AFSAChapters.com is proud to provide AFSA website content managers access to a variety of video tutorials become an AFSA Jedi-Webmaster for your chapter!

Hopefully, these tutorials will help you learn how to manage content that your AFSAChapters.com webpage needs to inform your chapter members. A few minutes of your time will help you provide valuable content to your members.

Here is the master listing of videos available to you!

Changing Site Titles and Taglines

Adding an Image From Media Library

Adding an Image From Your Computer

Adding an Image From a URL

Adding Links

Adding Media

Adding New Pages

Adding New Posts

Adding Paragraphs

Using the Admin Bar

Creating Categories

Changing Your Password

Managing Comments

Using Dashboard

Deleting Images

Editing Images

Editing Links

Editing Text

Using Excerpts

Modifying Featured Images

Hyperlinks

Image Editor – Cropping and Scaling

Image Editor – Flip, Undo, Redo

Image Editor

Link Categories

Making Lists

Media Library

Embedding Video

Pasting From Word

Using QuickPress

Replacing an Image

Restoring a Page

Restoring a Post

Creating Tags

The Toolbar

Trashing a Page

Trashing a Post

Managing Widgets

Creating and Managing Custom Navigation Menus

Switching Themes

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The Kirtland Grocery department sponsored it 2nd Annual Christmas Vendor Giveaway last week.  The First Sergeants Group identified 100 troops and families in the grade of E-5 and below to receive an early Christmas. Donations were provided by a number of our sales industry partners companies.  Webco donated $1000.00 in gift cards as well as $1000.00 in toys for the kids.  Acosta, Kraft, Overseas, Nestle, Dunham and Smith, and S&K graciously donated $2300.00 in gifts cards.

Our local daily vendors were not to be out done, they donated a Whirlpool washer and dryer by 7 UP,  laptop computer by Lance Foods, and a Gas BBQ grill donated by Rainbow Bread, making this year total estimated at $6900.00 topping last year’s $2500.00.

It’s nice to have some top cover give back to the community.  The atmosphere was great and there were many smiles.  I’m sure each individual was humbled to participate in this giveaway.  Thanks to Mr. A. Piccolo & Mr. C.  Harvey for organizing the event, CMSgt Gaudette & MSgt Raley for supporting junior enlisted members,  and Vendors for providing all the gifts. 

Some may ask what this has to do with AFSA?  Well, it’s events like these that trickle throughout the D0D and give back to the total force.  AFSA fully endorses the commissary as one of DoD’s most cost-effective people programs.  Every dollar of the subsidy translates to nearly three dollars of benefit value to patrons and considerabley more for lower-grade enlisted families.  The Commissary is considered by military families to be one of their most important benefits.  They provide an average savings of more than 30%!

Read this important letter about your Commissary – AFSA is engaged – and so should you…

[View with PicLens]

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The first Armistice Day in the U.S. occurred on November 11, 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson declared that “to us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory. … ”

Armistice Day was declared a legal holiday by Congress nearly 20 years later. In 1954 the name was changed to Veterans Day, following a national campaign to have the day honor all veterans, not just those who served in World War I.

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Applebee’s – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11: Last year, Applebee’s served 1,024,000 million free meals to military veterans and active service members. Applebee’s is again offering a free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. There will be 7 entrées to choose from. Military ID or proof of service required. Find locations at http://applebees.com/. 

Chili’s – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Chili’s is offering all military veterans past and present their choice of one of 6 meals. This offer is available during business hours on November 11, 2011 at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only; beverages and gratuity not included. Veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Visit their website to find locations. 

Golden Corral – Free meal, Monday Nov. 14: The 10th annual Golden Corral Military Appreciation dinner will be held on Monday, November 14, 2011 from 5 pm to 9 pm in all Golden Corral Restaurants nationwide. The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner. For more information visit http://www.goldencorral.com/military/. 

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Special thanks to Golden Corral: To date, Golden Corral restaurants have provided over 2.5 million free meals and contributed over $4.3 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization. 

Hooters – Free Meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Hooter’s is serving up a free meal to military veterans all day on Veterans Day. Offer good for all veterans and active duty military personnel. Choose one of the new specialty items on the Hooter’s menu. Offer valid at participating Hooters only; open to all active duty and military veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. Drink purchase required. For more information, visit, www.HootersVeteransDay.com. 

Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut. Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Offer available to all active-duty, retirees & veterans on Friday November 11th. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating. 

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants – free lunch or dinner, Sunday Nov 13, 2011: McCormick & Schmick’s is celebrating their 13th annual Veteran’s Appreciation Event on Sunday, November 13th. Veterans will be able to choose a complimentary lunch or dinner entrée. Veterans must provide proof of military service. Be sure to contact your local McCormick & Schmick’s as this is valid at participating restaurants only. Also, Space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. For more information visit: M&S Veterans Appreciation Event. 

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Outback Steakhouse – A week of Free Bloomin’ Onions and Cokes Monday Nov. 7 – Friday Nov. 11. Outback Steakhouse is honoring America’s military veterans by offering active duty military and veterans a free Bloomin’ Onion and a
Coca-Cola product during the week leading up to Veteran’s Day. This offer is available to Military Personnel who have one of the following forms of identifications: U.S Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), DD form 214 Veterans Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), Photograph in Uniform, Wearing Uniform. For more information, visit, http://outback.com/companyinfo/veteransday.aspx. 

The Outback understands commitment. For the past two years, The Outback, with the help of their patrons, has donated $2 Million to Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization providing everyday and emergency support for active troops, wounded warriors and their families. 

Subway – Free Six Inch Sub. Select Subway locations offer a FREE six inch sub to military veterans on Veteran’s Day. However, Subway restaurants are franchises, so this offer may not be available everywhere. Please call ahead. 

Texas Roadhouse – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Offer varies by location; our local Texas Roadhouse is offering a free meal from opening until 4pm. Other locations may vary in offer, hours, or availability. Call ahead to your local restaurant for more information. 

T.G.I. Friday’s – Buy one get one free Nov 11-14. At participating locations for anyone with an old or current military ID. November 11-14. 

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 Uno Chicago Grill, Friday, Nov. 11. Uno’s is offering a free entree or individual pizza with a purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value. Offer good for all military  for veterans and active duty military. ID or proof of service required: Show up in uniform (if your service permits), provide military ID, show a picture of yourself in uniform, or have other ID showing proof of service. More info here. 

Home Depot and Lowes Coupon Updates

Update: Home Depot and Lowes 10% Military Discount Available Everyday. 

Home Depot: The Home Depot(R) is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 and is available at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds and EXPO Design Center(R) locations. The 10% discount is available everyday for active duty and retirees, but not all veterans. Home Depot makes this offer available to all veterans on most military holidays. You can also find Home Depot discounts online. 

Lowes: Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will offer all active, reserve, honorably discharged, retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store U.S. purchases made during the Veterans Day holiday. The discount is available Nov. 7 – Nov. 11. The discount is available on in-stock and special order purchases up to $5,000. To qualify, individuals must present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards. Like Home Depot, Lowes offers this discount daily to active duty military members, but not to veterans. However, they extend the offer to military veterans on military holidays. You can also find exclusive discounts at Lowe’s.com. 

