Rebooting Yourself for the New Year Published Jan. 18, 2013 By Col. Tim Dodge 90th Mission Support Group commander F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- It's a new year! A new year brings many new things to us, our families and our units. New challenges, new opportunities and if you are willing to take on a challenge: New Year's resolutions. From eating healthier and following an improved workout regimen, to participating in making your workplace better, to pledging to finish your Community College of the Air Force degree or professional military education, New Year's resolutions are important to how your now-blank 2013 canvas will be painted over the next 365 days. Will your canvas be truly a work of art or just another run-of-the-mill painting? Over the next year, I challenge you to improve your job and your unit's performance, further your education, focus on your fitness and most importantly: do your part to make the Air Force stronger. Our core value, excellence in all we do, resonates every day when I come to work. What does it mean to truly be excellent? This core value stresses the importance of bringing our best self to the fight; whether it's reviewing finance documents, preparing and serving a meal or maintaining a nuclear warhead. Day-to-day, once you've accomplished your duties correctly and effectively, go that extra step. Look to see if it's possible to improve how we accomplish the mission, discuss with your supervisor and follow the correct process to make a positive change. This year will continue to bring resource challenges, so we need to be "all in" and work smarter as a team. If you present ideas that improve the mission, you will be an integral part of the unit's success. This year, resolve to give your best at work every day, and to live our core values both on and off duty. In my time in the service, I have never stopped learning. Every day I learn something new, and I encourage each of you to do the same. If you are complete with your career development courses, do you have or are you working towards a CCAF degree? If you have a CCAF, what is your next degree going to be? Bachelor's or Master's? Senior NCOs, have you completed your Course 14 yet? Officers, have you finished Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College or Air War College? The Air Force places a high importance on education and links it to promotion because it helps improve your performance on the job! That is why there are many programs for the Air Force to help pay for your education. This year, make a promise to yourself that you will become more educated, not only for the Air Force, but for your own future! Fitness should be important to every Airman. Fitness is not only important to your health; being physically fit is imperative to be able to conduct both our home station and deployed missions. If you haven't already, make a pact to be fit this year! If your unit does mandatory physical training sessions, think of how you can improve those sessions, or, if not, ensure you create your own effective physical fitness routine! There are countless ways to improve your fitness, and your Force Support Squadron has a multitude of opportunities to help you get in shape. Visit one of our fitness centers to see how. No matter what you decide to accomplish in 2013, make it a good year. Make it a year to remember, a year in which you benchmark your progress for future years. I am thankful for all your efforts and everything you do for our Air Force and nation. God bless and happy New Year!