30 Nov 2012

ORI, Time to Prepare

When is the last time you were on a convoy travelling through Afghanistan, or needed to apply self aid and buddy care skills after an enemy attack? For many personnel assigned to Patrick these are scenarios that we have had to face all too often, and the old adage holds true 'the more you sweat in training the less you bleed in war.' I know that

13 Nov 2012

Do They Know You Care?

The events of the recent Wingman Day were an effort to build resiliency and allow us as commanders to reach out to each to our Airman and let them know that we care for and are concerned about them. Aside from the Air Force requiring we take out time to focus on personal care and resiliency, do the Airmen that work for you know that you care for

7 Nov 2012

Finding your Balance

As a commander and throughout my Air Force career, I have observed a lot. One thing that I've noticed is that our people sometimes need help finding a way to achieve balance in their lives. Some questions they are trying to answer are, "How do I balance needs of my spouse and needs of the Air Force?" "How do I balance my day-to-day duties with PT,

7 Nov 2012

Remembering Those Who Served Before Us

Every November 11th, our great nation celebrates the tremendous men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. As we observe Veterans Day this Sunday, remember their sacrifices and continue to be inspired by their service. This Veterans Day, we should especially remember those Americans who are currently in harm' s way. We should recognize

31 Oct 2012

The Power of Your AF Family

On behalf of all the women and men of Team Patrick-Cape, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to the Scott Family as they grieve the loss of their little Carsyn last week. Brian mentioned to me that he didn't realize what it meant to be part of the Air Force family until this tragedy struck his family. The outpouring of support from

24 Oct 2012

Personal Accountability is a two-way street

As Airmen we've learned and experienced many styles and concepts of leadership. The prevailing mantra throughout all of them has been "take care of your people." Leaders and commanders at every level must ensure their people have the tools they need, both in and out of work, to get the mission done right and on time, the first time. But Airmanship

22 Oct 2012

I ask myself this: Did I do enough?

Supervisor questions herself following suicide of former service member It was a typical Saturday morning for my family. As typical as it can be when you are a dual-military blended family and your better half is deployed overseas. We had gotten up, done our household chores, attended guitar lessons, and were on the road to Orlando when I got a

17 Oct 2012

Leading Through Change

One thing constant throughout history, and can certainly be counted on in today's work, political and economic environments, is "change." Our wing / community is a perfect example of the "change" phenomena last summer, with at least 16 different changes of command in organizations across Patrick AFB and Cape Canaveral AFS. Added to the normal

5 Oct 2012

Back To The Basics

My son recently started kindergarten. I worried the entire summer about how he would handle the transition. Would he like his teacher, make new friends and most importantly, would he enjoy school? All my anxiety was in vain because to date, my son loves his class and is excited about all the new things he experiences on a daily basis. My hat goes

3 Oct 2012

You Play a Key Role in Cutting Our Energy Consumption

October is Energy Action Month, a time for us all to think about the importance of energy in our daily lives, the lives of our families and in our ability to accomplish the mission. The theme for Energy Action Month is "I Am Air Force Energy" --we all have a role to play in reducing energy consumption while we achieve our mission. In 2011, the Air