unfortunately, there will always be people who, for various reasons, wish to

4 Feb 2015

SOS: Better than I expected

After commissioning in May 2009, I attended the Air and Space Basic Course the following September.I hated it.The course covered material most students had already learned and seemed a waste of time to me. While I enjoyed the networking, I would have passed on the experience as a whole.I expected the same experience going into Squadron Officer

3 Feb 2015

Why Bergdahl matters

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl walked away from his post while serving in Afghanistan in 2009, triggering a chain of events that continue to play out even today. Bergdahl's decision to walk away was a defining event in his life. Now, more than five years on, another defining event of greater consequence presents itself to senior military leaders and our

1 Dec 2014

A different thought on diversity

Have you ever had one of those moments where you're sitting in a staff meeting, someone throws out a seemingly good idea, and all the heads around the room nod in agreement, even though you're certain not everyone is fully on board?  Or, have you ever been a part of a hand-picked team of like-minded individuals, put together for a special project

1 Dec 2014

'14 Bulls up, 14 Bulls down'

Those who have watched the epic miniseries "Band of Brothers" are likely familiar with the phrase "Three miles up, three miles down!"  Army soldiers assigned to the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment shouted these words countless times at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, in the early days of World War II.  This axiom described the round-trip run to the peak of

19 Nov 2014

A word to the wise

As a dentist, I am always thinking of new ways to help my patients.Sure, I can fix a badly decayed tooth, "after" the fact, but what I'd really like to do is prevent it from getting that way in the first place. Everyone already knows that, "you need to brush and floss more," but in today's busy world, oral hygiene is one of the many things vying

17 Oct 2014

October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death among women. Every year, 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are reported nationwide and more than 40,000 women die from the disease. Getting mammograms regularly can help with early detection and treatment of breast