26 Nov 2013

The Feedback Challenge

Quite possibly the most horrific psychology experiment ever conducted the so-called, "Monster Study", relied on unethical methods to determine the effects of positive and negative speech therapy on children. Wendell Johnson of the University of Iowa selected 22 orphan children, some with stutters and some without. He engaged the stutterers in

26 Nov 2013

Calibrating your moral compass

The United States is recognized throughout the world as a superpower. With this title, our nation has the responsibility of managing world events, providing humanitarian aid and defending vital interest. These responsibilities are met through the use of advisors, agencies and departments. The United States Air Force is one department that has the

19 Nov 2013

I Pause to Give Thanks

"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action." W.J. CameronWe are Airmen of action.We have demonstrated that in spades over the past year. In garrison and abroad, Fairchild Airmen, both Active and Guard, have defended freedom on point; fueled freedom in the skies overhead here and in the skies from the Pacific to Afghanistan; and answered the call

18 Nov 2013

Roll Call and You

In September, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, James Cody, announced Roll Call as an expectation for Air Force members. For some it is new concept, in other units they are dusting off their process and there are those out there that never let it die. Regardless of where you are starting from,

14 Nov 2013

Don’t assume, provide feedback

I remember wondering early on in my career if I should be receiving documented feedback, but I never asked. I was afraid that I wouldn't like what my supervisor had to say. If you are a supervisor, the Airmen you supervise may feel the same way. Are you providing your Airmen the appropriate level of honest feedback? If not, you're not taking care

5 Nov 2013

With Thanks to our Veterans

Every veteran is owed an enormous debt of gratitude. Veteran's Day provides a moment to pause and remember the scores of veterans who raised their hand and said, "Send me..." This holiday was established by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, to salute our American veterans who won the war to end all wars, World War I. Ninety years later, we are

5 Nov 2013

KEEP CALM and CARRY ON...

The slogan, developed in 1939 by the British government at the brink of World War II, still holds true today. With government shut down, sequestration, furloughs, etc., Airmen's confidence in the future may be shaken. Change and reductions have already started. What we do not know is just how far cuts will go. The future state of our military is a

23 Oct 2013

Operational Security, now more than ever

There's hardly a day that headlines don't feature successful cybercrime, cyber espionage and terror attacks. These attacks pose significant risks to organizations and families! The need to practice Operations Security has never been more important than now. Team Fairchild performs several missions, which are critical to the defense and well-being

22 Oct 2013

Empowering Our Airmen

The beginning of a new fiscal year always brings a unique set of challenges. Fiscal year 2014 is no exception. Not only did we start off the fiscal year with a government-wide shutdown, but we now also find ourselves in a continuing resolution environment coupled with sequestration. For over a year now Airmen have been told to start thinking of new

17 Oct 2013

"I'll flip you for it."

"I'll flip you for it." I'm sure we've all heard those words, but I'm willing to bet not many have heard them come from a non commissioned officer. When I first heard those words nearly ten years ago as an Airman 1st Class, I'll admit I thought it was funny. A Technical Sergeant and I were having a discussion about the most efficient way to go