Commentary

Trust is the most valuable currency an officer can earn. It’s a medium of exchange that never devalues and one a leader cannot afford to be without.

I sat at my desk feeling tired as the clock approached 5 p.m. It was a long day at work, and I was ready to go home.

A combination of excitement and nervousness overwhelmed me as my wife and I boarded our flight to my first duty station, Ramstein. I didn’t know what to expect as I began this new chapter of my life as a photojournalist in the U.S. Air Force.

We have been celebrating Earth Day since 1970, when U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson realized the importance of environmental awareness and education and initiated an environmental teach-in day that in turn generated the Earth Day we know today, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.

Throughout my Air Force career, I’ve cooked for, performed at and spoken at Asian-Pacific heritage festivities from Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

Are you one of the millions of people who started this year with a resolution to improve your life?

Military life can be challenging. Frequent deployments and temporary duties, constantly moving to different commands all around the globe, and never staying in one location or with the same people for very long takes its toll on the service member and their family.