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Free Park Admissions for Veterans Day

Here’s to the Heroes 

Anheuser-Busch Parks. Anheuser-Busch Parks offers Active Duty Service Members free admission for them and up to 3 dependents to any of their parks once a year. Throughout 2011, members of the military and as many as three direct dependents may enter SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place parks with a single-day complimentary admission. The Here’s to the Heroes program is only available to Any active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman. Eligible parks include: Adventure Island, Busch Gardens (Tampa Bay or Williamsburg), SeaWorld (Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio), Sesame Place, and Water Country USA. Not valid at Discovery Cove and Aquatica. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. is not included as part of this program. For more information and to register, visit: Free admission summary, and ticket application. 

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 Colonial Williamsburg Free Admission. Colonial Williamsburg offers free weekend-long admission tickets to active-duty military, reservists, retirees, veterans, and their immediate dependents from Friday, Nov. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 13th. The complimentary ticket incudes admission to Colonial Williamsburg exhibition sites, art museums, and most daytime programs, as well as free parking and use of the shuttle bus system. Tickets are only available at on-site ticket sales locations. Tickets are also available to families of deployed service members. Tickets available on the following dates: Nov. 11-13. 

Historic Jamestowne – Free Admission. The National Park Service commemorates Veterans Day with Fee Free days at Historic Jamestowne November 11-13. Free admission for everyone. See events calendar. 

 Knotts Berry Farm Military Tribute Days – Free Admission. Knott’s Berry Farm has an annual Military Tribute event in which they offer military members past and present by offering free park admission. This year the Military Tribute Days run from November 1 – 24 November (Thanksgiving Day).  Veterans or current serving military personnel plus one guest get in FREE with proper ID presented at Knott’s turnstile (DD214, Veterans Administration Hospital ID or Active Military Service ID). Purchase up to six additional tickets for just $17 each. More info. 

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 Fee Free Day at National Parks. To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that areas managed by the National Park Service would not charge entrance fees for Veteran’s Day weekend – November 11-13, 2011. Over 100 national Parks will be participating in this event. 

San Jacinto Monument and Museum (La Porte, TX). November 7-13: Free admission to the theatre, Observation Floor, and (on November 12-13) the special exhibit to all veterans and their families. More info. 

Bed and Breakfast for Vets

In the third year of the program, B&Bs for Vets has organized over 485 (and counting) participating Bed and Breakfasts and Inns across the US and Canada which will be offering veterans a free night’s stay on November 10th, the night before Veterans Day. This offer is available to both active duty military members and veterans with ID, but space is limited. Each Inn and B&B has at least one room available for this promotion and reservations must be made directly through the participating Inns and B&Bs. For more information visit B&Bs for Vets. 

Free Hugo® Canes for Veterans.

 Sam’s Club® locations nationwide will distribute 36,000 Hugo® canes free of charge on November 9th, 10th, 11th, 2011 to U.S. military veterans in need of mobility assistance. Limited quantities available, while supplies last. Sam’s Club® Membership is not required, but proof of military service may be required. For more information, visit HugoSalutes.com. 

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Other Veteran’s Day Discounts

Here are some additional Veteran’s Day Discounts. In all cases, be sure to provide proper ID or proof of service. In addition, some of these stores are franchises, so verify participation before assuming the discount is in place. 

• Free Car wash. Thousands of car washes around the country are offering vets a free car wash on Veterans Day. Find a list at Grace for Veterans, which helped veterans receive 101,537 FREE Washes on Veterans Day in 2010.
• Amazon.com – Discount “Veterans Day Honor” MP3 album download. This downloadable album includes 12 songs as performed by the military bands and ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces. Visit Amazon on Veteran’s Day to download the album.
• Netflix – One Month Free Trial.
• Sport Clips – FREE haircut to active-duty military & veterans. Offer only available at select locations. Please call to verify local participation.
• Tim Hortons – all US locations are offering a free donut to all veterans (check out the Star Spangled donut!).

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Air Force and asbestos
Although the majority of asbestos exposure to veterans is found on ships, asbestos still has been found in many USAF installations around the country as well as planes. Installations with old on-base housing or administrative buildings were common locations of asbestos. Asbestos has been found on planes, and many AF veterans who served as crewmen or mechanics were unaware of their exposure. Because of its high resistance to heat asbestos was used in various parts of airplanes, including;

• Brakes
• Engine
• Cockpit heater system
• Heat shields for engines
• Torque valves
• Gaskets
• Electrical wires insulation
• Insulation in the cargo bays of cargo planes

Asbestos related Diseases
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that primarily affects the lungs, heart, and or abdomen. This disease occurs four times more frequently in men than women, and is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis can be difficult given the symptoms are similar to a common cold,

• Chest pains
• Dry cough
• Shortness of breathe
• Weight loss

Although you may see symptoms early on, the disease may have been present in your body for many years. It takes approximately 30-50 years for mesothelioma symptoms to begin showing, which is the leading cause of a possibly poor prognosis.

Veterans Seeking Assistance
Veterans are allowed to apply for VA benefits for asbestos-related diseases, and the resources at Asbestos.com can assist veterans in applying for benefits. Currently, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs recognizes mesothelioma as a service-connected medical condition. However, even if a veteran has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the VA may not approve their claim for disability compensation for various reasons. The Mesothelioma Center offers help to veterans through its Veterans Assistance Department. The Department of Veterans Affairs covers conditions related to asbestos and mesothelioma, but will only provide benefits when proper proof of exposure during service is provided. A Veterans Benefit Counselor will be able to assist you in fulfilling the necessary documentation to obtain maximum benefits.

Visit the veterans section of our Facebook page to connect with others, and help continue spreading asbestos awareness to your community through Twitter.

Open an Asbestos Claim | Contact the Webmaster regarding this article

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military personnel are sent to combat zones, ordered to move and often perform dangerous work and deserve the retirement benefits they receive.“They’re all-in for the military, and I think the military needs to be all-in for them,” he said of today’s volunteer force.

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Dunn, chief executive of the Air Force Association, noted that current military retirees would not be affected. But he believes current force cohesion could be harmed.

“Morale and discipline is going to be affected by this,” Dunn said.

If pensions are to be cut, Congress should go first, one person said on the Internet.

“Obviously, we’re concerned about it,” said retired Gen. Gordon Sullivan.

Don’t forget to register your AFSAChapter website!  It’s free for ALL AF AFSA CHAPTERS/DIVISIONS!

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Why AirmansAttic.net?

