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Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians

Commentaries

  • 'I have arrived!'

    When I made staff sergeant, I thought, "This is it! I have arrived!" My ego was quickly squashed when my supervisor informed me that not only was I going to continue the duties I was already performing, but now I also was getting three Airmen to supervise, mentor and lead. After several years of

  • Building 'bridges' to a brighter future

    I can easily reach back 24 years and recall how exhilarated I was feeling when I was handed my high school diploma during graduation ceremonies at Wakefield (Mich.) High School on May 24, 1987. I also remember the dread I was feeling in knowing that life was about to get tougher.Every year, I'm sure

  • Protect, preserve Air Force traditions

    For the past several years, I've noticed a disturbing trend. This trend, if left unchecked, threatens to erode one of our most basic Air Force traditions. I'm talking about the Air Force retirement ceremony. Sometimes NCOs, senior NCOs and officers choose to forgo a retirement ceremony and simply

  • True patriots -- an Asian-Pacific American story

    Every Asian-Pacific American has a story to tell of his or her journey to the U.S. -- and most are quite incredible. My story began with my father in 1954 when he was recruited by the Navy to become a supply cook on the Philippine island of Mindanao.One day, his friend broke the news the Americans

  • Comprehensive Airman Fitness: Daring to care

    Air Mobility Command officials recently called up hundreds of Guard, Reserve and active duty Airmen to support operations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector.We gave these Airmen between 4 and 36 hours notice to get on an aircraft and forward deploy. These amazing Airmen answered the call to protect

  • 8,760 ways to make a difference

    That's how many hours are in one year -- 8,760. As my one year in NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan begins to wind down, I find myself wondering how much of an impact I had during this year. I think it's a typical question folks ask themselves. Did I make a difference; did I make my year count?I

  • It's not just a job, it's my profession

    There was a time not too long ago when one would actually be informed of the current state of affairs in a manuscript called the newspaper.As an 11-year-old it was my responsibility to ensure all my neighbors would have their newspaper before they had their first cup of coffee. At 11, having a job

  • Paying respects to fallen Airmen: A lifetime in 8 minutes

    It was just eight minutes. I would think about that later. It was just eight short minutes from the time the troop commander called everyone to attention to the time he dismissed us. Just eight short minutes that I will remember for the rest of my life.Eight short minutes in which I watched two

  • Deploying brings Mother's Day into perspective

    Being a single mother of three in the Air Force has taught me many things, but it took deploying to teach me the importance of Mother's Day.Sometimes I struggle balancing my responsibilities as a mother and my commitment to my country. Ten months ago, when I found out I would be deploying, the

  • The healing power of music

    Children are the same all over the world. They laugh, smile, sing funny songs, love their parents and just want to be happy. But they also cry and you can see sadness in their beautiful eyes when they suffer. We saw sadness in the eyes of the children when the members of the U.S. Air Forces Central