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  • Don't worry, be happy and enjoy

    Have you made a personal commitment to be happy in spite of what life hands you? If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of this world. If you have more health than illness, you are more blessed than the millions who will not survive this week. We all

  • Security is everybody's business

    The fence around Patrick AFB is not our only deterrent against criminals and terrorists. Your eyes and ears are also safeguarding our people, our facilities and our operations. Security is everybody's business, not just security forces specialists, Office of Special Investigations agents or contract security guards. In our ongoing unconventional

  • Don't stress over new OPR/EPR forms

    I am not sure I have ever met anybody who looked forward to a performance report or feedback session. Both tend to create anxiety for both the rater and the ratee. But, I also have yet to meet anyone who does not understand how vitally important officer performance reports, enlisted performance reports and feedback sessions are for developing our

  • Know past to control future

    It has been said that those who know the past control the future. That is why it is vitally important to know our military heritage - especially as we approach our Air Force's 60th anniversary in September. The first launch on the Eastern Range occurred 57 years ago this month. Since then we've had nearly 3,400 launches - clearly establishing Cape

  • 45th SW factoids to wow your friends

    Ever have someone ask you, "So what do you do at Patrick?" I know I've been asked that question many times. Each time, I patiently try to explain our mission at the 45th Space Wing, how our people are directly supporting the Global War on Terror and how we are proud to serve the local community. Most of the time all I need to say is we launch

  • After two full years, saying farewell

    For the eighth and final time over two years, it is my privilege to address you from the Commander's Corner. It's hard to believe two years can pass so quickly, but the moving boxes stacked in our driveway and a quickly emptying house are sure evidence our days among the Sharks of the 45th Space Wing are ending. We hit the ground running with our

  • Leadership: Service Before Self

    In a twisted way, leadership is both extremely easy and extremely difficult. It's easy because there are simple, consistent and enduring themes that any leader will tell you will work. But it's hard because what you hear from someone else in a classroom situation is sometimes much more difficult to practice. Our Air Force Core Values can be your

  • Freedom is not free this July Fourth

    The Fourth of July is our greatest celebration of freedom and the words "Freedom is not free" have extra-special meaning this year as we surge into the fifth year of war in Iraq.As with any war, this conflict has brought with it high costs in terms of sacrifice and loss. Fortunately, we have not lost any Airmen deployed from the 45th Space Wing or

  • Looking back, looking forward

    This week marks my first anniversary as 45th Space Wing commander. It has certainly been a gratifying year as I review the accomplishments of the Sharks! We've had 15 launches on the Eastern Range during this time frame, including four shuttle missions to the ISS, two Delta II Global Positioning System missions, a NASA Delta II mission to study

  • Mental readiness... the warrior's vow

    As men and women charged with defending our country, we have a responsibility to maintain readiness in every area of our lives -- our equipment, our training, our attitudes, and even our minds. Mental readiness is the most important, for, without it, all other readiness is ineffective. While there are many components of mental readiness, such as
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