• I noticed that the every Airmans Attic that I’ve been to, needed a source to post information for members that use the Airmans Attic service.  The information is available but it isn’t consolidated to 1 location.  That’s where this website comes into play.  AirmansAttic.net is designed to be a one stop shop for information.  Instead of word of mouth tactics members can look up the actual Airmans Attic information on this directory.  It’s easier to look online for the base Airmans Attic than to drive out to the attic only to find a locked door, and an out of date contact phone number.  I was frustrated when this happened to me.  I needed the assistance but the I wasn’t able to find the right number or person.  If you decide to use this site and utilize it as a solid resource your Airmans Attic will thrive.  Get your First Sargeant council on board and start rockin’ your new AA website for your base.

What does it cost our Airmans Attic to participate?

• AirmansAttic.net doesn’t cost your organization any money our out of pocket expenses.  All you need to do is contact us and we can get you started and even coach you along the way.  You can be as active with your site as you want and you will have full control by posting announcements, updates, news, and even have a classified section for members to use.  Again this costs nothing.

How do I register my base?

• You can sign up for AirmansAttic.net by contacting us here.  Again your Base can register their Airmans Attic and start spreading the word about your services on base.  REGISTER NOW!

What services are provided with AirmansAttic.net?

• You get a fully functioning website
• classifieds posting features
• Facebook Integration
• photo and video galleries
• Map Features (for people to find you)
• Contact forms for users to contact your staff
• Unlimited Webspace, and bandwidth
• Full support from our team to help your Attic become an online success!

Is the AirmansAttic.net domain safe?

• This website is designed on a content management platform with built in security features.  As always consider Operations Security when posting information.  This domain is owned and staffed by Air Force Active Duty members and volunteer webmasters.  We dedicate this service as a secure, safe alternative to let your Attic maximize its services for anyone eligible to use the Airmans Attic.  We block spam, and page protect valuable information withing the AirmansAttic.net framework.

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WATCH THE VIDEO!  The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), integrates advanced very low observable stealth into a supersonic, highly agile 5^th generation fighter. The capabilities built into the F-35 Lightning II provide the pilot with unprecedented situational awareness and unmatched lethality and survivability.

While each variant (F-35A, F-35B, F-35C) is uniquely designed to operate from different bases, all three variants set new standards in network-enabled mission systems, sensor fusion, supportability and maintainability.

The world’s most experienced aerospace industry leaders (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and the Fighter Engine Team—Pratt & Whitney and GE Rolls-Royce) combine sophisticated manufacturing, engineering and technological capabilities to develop the F-35 Lightning II. This, along with global partnerships, has been an integral part of the JSF Program. Setting the stage for reliability and maintainability, the F-35’s built-in sustainment establishes new levels of operational readiness and helps meet the needs across the spectrum of military operations.

With its host of next-generation technologies and unprecedented capabilities, the F-35 is the world’s most advanced multirole fighter

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Many military personnel understand that we live in an evolving society. Nothing is constant in life… everything changes! If society changes, the military has to evolve as well as updating or modernizing its modus operandi. The Air Force needs the latest of the latest, updated policies and processes, modernized technology and weapons systems in order to maintain its air power and dominance. However, there are people that are reactive, skeptics, and do not like changes, believing that there is no need for change and innovation. They are use to following a constant life and career, while other groups of workers look for a better career status in their lives. However, here is when the Air Force mentor comes in; to save the mentees from the oppression of life and to help them develop the skills needed to face the Air Force transformation by enhancing the attitudes and aptitudes focused on survival.

This paper was developed to fulfill such organizational need. It is based on a literature review focused on mentoring and the roles of mentors. There are two main sections: (1) What is Mentorship? (2) The Roles of Air Force Mentors. The first section will discuss mentorship as a concept, providing particular information for a better comprehension of its meaning and mission. The second section will provide information on the roles of Air Force mentors, and how they may be able to help other military personnel in facing today’s Air Force changes, famously called Air Force transformation within the military organization.

What is Mentorship?

Mentorship refers to “a developmental relationship between a more experienced mentor and a less experienced partner… used to groom up-and-coming employees deemed to have the potential to move up into leadership roles” (Mentorship, 2006). Today’s organizations use mentoring to nurture its employees, to help them grow professionally and personally, and to promote learning within the organization (Hankin, 2004). Mentoring is “the synthesis of ongoing events, experiences, observations, studies, and thoughtful analyses” (Freeman, n.d.). It is “one of the oldest forms of human development… the sharing and ultimate transferring of information, knowledge, skills, and/or know-how from one generation to another… [Mentoring] laid the basic foundations for early civilizations” (Rigotti, 1997, p. 9).

Mentorship in Society

For years, societal groups such as churches, schools, and colleges have focused mentorship programs on careers and personal development. It has been used to deal mostly with poverty concerns. Because of this, mentoring has been an outstanding way to serve and impact others lives by providing a path to improve societal efficiency and effectiveness, while achieving greater diversity among people. Today’s corporate world mirrors the same idea by helping other organizational employees achieve their ideal dream in achieving successful careers. According to Baldwin and Garry (1997), successful careers can be attained by fomenting successful mentoring programs. These programs must include the following: screening, orientation, training, support, and supervision. Mentoring programs can be used to fulfill variety of social, personal, and organizational issues. Furthermore, employees “could also benefit from the special bond of mentoring before serious problems develop” (p. 6).Mentorship as a Transition Tool

Mentoring is like a spider web, it may go up and down or from side to side. For example, it goes up when a new employee mentors an experienced worker on technology matters; or it goes from side to side when employees relate common learning, knowledge, experiences, and skill sets with his or her fellow coworkers within the organization. Hankin (2004) believes that mentors and mentees must be matched according to their personality types and attitudes, not based on cultural or demographic similarity. By following this concept, the interpersonal relationship will strengthen the employee’s creative thinking skills, while fostering “a culture of respect and sharing” (p. 197) in the workplace. The encouragement and promotion of fundamental values provide for rewards and the employee’s integrative learning. This is taking place in the Air Force by the provision of a smooth transitioning process for all Airmen, no matter if military personnel are transitioning from complicated situations. Most military personnel understand that most lessons learned are based on resource-constrained environments. However, according to Rigotti (1997), mentoring is becoming more important in today’s Air Force shaping, because it “can be an effective tool to meet the needs of today’s United States Air Force and airmen.” Everything depends on how the Air Force mentors use the process of mentoring. Mentors must comprehend that mentoring is utilized to orient, indoctrinate, and educate Airmen about the military environment and their roles in it.

Mentorship from a Humanist Standpoint

Gordon Shea (as cited by Rigotti, 1997), provides a humanist point of view of mentoring. He defines mentoring as “a developmental, caring, sharing, and helping relationship where one person invests time, know-how, and effort in enhancing another person’s growth, knowledge, and skills, and responds to critical needs in the life of that person in ways that prepare the individual for greater productivity or achievement in the future” (p. 10). Mentoring is considered as the path for a long-time personal and professional relationship, providing and fulfilling the basic spiritual and psychological human needs in support and development of today and future loyal employees. The process of mentoring can be used to instruct organizational culture, technical expertise, creative problem solving, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills.

