Commentary

“Arrive alive. Don’t drink and drive.” “You booze, you cruise, you lose.” “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” These are just some of the slogans you may have heard of at some point in your military career. They are literary gimmicks trying to keep you safe and out of trouble.

Trust is a valuable asset in our Air Force. To me, it is the cornerstone to our core values. Throughout our military education we are taught to trust our fellow Airmen. We build a foundation around that trust.

Our nation is undergoing some challenging times. In serving the country, American military members are oath-bound to uphold and defend the Constitution. Leaders carry the responsibility of ensuring the force is ready to execute orders to secure freedoms for ourselves and our prosperity.

What images or thoughts does the phrase “shock and awe” give you? This phrase, originally included in a published paper by National Defense University in 1996, suggested its use to achieve rapid dominance with the goal to destroy or confound an adversary’s will to resist with no alternative except to capitulate.

I have the greatest job in the Air Force. I have the privilege of working with innovative and professional Airmen who amaze me every day.

We hear the term “wingman” a lot. “Keep an eye on your ‘wingman.’” “Be a good ‘wingman.’” “Know what your ‘wingman’ is up to.” But do we really know what it means to be a “wingman?”

The chief of staff’s announcement concerning force management programs should have caught your attention, because it could affect your status in next year’s Air Force.