20 Jul 2007

Taking on a leadership role

As the PCS season wraps up, many commanders, first sergeants and supervisors find themselves immersed in formal leadership positions for the first time in their careers. Similarly, many seasoned leaders find themselves in charge of new and unfamiliar organizations; they've led before, but face new challenges in new arenas. I fit squarely in the

12 Jul 2007

Brig. Gen. remembered at memorial service

Yes, indeed. Colonel JB Stone played a significant role at Brig. Gen. Robin Olds' memorial service. He delivered one of the eulogies at the U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel. He told of the first time he meet Col. Olds, who as the new Wing Commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, called a meeting of all the pilots. At the time Col. Stone had about 60 or 70

12 Jul 2007

Innovation takes courage, creativity

 It was another routine airlift mission. We were flying between Iraq and Germany for the fifth time in two weeks. Tired of lugging my mobility and personal bags on every trip, I decided not to take any personal items. The flight down-range was uneventful. We had landed in the middle of the night. As the sun was coming up, the whole crew was busy

10 Jul 2007

The stress of coming home

I've been gone for almost six months filling an Army billet as a mental health nurse. Some of the soldiers I've been here with are also headed home. And surprisingly so, many are coming into Combat Stress Control with a lot of anxiety about going home. They spend many sleepless hours at night worrying about how their family will be when they get

4 Jul 2007

How to get past the "do more with less" conundrum

For years we have heard the mantra either officially or as part of the water cooler talk, "We have to do more with less." As we have chanted this mantra it has become reality. No one is untouched by some sort of force shaping such as Voluntary Separation Program, Reduction in Force or merely the fact that we will be the smallest active duty USAF