Rigotti (1997) introduces Dr. David Hunt, author of Mentoring: The Right Tool for the Right Job on page 23. According to Dr. Hunt, formal mentoring programs must follow six critical elements in order to respond to the mentees’ basic needs, for example: (a) Mentoring programs must have “clear strategic goals which are established and understood by all organizational members.” (b) The program must have a “method to carefully select mentors.” (c) It should “provide for confidentiality between the mentor and mentee.” (d) Participants must be “trained with the skills needed to be successful mentors or mentees.” (e) The mentor and mentee must “understand the importance of being politically savvy.” (f) There must be “someone responsible for monitoring and assessing the status of the organization’s planned mentoring efforts.”

Guidelines for Good Mentorship Programs

Mentoring programs has prevailed in military society by helping military personnel survive during wartime and tribulations, and will continue to do so by developing Air Force professionals for the future’s force today, because “a mentoring program can help us achieve this goal” (Rigotti, 1997, p. 7). However, the concept of mentoring is often misinterpreted by many military employees. Because of this, military leaders have considered mentoring as one of the top topics in the military management and operations fields. Adams (1997) provides the guidelines developed by Adrianne Dumond and Susan Boyle in support of a good mentoring program. According the Dumond and Boyle: (1) Mentors and mentees need to meet regularly. (2) The mentor needs to know the mentee’s goals. (3) Mentors must be good listeners and not deceive the mentee’s confidences. Both must talk about strengths and developmental needs, so the mentor may provide guidance in developing these areas. (4) Mentors must help the mentee understand how to take part in the organization’s programs, and provide information on opportunities within the organization. (5) Mentees should not be susceptible to criticism, because it is provided to him/her grow. (6) Mentees should never “brag about their relationship with their mentor, because this could put the mentor on the spot” (p. 4). (7) The relationship should remain on a business level only. (8) Mentors and mentees must not get too personal about themselves. Both of them must be aware to the issues of sexual harassment or discrimination within the organization. (9) If the mentor and mentee believe that the mentoring relationship is not emerging successfully, they must discontinue the process to seek further guidance. To achieve the best during mentoring, the mentor and mentee need to be aware that “the most important element of a successful mentoring relationship is trust” (p. 4).

Mentorship for Professional Development

According to General Billy J. Boles (as cited by Adams, 1997), mentoring programs help employees achieve their potential through professional development. Mentoring proposes assurance and significance value for the mentor, mentee, and the military, especially the Air Force. There is no dilemma, if the mentee wants to start a second career in the civilian world, because “mentoring in the military and private sector works in much the same way… perceived benefits includes higher pay, promotions, opportunities to occupy leadership positions, and job satisfaction” (Adams, 1997, p. 35). Through mentoring, mentees feel free to unveil their weaknesses and communicate the best possible way to fulfill this need. Mentoring develops a close, but professional relationships that help people learn, while providing hands-on opportunities for personal and professional grow. This proactive relationship “contributes to successful retention, career satisfaction, better decision making, and greater competence” (Office of Naval Research, 1998) of today’s organizational employees. Mentoring may be “the difference between [organizational] success and failure” (Bailey, 2003).

Setting the Example through Mentorship

Military personnel believe that “mentoring begins with the leader setting the right example” (Powers, 2006). Setting the right example, means to be critically responsible in the preparation of future leaders to endure tomorrow’s challenges. This type of preparation is performed with a professional and caring understanding from the supervisor to the subordinate, from the mentor to the mentee. Leading by example is the behavior that influence and improve functions within the organization. According to Burke (as cited by Sullivan, 1993), these functions include employee’s job performance, career socialization, upward mobility, and the preparation of future leaders.

Recommendations for Developing Mentorship Programs

The Special Library Association (2006) provides four recommendations for setting up a mentorship program: (a) Mentorship programs must promote education within its members. (b) Organizational leaders must request support from volunteers. (c) All volunteered mentors and mentees must complete a profile; they can be matched according to their attitudes and goals. (d) Organizational leaders must be able to contact the mentors and mentees if any concern arise, and follow up if necessary.

The concept of promoting education within the organization is “the essence of mentoring… grounded in the concept of one-on-one teaching” (Reis, n.d.). Suggestions provided above eliminate barriers to mentoring such as, prejudice, poor career planning, poor working environment, lack of organizational knowledge, and greater comfort in dealing with own kind, and difficulty in balancing career and family (Adams, 1997).

There may be employees within our organization believing that mentorship is a complicated process. However, according to the above recommendations provided by Special Library Association (2006), employees need to understand that mentorship is a simple, realistic, and practical method to take care of others. According to the United States Army Reserve Command (2006), “Caring is the core of mentorship.” It is an “effective vehicle for developing leaders… [It] links employees with experienced professionals for career development” (Civilian Working Group, p. 1). Organizational leaders, especially those holding leadership positions in the military, must change this misconception before hurting somebody’s career and personal life.

Essentials for Successful Mentorship

There are five essentials for a successful mentoring, according to the Civilian Working Group (n.d.): Respect, trust, partnership building, realistic expectations, self-perception, and time. Why organizational leaders should invite employees to get involved in mentoring? The Civilian Working Group (n.d.) believes that employees need to join the program for the following three reasons: (a) Mentoring helps the mentor on his/her career enhancement, to gather more information for future reference, personal satisfaction; sharpened management, leadership, and interpersonal skills; sources of recognition, and expanded professional contacts. (b) Mentoring helps the organization by increasing commitment to the organization, while reducing turnover; improved performance, improved flow of organizational information, management development, managerial succession, and recruitment. (c) Mentoring helps the participants on building confidence, encourage the individual to grow beyond the usual expectations; the employee is provided a role model, to have a better understanding of the organization, and what is needed to succeed and advance; the employee has an opportunity to work on challenging and interesting projects, try more advance tasks, and demonstrate capabilities.

The Air Force and the Mentorship Process

What position does the Air Force assume toward mentoring others? Mentoring has been established to bring about a cultural change in the way we view professional development… [It] is an essential ingredient in developing well-rounded, professional, and competent future leaders [to] help prepare people for the increased responsibilities they will assume as they progress in their careers. Mentoring is an ongoing process and not confined to formal feedback” (AFI 36-3401, p. 1). “The goal of mentoring is to help each person reach his/her full potential, thereby enhancing the overall professionalism of the Air Force… [Through] a relationship in which a person with greater experience and wisdom guides another person to develop both personally and professional” (AFPD 36-34, p. 1). Mentoring in the Air Force happens anywhere, anytime, every level and activity. It “covers a wide range of areas, such as career guidance, technical and professional development, leadership, Air Force history and heritage, air and power doctrine, strategic vision, and contribution to joint war fighting. It also includes knowledge of the ethics of our military and a civil service professions and understanding of the Air Force’s core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do” (AFPD 36-34, p. 2).

