Commentaries

  • Force Shaping in perspective

    Over the past weeks and months, we've heard much discussion about force shaping, PBD 720, A-76, Selective Early Retirement Boards, and Reductions in Force lists - all personnel actions designed to properly size and shape our Air Force for the 21st Century. These programs will help ensure we have the

  • We broke our winning streak

    We broke our streak last weekend. Sheppard AFB had gone 70 days without a DUI. I was so proud every time I saw that number grow while driving out the gate. But our winning streak came to an end Friday when a technical sergeant from our 82nd Training Wing Staff was charged with Driving While

  • Welcome back Sheppard

    Exodus is over, our people our back, jets are flying and Team Sheppard is back in action after a well-deserved holiday break. Although the time off and quiet provided us all an opportunity to recharge our batteries, I've got to admit that Sheppard didn't look quite right over the past two weeks.

  • Sheppard's Exodus: Let our people go ... safely

    Next week, from Dec. 21-22, marks "Exodus" for Team Sheppard trainees. That's when our temporary population of almost 7,000 Airmen, student pilots and other TDY trainees leave our base to return home for the holidays. This will be my first Sheppard Exodus experience, and from what I'm told, it is a

  • Is 81 percent good enough?

    Eighty-one percent is a pretty good score in academics; probably about a grade of "B." Eighty-one points is what my favorite NCAA basketball team scored last week in a winning cause. But, 81 percent is also the national seat belt use rate based on June 2006 results from the National Occupant

  • Technically the Best - Internationally!

    I talk frequently about Sheppard being "technically the best" at what we do - our USAF training mission. But, in the intensity of that mission, it's easy to forget that we are also an international training center of excellence. The 82nd Training Wing trains international students from air forces

  • Space heaters a 'hot' topic at Sheppard

    The colder weather has prompted many calls to the 82nd Civil Engineer Squadron about the use of portable space heaters at Sheppard. Most inquiries have been about base policy on their use. Because of their fire hazard and energy inefficiency, space heaters are prohibited at Sheppard - excluding

  • A call to arms

    A call to arms brings very difficult and unexpected situations - we must be ready. As Airmen, our responsibility is to our war-time mission, our peace-time mission, to our superiors and to our subordinates. In a time such as this, as well as in the past, Airmen have borne an enormous responsibility,

  • Sheppard people feel Safe, Secure, and Supported

    When I took command about 3 months ago, I set 3 priorities: 1) Being "technically the best" in our tech training mission, 2) providing "fantastic first impressions" for our trainees, our newcomers, and families, and 3) ensuring a "safe, secure, supportive" environment for all our people. The last

  • OG commander glad to be back where it all began

    As a young man, I made a choice to join the German Air Force in October 1973. I completed officer, language, and initial flight screening in Germany. There was a waiting list at that time for pilots to come to the United States to begin pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base. When the time came