Commentary Search

  • Finding meaning in the midst of hardship

    Viktor Frankl was an incredible person by many measures. He was a brilliant academic, a survivor of three years in four different concentration camps during the Holocaust, a pioneering neurologist/psychiatrist in Vienna following World War II, and an inspirational author. Most notable, however, is

  • Making people a priority … always!

    The great philosopher Confucius was born into a world experiencing widespread social anarchy. Rival political factions sought to gain greater control in order to consolidate power and warring states made a regular habit of invading one another. Death, destruction, pain and sorrow were present

  • Unlikely heroes

    The place: Maeda Escarpment on the island of Okinawa, Japan. The man: Pfc. Desmond T. Doss, medic, Company B, 77th Infantry Division. The situation: Surrounded by heavily-armed Japanese forces, the 155 men of Company B began to lose the ground gained during the initial advance. Almost immediately,

  • Second-mile leadership as an airman

    Recently, I looked out my window to find another airman 1st class shoveling my driveway. I was grateful for this because I was injured and my wife is pregnant, so we weren't able to deal with the recent snowfall. I continued to think about this as the day went by and discovered a side of second-mile

  • Second-mile leadership -- selfless service

    Integrity, service before self and excellence in all we do are the Air Force core values. Integrity is being totally honest with self and others -- transparency. Service before self strengthens that honesty. Excellence respects the resources placed in our care -- people, goods and mission. The

  • Second-mile leaders—behind the scenes

    We have a tendency of focusing on those in uniform as our second-mile leaders. Although we have many Airmen stepping up to the daily challenge, there are countless others we cannot forget to recognize. There are many second-mile leaders working diligently behind the scenes that are often overlooked.

  • What eagles teach us about second-mile leadership

    Throughout history, eagles have been viewed as special animals. They are revered by many cultures for their grace in flight and for their ability to overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. However, perhaps one of the most interesting of features related to these magnificent birds is how

  • Don't be a fair weather leader

    In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton, an intrepid British explorer, boarded the ship Endurance. He and his team of 27 men set sail for the South Atlantic. The group wanted to be the first to cross Antarctica. However, in October 1915, still half a continent away from their intended destination, their

  • Shoveling past status quo

    When we were stationed at Ramstein, our family lived in a small farming village above a small apartment occupied by our landlord's grandmother, a wonderful lady named Frau Dietrich. She was a stereotypic German, proud of her garden, her flower boxes and the pristine condition of her driveway and

  • Are you a second-mile leader?

    In ancient times, it was routine for a soldier to demand a citizen carry his load for up to a Roman mile, a distance of 1,000 paces. This practice, formerly known as "impressment," was no easy task, considering a soldier's backpack routinely weighed upwards of 100 pounds. However, given the soldier