Who is responsible for the mentoring programs? Air Force commanders are solely responsible for endorsing mentorship program within their organization. Due to a necessity of providing better war fighting leaders, the Air Force Chief of Staff and top military leaders have created various programs and associations that can be used to facilitate mentoring within Air Force units: National Organizations for Certifications and Licensing, Company Grade Office Council (CGOC), Air Force Intern Program (AFIP), Lieutenant’s Professional Development Program (LPDP), The Order of Daedalians and the Airlift/Tanker Association, The Air Force Association (AFA), The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, Military Chaplains Association of the USA, The National Association of Uniformed Services (NAUS), The Retired Officer Association, Air Force Cadet/Officer Mentor Action Program, Inc. (AFCOMAP), Air University Library, Civil Air Patrol (CAP), National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), Reserve Officers Association (ROA), Air Force Reserve’s Junior Officer Leadership Development Seminar, Air Force Sergeant’s Association, and NCO Association.

The Roles of Air Force Mentors

The Air Force considers every non-commissioned officer as leader. However, the responsibilities of being a leader are enormous. Leaders must consider all aspects of human life in order to be effective leaders, because they lead or guide other employees into the path of career and personal development, especially into “the psychological dimensions of the [mentoring] relationship, for example, accepting, confirming, counseling, and protecting” (Reis, n.d.). Such leaders are the mentors that “inspire their mentee to follow their dreams” (Mentorship, 2006).

Supporting the Organization’s Future

Being a mentor in the Air Force has its advantages. Mentoring others help others develop a legacy for future military generations by developing today’s leaders “to fight and win future conflicts” (Powers, 2006). Winning and being able to survive during battle depends on how our leaders are being able to mentor their followers. The goal is to develop and enhance survival skills in our subordinates, so they can reach their goals even during the Air Force transformation.

The Air Force mentors allow the military to “hold on to and pass along the wisdom of its valued older workers” (Hankin, 2004, p. 196), in this case senior non-commissioned officers. Their job is to increase employees’ loyalty for their profession, company, and country by sharing priceless experiences through teaching and coaching skills. Increasing the “feelings of respect and individual attention” (Hankin, 2004, p. 196) is how today’s followers or mentees become tomorrow’s greatest leaders!

Applying theory into practice is one of the most important tasks that an Air Force mentor has. For example, when an aircraft maintenance unit receives new employees, it is the mentor’s job to inspire and keep the new employees motivated while they are learning and applying their skills in new technical tasks. Keeping the new employees constantly motivated will help them to persevere throughout the learning process. Being a mentor in the military is treasured by senior supervisors and subordinates alike. Senior supervisors believe that “a mentor is highly valued, and it is appreciated that this professional role carries a high level of commitment and responsibility… [they] assume responsibility for the [mentee's] learning in the practice setting, the quality of that learning, and the assessment of competencies to demonstrate the extent to which learning outcomes have been met” (University of Sheffield, p. 2).

Providing Light during Uncertainty

There is insecurity in a person’s life when he or she wants to join the military. There are questions such as: Do I have any other choices? How am I going to feel soon after I sign up the contract to join the military? Do I have all my questions answered by the recruiter? Am I going to have somebody to help me during the military transition? Will the adaptation process be easy? Where can I go to find more answers? However, whether in the military or civilian life, a mentor will always be available in favor of attaining a successful career. “There are many information sources available nowadays, but the first hand interactive relationship that a mentor can provide is very valuable” (Armour, 2006).

It is in the mentor’s hand to “ensure that [mentees] stand out from the crowd… [and to] look for mentors in areas that will be relevant to [their] career and who will provide a reality check” (Appelbaum, 2006). It is the mentor’s responsibility to develop the mentees’ self-awareness and assist integrates their professional and military life, concerns, and values. This is very important for new employees in making career decisions. According to Armour (2006), “The ideal is to seek mentors in fields about which you know little… [If] they are not able to answer a particular question, [they] will try to suggest someone who can.”

Enhancing Cognitive Development

The mentor must provide general and specific information, and ask questions that make mentees use their critical thinking skills. This way, the mentees will be able to work through their own answers and make choices, according to personal beliefs in support of career development and goal attainment. If the mentees ask questions about technical, professional, or personal concerns, it is the mentor’s job to provide their knowledge and wisdom, which comes from experience. According to Armour (2006), the mentors become rewarded when they provide highly valued information to mentees, for example: (1) The mentor will be able to watch the mentee discover what he or she really enjoys doing. (2) The mentor will be able to develop a friendly relationship with the mentee. (3) The mentor will be able to see the mentee many years later and learn of the influence he or she has been in the mentee’s life.

Achieving Higher Potential through Communication

Mentors need to maintain an active communication with the mentee, because “the closer the communication, the more likely the [mentorship] program will be successful” (Freeman, n.d.). Maintaining a close communication enhances intentional learning, resulting in an improvement of the mentor’s aptitude for instruction, coaching, modeling, and advising skills. Mentors will not be afraid of sharing experiences of failure, because it provides constructive opportunities for “analyzing individual and organizational realities” (Freeman, n.d.). The goal is to make mentees learning leaders in support of future generations. This is accomplished by providing realistic scenarios and case examples, because it imparts valuable and memorable insights.

Ruth Smeltzer (as cited by Smith, 2002), comments, “You have not lived a perfect day… unless you have done something for someone who will never repay you” (p. 174). This is a true statement, especially for minority groups within the military, since they will feel confident and supported during their adjustment and adaptation period. Mentors must remember that mentoring is like the spider web, it goes up and down, and side to side. Today is the time to identify employees from the lowest levels and provide them with admiration and encouraging comments through effective communication methods by providing practical observations, because it helps mentees to deal with tasks that are beyond their limits and aptitudes; and to monitor the mentee’s career, potential, and promotion within the organization.

Energizing the Organization through Care and Protection

According to Rigotti (1997), the mentors’ primary role is “to act as an advocate and a protector” (p. 11). This way, the mentees will realize that “the organization cares about their growth and development” (p. 17). There are different names provided for mentors, such as, teachers, guides, advisers, allies, advocates, catalysts, and gurus. These names provide energy to the military organization and to the mission; and clarify the way the military does business in order to survive during today’s world demands. To fulfill these demands, Air Force mentors must be accessible for guidance and feedback, to teach about organizational culture and expectations, and to enlighten the mentee on what is and what not is acceptable in the organization, for example, the Air Force core values. “Mentors provide a stabilizing and emotionally supportive influence on their mentees. They provide opportunities for their mentees to acquire valuable experience and encourage their mentees to broaden their skill set by tackling and mastering new challenges. Mentors provide positive reinforcement to the mentee at critical points in their careers to help build self-confidence and develop a sense of personal accomplishment” (Rigotti, 1997, p. 17).

Functions and Behaviors of Mentors

Adams (1997) cited Kathy E. Kram, a psychologist at Boston University. Dr. Kram believes that there are two basic functions for mentors: career functions and psychological functions. Career functions focus on career advancement through sponsorship, exposure-and-visibility, coaching, protection, and challenging work assignments. Psychological functions focus on professional competence, identity, and effectiveness. This function consists of role modeling, acceptance-and-confirmation, counseling, and friendship. Lea and Leibowitz (as cited by Adams, 1997), believe that there are behaviors that translates into the mentoring relationship, they are:

(1) Teaching- this is when the mentor instructs the mentee on specific skills and provides necessary data for successful job performance, and assists during the mentee’s career development.

