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  • A horse’s tale

    "And I don't know who is showing the thing!"It has been 43 years and I can still clearly hear the "I can't believe this guy is in the show ring" tone as the show-barn announcer described me to the packed crowd at the Heart of Illinois horse show. To be honest, I couldn't believe it either.Just about 30 minutes earlier I had been doing what most

  • Chief, son serve through holidays together in Afghanistan

    Passing the turkey, watching football, unwrapping gifts, and sitting around a fireplace while sipping hot chocolate with family and friends might be traditions out of the question for most deployed military members this holiday season. Fortunately, though far from home, a father and son get to spend the season together for the first time in three

  • Chapel strategizes lower manning period

    Several years ago it was common to have nine chaplains and six chaplain assistants working here at Tinker. In 2008, they were fully manned at five chaplains and three assistants. Today the staff consists of two active duty chaplains and two assistants.Over the past six months the numbers have dropped due to staff deployments. One chaplain and one

  • Chief offers tips to stay ‘Wildfire Safe’

    April 9, 2009, doesn't get as much press as May 3, 1999, but was a devastating date for Central Oklahoma all the same. Oklahoma is well-known for tornados and severe weather, but wildfire poses a significant threat to our community as well. That day in April was a windy one as those affected by the fire storm will remember. There was low humidity

  • Fall in!

    What images come to mind when you hear the command "Fall in"? As a military member, you might recall the beginning of your career, with the T.I. in the "Smokey the Bear" hat and dark-colored sunglasses screaming as you raced off the bus. As a civilian, you might remember scenes from military movies like "We Were Soldiers" or "Stripes."Whatever

  • COMMENTARY: Preventive health measures can cure many ills

    Throughout history, disease has had direct impact upon nations' abilities to conduct military campaigns during times of war. Histories of the U.S. Civil War generally quote total fatalities between 600,000 and 700,000. What is often either not published, or not stressed, is that two-thirds of those fatalities were due to disease or non-battle

  • “The home of the free, because of the brave…” Freedom Citation Essay Winner

    On the somber Friday morning of Sept. 29 at 10:35 a.m., "DoD confirmed the death of Army Private First Class Jaysine Petree. Her HUMVEE was struck by an Improvised Explosive Device while traveling between Ghanzi and Bagram Air Field." She is my second cousin. Upon hearing the news from my mom late Thursday night, I did not know how to react and was

  • The Final Journey Home

    Recently, I had the unfortunate honor of escorting a fallen Airman back home. Airman 1st Class Daniel R. Lockney was finally at peace and surrendered to the senseless act of suicide. This single deed had taken the 552nd Maintenance Squadron to their knees. No note, no explanation and yet a thousand questions plagued the shadows. Why? It's a simple

  • Satisfied customer praises Gerrity, staff

    The staff at the Gerrity Sports and Fitness Center received an anonymous comment card from a very satisfied patron Oct. 21. The comment card said: To whom it may concern:I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to the Gerrity fitness staff, in addition to sharing my experience at the Gerrity Fitness Center over the last six months.Here we

  • Commentary: Chief offers ‘Three P’s of Ownership’

    Thirty years ago I enlisted in the Air Force. I was a college freshman donating blood on a regular basis for money to eat. On one occasion, the blood bank turned me away because it was too soon since my last donation to give blood again. Next to the blood bank was an Air Force Recruiting office so I went in to see what the Air Force had to offer.
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