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  • Staff sergeant leaders: What is successful?

    I remember when I pinned on staff sergeant eight years ago. I was so proud and motivated, but I had a very hard time becoming a leader. I now had to supervise my friends. There was no animosity from them, just a lack of respect for me in a leadership position. I had to find a way to foster willing

  • What you can do for a friend in need

    In the Air Force, we constantly talk about perception versus reality. I know it's easier to be the person deployed, rather than the spouse that stays home. I've deployed once and said goodbye to my husband three times for his deployments. Each time was harder as the wife at home rather than the

  • Mentoring in today's Air Force

    There are a lot of people who like to talk about mentoring. It has been driven into us at all levels for nearly a decade. It has been given to us as a tool to help develop Airmen and yet so many of us resist it. My favorite response NCOs say is, "Airmen aren't they same today as they used to

  • What does integrity mean to you?

    Integrity is a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.This textbook definition is fine and dandy, but integrity is doing what's right even when no one's looking. Those "no one's looking" occasions can be some of the most challenging.Integrity is so important, that it's the

  • Why I bought the new Airman Battle Uniform

    I recently purchased and started wearing the new Airman Battle Uniform. You may be thinking, "So...why is that such a big deal? We all have to get it sooner or later, right?"Well, in my case, I don't. I retire this summer after more than 25 years of service.So, why did I buy the new uniform?

  • 90th FSS: It's your squadron too

    Did you workout at the gym this morning? Did you take your children to the child development center or youth center?I bet you went by the education office not long ago to register for tuition assistance or take a test.There are not many days people don't interact with members and activities of the

  • Twenty-four hour alerts return

    It was in this spirit that Twentieth Air Force initiated an introspective review of the ICBM mission to strengthen our combat capability. By looking through the AFSO21 lens, we aimed at resolving inefficiencies in our processes and translating any potential savings into a more lethal, professional

  • Every Airman an ambassador to all we meet

    You never have a second chance to make a first impression. Especially as defenders of our country's freedom, we need to pay attention to how we behave on and off duty.The Air Force core values of integrity, service before self and excellence in all we do is an excellent guide for the way we are

  • Excellence begins with standards

    How many times have you heard, "What does it matter if my uniform is pressed or my hair is cut? It doesn't affect the way I do my job."The simple answer is, "because those are the standards." So why is so much emphasis placed on these small details?These indicators are how we determine if we want to