(2) Guiding- this is when the mentor orients the mentee in learning the organization’s unwritten rules.

(3) Advising- this is accomplished when the mentee requests it.

(4) Counseling- this is when the mentor provides emotional support during stressful times, listens to concerns, helps clarify career goals, and assists the mentee in developing a plan of action to achieve those goals.

(5) Sponsorship- this is when the mentor provides opportunities for career enhancement.

(6) Role Modeling- this is when the mentee tries to copy the mentor’s behavior because of their relationship.

(7) Validating- this is when the mentor evaluates, modifies, and endorses the mentee’s goals and aspirations.

(8) Motivating- this is when the mentor encourages mentee to work hard for achieving specific goals.

(9) Protecting- this is when the mentor minimizes risk-taking opportunities by providing a safe environment where the mentee can make mistakes without losing self-confidence.

(10) Communicating- this is when the mentor establishes communication to address the mentee’s concerns.

In Summary

According to SLA (2006), “The most important characteristic of a potential mentor is the motivation to serve as a mentor. Mentors should have the skills to assist others in a positive, constructive way. This includes excellent communication skills, especially the ability to be an active listener and to provide feedback in an effective manner.” The Air Force mentor is a teacher, an advocate, and a friend. The mentors are teachers, because they are able to discuss ways of applying theory into practice; providing feedback on someone else’s achievements; helping plan how learning outcomes might be achieved; and coaching and demonstrating practical skills. The mentors are advocates, because they preserve and increase the mentees’ confidence and self-esteem. The mentors are friends, because they increase the mentees’ morale when it is low. They know when the learner is wrong, and take advantage of this time to improve decision-making skills. “An important part of the role mentor is to build up an effective working relationship and to establish a partnership based on mutual trust, honesty, and respect” (Homerton College, 2001, p. 5).

Today’s Air Force senior leaders, according to the Air Force Policy Directive 36-34 (2000), believe that “mentoring is a fundamental responsibility of all Air Force supervisors. They must know their people, accept personal responsibility for them, and be accountable for their professional development. The supervisor must continually challenge subordinates. It is essential to provide clear performance feedback and guidance in setting realistic professional and personal development goals. Supervisors and commanders must make themselves available to subordinates who seek career guidance and counsel… [And] also, be positive role models. While there is nothing wrong with lofty goals, mentors must ensure their people realize what high, but achievable, goals are. It is the inherent responsibility of Air Force leaders to mentor future leaders” (p. 1-3). Supervisors are the “backbone” of the Air Force transformation!

References

Adams, D. (1997). Mentoring women and minority officers in the US military. AL: Air University.

Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-3401. (2000). Air Force mentoring. AL: Air Force Departmental Publishing Office.

Air Force Pentagon. (2008). Air Force transformation. Retrieved May 10, 2008, from the Air Force Library Web site.

Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 36-34. (2000). Air Force mentoring program. AL: Air Force Departmental Publishing Office.

Appelbaum, D. (2008). A good mentor can be a valuable career resource. Retrieved May 13, 2008, from the US Military About.com Web site.

Armour, M. (2008). Mentorship. Canada: University of Alberta.

Bailey, P. (2003). Mentoring makes a difference. Air and Space Power Journal, 24 February 2003. AL: US Air Force.

Baldwin, J. & Garry, E. (1997). Mentoring: A proven delinquency prevention strategy. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 1997. DC: Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice.

Civilian Working Group. (n.d.). Mentoring program handbook. AL: Air University.

Freeman, M. (n.d.). Mentoring. Retrieved May 10, 2008, from http://www.sonic.net/~mfreeman

Hankin, H. (2004). The new workforce: Five sweeping trends that will shape your company’s future. NY: AMACOM.

Homerton College. (2001). Clinical practice supervisor and mentorship guidelines. UK: Homerton College.

Mentorship. (2008). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Office of Naval Research. (1998). Abbreviated mentoring guide. AL: Air University.

Powers, R. (2008). Army commissioned officer career information: Mentoring. Retrieved May 18, 2008, from the US Military About.com Web site.

Reis, R. (n.d.). The roles and phases of mentorship. Retrieved May 12, 2008, from http://cgi.stanford.edu/~dept-ctl/cgi-bin/tomprof/posting.php?ID=224

Rigotti, M. (1997). Mentoring of women in the United States Air Force. AL: Air University.

Smith, P. (2002). Rules and tools for leaders: A down-to-earth guide to effective managing. NY: The Berkley Publishing Group.

Special Library Association (SLA). (2006). The mentorship handbook: A guide for SLA chapters and divisions to establish mentorship programs. VA: SLA.

Sullivan, M. (1993). Mentoring in the military: A preliminary study of gender differences. MD: United States Naval Academy.

University of Sheffield. (2003). Mentor update resource workbook. UK: University of Sheffield.

United States Army Reserve Command (USARC). (2008). Warrant officer mentorship: A valuable leadership skill. Retrieved May 13, 2008, from http://www.penfed.org/usawoa/womentor.htm

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Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger’s sons (from left) Steve Wilson, Corey Etchberger and Richard Etchberger receive the medal on their father’s behalf from President Obama.

Credit: Susan Walsh / Associated PressWashington — At a secret military installation on a mountain top in Laos more than 40 years ago, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger fought to save the lives of three wounded soldiers, only to be fatally wounded as the helicopter that carried his men to safety came under fire as it lifted off.

On Tuesday, President Obama awarded Etchberger the Medal of Honor for his “conspicuous gallantry” on the morning of March 11, 1968, at that “small base above the clouds.” His three sons received the nation’s highest military honor on their father’s behalf.

“Although it’s been 42 years, it’s never too late to do the right thing,” Obama told several hundred of Etchberger’s friends, military comrades, family members and senior administration officials who had gathered in the East Room of the White House for the somber medal ceremony.

 The bravery displayed by Etchberger on the Laotian mountain top almost went unrecognized, given the secrecy surrounding U.S. military operations in that country.

Cory Etchberger was 9 when he and his mother were summoned to the Pentagon to be told that his father was a hero and that he had died in an overseas war – in Vietnam, Cory assumed.

Not until decades later did he and his brothers, Richard Etchberger and Steve Wilson, learn that their father had died in the country next door to Vietnam. The U.S. military project in Laos had been declassified, and the missions of those like Etchberger who fought and died there could finally be acknowledged.

A radar technician, Etchberger had had little formal military training when he was posted to a radar station atop the highest peak in Laos. The strategic site became a target of North Vietnamese forces, which massed beneath Etchberger’s position in early March 1968.

Through binoculars, Etchberger, one of 19 service members stationed at the radar post, could see large numbers of North Vietnamese soldiers staging for an attack. Rather than evacuate, however, he decided to remain in place, unsure whether the North Vietnamese could mount a quick strike up the sides of cliffs.

