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  • Lt. Col. Samuel Skaggs, 314th Airlift Wing plans and programs chief

    Are your bags packed?

    About 10 years ago, a group commander of mine liked to ask the question: "Are your bags packed?" He was speaking, of course, about readiness to deploy. The bags he referred to weren't the A, B, C, D or E bags you might be thinking of - rather they are all the "things" we as Airmen need to do in preparation for a deployment - training, immunizations
  • Col. Greg Otey, 19th Airlift Wing commander

    UCI and LCAP: It's game time!

    Black Knights, it's game time and we are playoff and Super Bowl ready! The inspection team from Air Mobility Command begins arriving this weekend to give us a Unit Compliance Inspection and Logistics Compliance Assessment Program.You've spent months scouring checklists and reviewing processes, tightening up an already well-run wing capable of

  • Take time to make time

    My grandfather passed away last year and this loss made me question my priorities. I was blessed to see him before he died, but I missed a tremendous opportunity when the entire family gathered earlier that summer to celebrate my grandparents' 65th wedding anniversary. I was too busy to attend with an upcoming move and work priorities. I thought I
  • Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr. is the commander of Air Mobility Command headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

    AMC Airmen are outstanding

    Please join me in congratulating our Air Mobility Command Outstanding Airmen of the Year and First Sergeant of the Year. These Airmen have done an incredible job serving our nation, and I'm inspired by their selfless, behind the scenes efforts that support our mission on a daily basis. It takes a great personal commitment on their part, and I

  • Fight for your feedback

    Conducting performance feedback is one of the most important aspects of Airmen development but one that is widely neglected. The success of our goal-oriented performance appraisal system is based on setting attainable goals, mentoring, reinforcing positive behaviors, giving immediate and honest feedback, as well as developing an accurate goal-based
  • Airman 1st Class Andrew Nelson, 41st Airlift Squadron loadmaster; Michael Ezell, 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief instructor; Capt. Bret Echard, 41st AS pilot; Col. Greg Otey, 19th Airlift Wing commander; Airman 1st Class Shawn Salefske; 19th AMXS crew chief; Staff Sgt. Thomas Grover, 41st AS loadmaster; and Capt. David Milodragovich, 41st AS pilot; return Feb. 23 from an "iron swap" mission to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Colonel Otey joined the mission to experience the teamwork that goes into mobilizing Combat Airlifters. Iron swaps are conducted to return aircraft to station that require maintenance and inspections not available in a deployed environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christine Clark)

    Airmen’s teamwork generates Combat Airlift

    In February, I had the opportunity to experience the teamwork that goes into mobilizing Combat Airlifters for the fight when I flew a C-130J from Little Rock to Kandahar, Afghanistan, and back as part of a required iron swap.While the crew from the 41st Airlift Squadron I flew with was exceptional, so were all the other Airmen who helped generate
  • Lt. Col. Clayton Stiles (far right), the 314th Troop Carrier Group commander, escorts President Franklin Roosevelt and Chief of the Army Air Forces, Gen. Henry H."Hap" Arnold in December 1943 during the president’s visit to the 314th at Castelvetrano, Sicily, shortly after the Tehran Conference. (Courtesy photo)

    Remembering a World War II commander

    Today, the 314th Airlift Wing remembers its World War II commander, Col. Clayton Stiles. On April 9, 1943, 67 years ago today, Colonel Stiles took command of the 314th Troop Carrier Group at Lawson Field, Ga. - he was 35 years old. The 314th TCG's new commander was already a seasoned leader, having served in both infantry and field artillery units
  • General Stephen R. Lorenz is the Air Education and Training Command commander.

    Lorenz on Leadership - A dynamic tradition

    Our Air Force has many traditions. Some we inherited from other services; others are more recent and will take time to fully develop. Traditions are positive things, deeply rooted in our heritage and pride. Traditions are things we don't easily give up.One of our traditions, however, isn't often recognized as "positive" and doesn't get the applause

  • 314th AW providing 'modern, relevant' training to Generation Y aviators

    It's not unrealistic for the service life of some C-130E aircraft to push 50 years. An increase in rigorous training demands and smaller budgets Air Force-wide has taxed the lifespan of this aging fleet, dropping 314th Airlift Wing numbers to just over half the number assigned a few years ago. Yet, leaders in the wing know these aircraft still have
  • Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Brinkley, 19th Airlift Wing command chief

    Where have all the kites gone?

    The other day I was running around our base track and saw a couple of families flying kites together, and a flood of memories came rushing in. During my youth, it was not uncommon to see many people flying kites; this activity allowed people from all walks of life to come together. This was a relatively inexpensive activity, yet the dividends of
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