Commentary Search

  • Prepare to be selected

    As the song goes "Somebody ought to testify." Testify to the fact that a scene is being played out over and over during ARPC interview panels, and it is almost criminal. Well, not really criminal but disappointing. Many are coming to job interviews unprepared! How do I know? I have witnessed it and

  • Musings on the lost art of cursing

    I attended a wedding reception recently. It was your typical formal event in a hotel ballroom with extended family and friends, sit down dinner, and head table for the wedding party. Somewhere in the course of her speech, the bridesmaid's ceremonial toast turned into a roast. What caught my

  • How Stephen Covey saved my life

    On Sept. 22, 2000, the doctor said to me, "Yes. The biopsy came back positive, ductal carcinoma. You have breast cancer. We need to get you into surgery right away. It appears that the size of the tumor categorizes this as Stage II. We will need to perform a dissection of the lymph nodes to confirm

  • This year giving 'thanks' has special meaning

    Fall ... where leaves turn colors, temps get cooler, football games, the World Series and holidays galore! One of my favorites is Thanksgiving. But Thanksgiving has vastly different meanings to different people. Traditionalists will tell you how the Pilgrims celebrated, thanking God for surviving

  • Stress relief means taking time out for yourself

    Ever had one of those days where nothing seems to go right and you have more work to do than there is time in a day to get it done? Is it one of those days where you would rather be somewhere else, anywhere other than work? It's times like these, when stress builds and works on us, that we want to

  • ARPC - A real national treasure

    Just a few weeks ago the Air Reserve Personnel Center held yet another change of command. We said goodbye to one commander and welcomed the new commander. It's the 17th time I've seen a change of command at ARPC. As I prepared the invocation for this ceremony, I started thinking of all the things

  • Being on 'transmit,' not 'receive'

    Have you had a conversation with a co-worker or a boss lately that left you scratching your head because the lines of communication weren't working? Or participated in a staff meeting where there's a contentious issue being discussed? Step back and watch the dynamics if you can. You'll see folks who

  • Keys to fitness: Set goals, stay motivated

    Over the years, doctors and researchers have increasingly stressed the importance of fitness in living longer and healthier lives. For those of us in uniform, it has become an important part of not only our lives but also our careers. In my opinion, the most important elements of a good exercise

  • You are today's 'Sergeant Whalen'

    During the past 24 years, I've learned so much from my day-to-day interaction with supervisors, leaders and fellow Airmen. Hind sight is 20/20, and I can tell you that supervisors sometimes make mistakes. We, as supervisors, will not always make a perfect call for each situation. That is part of

  • What are you doing to prepare for retirement?

    Are you financially ready for when your retirement day comes? What are you doing to prepare for retirement, isn't that the one thing we all work toward? I know. I know. It can be really hard to just start saving or investing, let alone continue to save on a weekly or monthly basis. A car breaks