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  • Col. James Patterson, commander of the 932nd Medical Group, retired from the Air Force Reserve in ceremonies held Aug. 21 at Scott AFB, Ill. Colonel Patterson is a noted speaker and is a published author of several books on leadership. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Christopher Parr)

    To dream the impossible dream

    When I was in college, I heard a motivational speaker talk about making a list of all the things we would like to do and accomplish in our life. He encouraged us to be bold; dare to dream big; name places we would like to go; list things we would love to experience. I don't know about others in the audience, but his message rang a chord with me. I
  • Commander of the 932nd Airlift Wing, Col. William Edwards, Jr., flew on an evening training flight with a mixed crew of active duty and Air Force Reserve members, part of the Total Force Integration (TFI) at Scott Air Force Base. The wing maintains the C-40C aircraft seen in the background. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Stan Paregien)

    Life jackets, helmets, chainsaws, grills, sunscreen

    OK, well at least you are probablyreading this next linejust to see where this isgoing...but while you have probably heardthe first part of this list more times than youcan now count (...at least without takingyour shoes off)...you have probably notheard that last one very often. Yes, it made this year's safety list of "things to look outfor"

  • Memorial Day-- time to pause, reflect

    Monday, May 30 is Memorial Day. For many, it means a long weekend, family gatherings, hot grills, and auto racing. However, thetrue meaning of this day is a bit more somber and reverent. For some it's a day spent in one of countless cemeteries across the country and on foreign soil in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice while

  • Maintaining balance in your life

    I just wanted to take a few minutes of your life that you will not get back. Directly that is...because what I want to share with you can be applied to so many parts of our lives that maybe you can reclaim some of the time wasted on superfluous, tedious and unnecessarily stressful tasks in life.Now I know you might be thinking... "what does a
  • Staff Sergeant Kristen Phillips, a flight attendant with the 73rd Airlift Squadron, 932nd Airlift Wing, walks the steps of a C-40C plane belonging to the 932nd Airlift Wing. There are opportunities in the Air Force Reserve Command's 932nd Airlift Wing flight attendant program. Military members must have a five level and qualify for a top secret clearance. For more information on the Air Force Reserve, call 1-800-257-1212. Photo/Capt. Stan Paregien

    A dose of happiness goes a long way

    It is hard for me to believe that my military service began over two decades ago. It seems like only yesterday when I was at the MEPS station.Now as I dip my toes gingerly intothe fresh waters of 2010, it is the beginningof another decade of service and it's timefor some refreshing change. This new decade begins with a year which even has asnappy
  • Patriotism shows as American veterans were honored by members of the 932nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, located at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. They marched their huge American flag through the streets of Saint Louis on a cold, blustery, November day. Photo/Capt. Stan Paregien

    A Call to Serve

    This past week we took time out, as we always do on Veteran's Day, to pay special tribute to the millions of veterans who served and are still serving this great nation.From Private Frank Buckles, who at age 108 is the last known surviving World War I veteran, to the youngest recruit who took a solemn oath, and to the countless brave men and women

  • Dog tags identify more than the present

    My first instructor at U.S. Air Force pilot training barked: "Always wear your dog tags when you fly so we'll know who you are." Since I feared the guy, I did as I was told. Those two small disks, embossed with my name, social security number, blood type and religion have almost always dangled around my neck. Putting them on every day became
  • 932nd Airlift Wing's new command chief, Senior Master Sgt. Sandra Santos wrote an editorial from her deployment in the desert of Iraq.

    Mentoring

    Recently, someone asked me if I would consider being their mentor. This prompted me to examine many things about the request; from whether I would accept the responsibility of having a mentee, to the meaning of the word mentor. Today, mentoring might be described as the activities conducted by a person (the mentor) for another person (the mentee)

  • An educated warrior reinforces core values

    "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. --John F. Kennedy" Our Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, recently said "In our professional development, we must remain mindful of the lessons of the past, while we continue to prevail everywhere our enemies choose to engage."    He added that "continued education is a crucial

  • Movies during the holidays

    Christmas time is my favorite movie season. There are so many classic movies that never fail to touch something deep inside of me. Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" and Frank Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life" are treasures to be watched at least once if not twice, not to mention all of the great animated specials. Dickens' "A Christmas Carol,"
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