The next day the attack came, defying Etchberger’s expectations. He and three of his men found themselves trapped on a ledge, where they came under a fierce grenade attack. His men were wounded, and Etchberger, despite his scant training, fought back with a rifle.

At dawn, a U.S. military helicopter arrived to evacuate the little group. Etchberger loaded the wounded into rescue slings before placing himself in one for the ride to safety. But a last-minute burst of ground fire struck him, causing fatal injuries.

The three service members he protected from the attacking forces – “single-handedly,” in the words of the Medal of Honor citation – all survived. One of them attended the White House ceremony.   September 22, 2010 By Scott Wilson, Washington Post
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700067389/Utah-man-receives-fathers-Medal-of-Honor-decades-after-his-death-in-Laos.html

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Keith A. Turney’s expertise includes security, anti-terrorism and force protection

VALRICO, FL, November 19, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ –Keith A. Turney, Retired E-7 in the United States Air Force, has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in law enforcement.

With 21 years of professional experience, Mr. Turney has developed his knowledge in security and anti-terrorism and force protection. He retired from the United States Air Force in January of 2009. In his position, it was his responsibility to manage 280 officers on a base in Florida. Mr. Turney retired from the Air Force in January of 2009. He attributes his success to his work ethic, integrity and drive.

In 2010, Mr. Turney received a Master of Arts in strategic leadership from Mountain State University. He is a member of the Air Force Sergeants Association and the Republican Party of Florida. Mr. Turney has been honored by the Air Force with the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Award for Air Mobility Command and the Security Forces Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Award, both of which he received in 2007. He intends to continue his civilian career with the Department of the Air Force, while remaining active in his local community.

About Cambridge Who’s Who

With over 400,000 members representing every major industry, Cambridge Who’s Who is a powerful networking resource that enables professionals to outshine their competition, in part through effective branding and marketing. Cambridge Who’s Who employs similar public relations techniques to those utilized by Fortune 500 companies and makes them cost-effective for members who seek to take advantage of its career enhancement and business advancement services. Cambridge is pleased to welcome its new Executive Director of Global Branding and Networking, Donald Trump Jr., who is eager to share his extensive experience in this arena with members.

Cambridge Who’s Who membership provides individuals with a valuable third party endorsement of their accomplishments and gives them the tools needed to brand themselves and their businesses effectively. In addition to publishing biographies in print and electronic form, it offers an online networking platform where members can establish new professional relationships.
For more information, please visit http://www.cambridgeregistry.com.

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The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918 marked the end of World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” and “the war to end all wars.”  In November 1919, President Wilson designated November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, a day for parades, public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.  Congress officially recognized the 11th of November as a legal holiday on May 13, 1938 – a day to be dedicated to world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.”  In 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen in the nation’s history and American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in its place the word “Veterans.” On 1 June, 1954, President Eisenhower’s signature made November 11th a day to honor American veterans of all wars.  Other than a confusing time between 1971 and 1975 when the holiday was mandated to a Monday to ensure three day weekends for  Federal employees, the 11th of November has remained historically and patriotically significant to a majority of Americans.

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This is the first time I’ve ever been a “guest speaker” for any event.  So, naturally, I’m a little nervous.  I keep expecting Kanye West to jump on the stage and say “yo, Sergeant Malby, I’m going to let you finish but Chief Wilk had the greatest ALS speech of all time!”.

Class, being your mentor has been both a great honor and great fun.  It’s not a duty that I took lightly.  I was reminded of the importance of this moment when I attended a CMSgt orientation in January.  The AFSOC CCM asked everybody in the room about their goals upon assuming the CMSgt rank.  One individual stood up and said that his dream was to give a speech at an ALS graduation.  I’m very cognizant of the fact that right here, right now, I’m living somebody’s dream.  The fact that I look a little bit like Freddy Krueger is just a coincidence.

Well, class, you’ve graduated…so, what now?  You have survived four weeks of main points, summative examinations and “bring it on back”.  It’s time to return to AF proper and apply this knowledge and to become AF Leaders of the 21^st century.  You see, I developed many of my leadership skills in the 20^th century, which is something you managed to helpfully remind me of several times during the course.  For instance, when I pointed out that the #1 song during my basic training was “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice, Amn Houde cheerfully responded with “I was 5”.  Thanks for that, Amn Houde. 

Suffice it to say, the challenges of being an AF leader in the 21^st century will extend well beyond pop music.      

                20^th century AF Leaders were not required to have a global vision in the world, you are.  For most of the last 30 years, all we needed to know was that “they” were the bad guys and to point the weapons that way.  The world doesn’t work like that, anymore.  War doesn’t work like that, anymore.  You need to understand concepts like counterinsurgency.  You need to understand how building a well can be as effective for our national security as launching a sortie.  “Who cares what they think?”  We care what they think.  Because when we understand how they think, that might make the difference between them turning in a terrorist as opposed to helping them plant the IED.  You’ll need to become familiar with different cultures and perhaps even learn another language or two.  Why you?  Because we need you to, that’s why. 

                20^th century AF Leaders did not place as much emphasis on fitness as you do.  You understand that your belly is not supposed to be a coaster for your coffee cup.  In the past, we could get away with being the smart, technical service and seeing the gym as that building we passed on the way to Burger King.  We cannot afford to do that, anymore.  We cannot afford to let our sister services and coalition partners down because “we’re the Air Force and we just don’t do exercise”.  I know from personal experience that class 10-5 does not have this problem.  I had a great time participating in the Warrior Run, a 3.5 mile trek through the mountains on the east side.  The class performed admirably and most importantly, promised to tell everybody that the whimpering sound was a wounded animal and definitely not SMSgt Malby.  Thanks for that.

20^th century AF leaders did not necessarily need to be “Battle ready”.  Well, at least the majority of the enlisted leaders, didn’t.  That was the joke, wasn’t it?  “We are the Air Force enlisted and we’re smart – we send our officers to do the fighting”.  That joke is not so funny anymore, is it?  We’ve already buried several of our finest Airmen who perished while engaging in ground combat…something the Air Force allegedly “doesn’t do”.  You know better, don’t you?  Cunningham, Chapman, Sather, Jacobson and countless others…you know the names.  You know the dangers involved when the Air Force needs you to go into the AOR.  You know how important it is to be properly trained in ground combat tactics.  Make sure that you and your Airmen get that training and apply it when the situation arises.  This game is for keeps.  Not only do you have to worry about yourself but now or very soon you will have young Airmen who look to you for guidance.  Maybe you didn’t sign up for the Air Force to be “GI Joe”.  But, guess what?  Your Airmen is scared and he or she needs a real American hero.  Tag, you’re it.

20^th Century Air Force Leaders didn’t need to be aware of the cyber threat.  Well, except for those comm-computer guys.  Bunch of freaks, let me tell you.  You might not think a few keystrokes can cause as much damage as a bomb until you watch half of the country’s power grid go black or the water stops running.  The threat is real and there are lots of people around the world who are very good at it.  Not all of them live in America.  Some of them hate America.  The Air Force needs you to counter this threat, whether it is by not opening dangerous e-mail or infiltrating a jihadist chat room.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking our enemies are simple folks like the Geico Cavemen who don’t understand technology.   We made that mistake before.  We paid for it.  We are still paying for it.  Cyber is one of the Air Force’s primary battle fronts and, right now, the Vegas oddsmakers would classify this fight as a “pick ‘em”.  That’s why we need you, the Air Force leaders of the 21^st century, to change the odds.

