Commentaries

  • Sheppard Remains Safe and Secure

    As most of you know by now, we experienced a terrible tragedy here at Sheppard last week. The morning of March 7, Senior Airman Blanca Luna, a 27-year-old Reservist trainee was found in her lodging room with a fatal knife wound. Airman Luna had been TDY to Sheppard since September, was attending a

  • What does it take to be a Wingman?

    Are you a Wingman? Yes you answer! Are you sure about that? What is all this Wingman stuff? As a retired chief master sergeant, I first thought it was just a catchy word, a soft way of telling Airmen, NCOs and officers that with their enlistment or commissioning comes a responsibility to enforce

  • Declaring War on Dorm Rats

    Hopefully the headline enticed you to read this. I want to tell you about a campaign we've initiated here at Sheppard to diminish the "dorm rat" culture. By "dorm rat culture," I'm talking about an environment that says it's OK for our Airmen to spend most of their weekend time hanging out in a dorm

  • Forever linked

    I lost a friend March 3. I was celebrating my 35th year of life, while his family was agonizing over his loss. My how life has a way of putting everyday activities into perspective. Staff Sgt. Chris Frost, 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., was a true Warrior

  • Taking care of each other: In combat, in garrison, in life

    Each week, more than 200 new Airmen in training arrive here at Sheppard from Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Sometimes when the 82nd Training Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Richard Devereaux is unavailable, I get the privilege of welcoming them to Sheppard. During our

  • MDG to recognize National Patient Safety Week March 2-8

    The 82nd Medical Group, in conjunction with the National Patient Safety Foundation, is pleased to participate in this year's National Patient Safety Week theme: "Patient Safety: A Road Taken Together." The MDG will recognize this week March 2-8. As the theme implies, patient safety is a journey

  • Improving Sheppard's Gates

    I thought I'd take the opportunity this week to update you on the status of construction projects designed to improve our three Sheppard gates. Of course, fixing our gates is right in line with one of my main priority areas--ensuring "Fantastic First Impressions" for our trainees, newcomers,

  • Mentor Those Trainees

    We have had had some incredible Team Sheppard events over the past week! First, I want to thank everyone for the enormously successful visit by our Air Education and Training Command Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Welsh. The pride, professionalism and great appearance of the base were evident

  • Friday Night - Come Celebrate the Best!

    Friday evening is our 82nd Training Wing Annual Awards Banquet in hangar 1045. And if you don't have your tickets yet, it's not too late to sign up. The evening promises to be a great one--great music provided by the Army Band at Fort Sill, Okla., a great steak and chicken dinner provided by Texas

  • Number of unsecured facilities on the rise

    Sheppard has experienced an increase in unsecured buildings over the last few months, a trend that has Sheppard on track for more compared to last year. Loss from unsecured buildings has the potential of costing you, the Air Force and our taxpayers. Looming even more serious is the possibility that