Dec. 18, 2007

How important is that call?

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. — How important is that cell phone call you're trying to make or answer while driving 35 mph? That question could be posed to many people driving on Langley these days due to the popularity of cell phones and other hand-held electronic devices, which are so common in our lives. Yes, these devices make our lives easier (at times) and we get more done

Nov. 29, 2007

Remember the diversity factor

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. — The holiday season is approaching rapidly. Many people are in the planning stages for festivities and fun times ahead. While planning events and spreading the word people should, keep in mind the diversity factor of the individuals within the organization. Try to be proactive and sensitive to the needs of all. Instead of saying "Christmas party,"

Nov. 29, 2007

You don’t have to be drunk to be impaired

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. — You've heard the facts before - 40 percent of all traffic fatalities and the leading cause of all accidental deaths are alcohol related, and for those under the age of 34, alcohol-related accidents are the single most frequent cause of death. However, you don't have to be drunk to be impaired. All 50 states have laws which establish a blood alcohol

Nov. 13, 2007

Today’s Airmen the new ‘greatest generation’

SOUTHWEST ASIA — Growing up in rural Minnesota, a career in the military was far from my mind. The high school had no junior ROTC, there were no local colleges with active ROTC programs, the nearest recruiter was an hour away and the nearest guard unit was at least twice that. But my dad received a Veterans of Foreign Wars , magazine monthly and he would turn

Nov. 9, 2007

COMACC's Holiday Safety Message

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. — The holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Years is a time filled with joy and happiness. It's a time to gather with family and friends and celebrate the blessings we share as Americans. Unfortunately, the holiday season can also be a time of pain and sorrow for those who fail to follow the fundamental elements of personal risk management. As

Nov. 8, 2007

Why We Serve

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. — I would like to give you something - two things in fact. Everyone likes to get something, and I suspect you are no different. I want to give you information and a perspective. Hopefully, the information will lead you to the perspective yourself. Both are important and relevant because the stakes are the American way of life as we have known it.

Sept. 27, 2007

Alcohol can change your life

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho — I didn't think. I didn't do the right thing. I threw it all away. Respect, trust, integrity ... ... all washed away with each tip of the bottle. It happened all because I decided to drink the morning of May 28 and tried to go to work while I was legally drunk. I made it worse by trying to drive a government vehicle while still under the influence.

Aug. 23, 2007

Expect the unexpected during deployment

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) — When you are thousands of miles away from home, away from family and away from friends, the smallest events can remind you that you have no control over the things you left behind. The lack of control over events on the home front is even more apparent when big things happen -- that you could never, ever predict -- and you can't do anything to make

July 20, 2007

A day in the life of an airlift navigator

SOUTHWEST ASIA — Editor's note: 1st Lt. Michael Trimble is from Yorktown, Va.My crew and I had an awesome mission the other night, one that reminded me just how much manpower, money, and risk the U.S. military will put into saving one of its own. As a C-130 crew, we spend all our time hauling troops and cargo to and from the fight. After flying these missions every

July 12, 2007

The 'undomesticated wife's' guide to summer cooking safety

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. — Cooking on the stove and grilling outside are skills that I didn't inherit from my mother. The extent of my cooking abilities does not reach much further than plugging in the power cord of my George Foreman grill. I used to take offense when my mother said, "Heidi, you need to domesticate yourself as a wife;" however, after a few cooking mishaps