I now offer the two greatest words in speechmaking history…in conclusion…I have shown you, class 10-5, several of the challenges you will face as Air Force leaders of the 21^st century.  Global vision, fitness, battle readiness and cyber are just a few of the obstacles that will confront you over the next several years.  Why you?  Why not you?  I watched you.  I know you can do it.  Class 10-5, you are ready.  I believe in you.  The Air Force believes in you.  All we need is for you to believe in you and we will be set for success. 

Over the last month, I have had the pleasure of seeing the 14 men and women of ALS class 10-5 engage on the issues that the Air Force faces today.  They have approached these challenges in a thoughtful, rational and determined manner.  They have made me proud to serve and all of you in the audience should be proud of them, as well.  I look forward to the future as I grow older and watch members of class 10-5 progress through their AF careers.  I will eagerly await each milestone:  SSgt, NCO Academy, Senior NCO, Chief Master Sergeant and ultimately, watching them give their first ALS graduation speeches…where, they will be interrupted by Kanye West who will tell them that SMSgt Malby gave the greatest ALS speech of all time!  Thank you very much and congratulations to class 10-5.

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Change your AVATAR and win $50

Team AFSA,

A few weeks ago I mentioned an easy contest to score $50. You can win fifty bux, quick and easy. All you have to do is upload a profile picture on your AFSAChapters.com Profile. We have AFSA Group Officers who will be judging the contest to see who ends up with the best AVATAR or Profile Picture.

R.O.E.
- The image must be of good taste.
- The image should be patriotic, military themed or something to do with AFSA
- The images will be judged the last week of September
- Winners will be notified the first week of October.
- When you change your profile you MUST make an anouncement on your AFSAChapters.com profile page so ALL members can see your AVATAR
- AFSA Facebook Group Judges aren’t allowed to compete but are encouraged to change their Avatar
- Animated Avatars are accepted.

Yup, It’s that easy. Upload a new image/avatar to your AFSAChapters.com profile page, announce that you’ve updated your AFSAChapters.com profile, then sit and wait to see if you win $50

Any Questions? Contact me!

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Venues/Booths/Fundraisers

• OSI Charity Donation Fundraiser – Donations for girls blood treatments
• Kirtland Federal CU
• Family Photo Portraits
• Monster Trucks
• Hummers
• Classic Cars
• EOD
• New Mexico Military History
• Top III
• Inflatable bouncers for the kids
• Albuquerque Pet Shelter
• Marine Corps Fundraiser
• Classic Cars!
• Osprey
• Huey
• and more!  The KAFB Summer Bash is a good time..

2010-07-23 12.29.47

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The Fourth of July 2010

2.5 million
In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation.

309.6 million
The nation’s estimated population on this July Fourth.

Flags
$3.0 million
In 2009, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount ($2.5 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.

$920,277
Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2009. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $333,882 worth.

$301.5 million
Annual dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation’s manufacturers, according to the latest published economic census data.

Fireworks
$209 million
The value of fireworks imported from China in 2009, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($217 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $42.9 million in 2009, with the United Arab Emirates purchasing more than any other country ($14.5 million).

$331.4 million
The value of U.S. manufacturers’ shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007.

Patriotic-Sounding Place Names
31
Number of places nationwide with “liberty” in their name. The most populous one as of July 1, 2008, is Liberty, Mo. (30,568). Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

• Thirty places have “eagle” in their name — after the majestic bird that serves as our national symbol. (Places include cities, towns, villages and census-designated places.) The most populous such place is Eagle Pass, Texas, with 26,668 residents.
• Eleven places have “independence” in their name. The most populous of these is Independence, Mo., with 110,440 residents.
• Five places adopted the name “freedom.” Freedom, Calif., with 6,000 residents, has the largest population among these. (This population total is as of the 2000 Census; no population estimate is available for Freedom because it is a census designated place.)
• There is one place named “patriot” — Patriot, Ind., with a population of 189.
• And what could be more fitting than spending the Fourth of July in a place called “America”? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, population 27,064.

Early Presidential Last Names
138
Ranking of the frequency of the surname of our first president, George Washington, among all last names tabulated in the 2000 Census. Other early presidential names that appear on the list, along with their ranking, were Adams (39), Jefferson (594), Madison (1,209) and Monroe (567).

The British are Coming!
$93.2 billion
Dollar value of trade last year between the United States and the United Kingdom, making the British, our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today.

Fourth of July Cookouts
More than 1 in 4
The chance that the hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State was home to 18.9 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2010. This represents more than one-fourth of the nation’s total. North Carolina (9.1 million) and Minnesota (7.2 million) were the runners-up.

6.5 billion pounds
Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2008. Chances are good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for about one-sixth of the nation’s total production. And if the beef did not come from Texas, it very well may have come from Nebraska (4.6 billion pounds) or Kansas (3.9 billion pounds).

6
Number of states in which the value of broiler chicken production was $1 billion or greater between December 2007 and November 2008. There is a good chance that one of these states — Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas — is the source of your barbecued chicken.

About 1 in 3
The odds that your side dish of baked beans originated from North Dakota, which produced 34 percent of the nation’s dry, edible beans in 2009. Another popular Fourth of July side dish is corn on the cob. Florida, California, Georgia, Washington and New York together accounted for 66 percent of the fresh market sweet corn produced nationally in 2009.

Please Pass the Potato Salad
Potato salad and potato chips are popular food items at Fourth of July barbecues. Half of the nation’s spuds were produced in Idaho or Washington state in 2009.

More than three-fourths
Amount of the nation’s head lettuce production in 2009 that came from California. This lettuce may end up in your salad or on your burger.

7 in 10
The chances that the fresh tomatoes in your salad came from Florida or California, which combined accounted for 70 percent of U.S. fresh market tomato production last year. The ketchup on your burger or hot dog probably came from California, which accounted for 95 percent of processed tomato production in 2009.

Florida
The state that led the nation in watermelon production last year (818 million pounds). Other leading producers of this popular fruit included California, Georgia and Texas, each with more than 500 million pounds.

76 million
Number of Americans who said they have taken part in a barbecue during the previous year. It’s probably safe to assume a lot of these events took place on Independence Day.

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ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR:  DISCOUNTED CAR RENTALS
AFSA is pleased to announce that we have an agreement with Enterprise Rent-A-Car to be our preferred car rental company at the Atlanta Airport for the AFSA Conference.  Take a 10% discount on Enterprise’s large selection of vehicles, including pickup trucks and cargo vans!  To make your reservation, contact (800) Rent-A-Car, or go to www.enterprise.com (choose corporate reservations) and provide Enterprise with your Corporate Pin Number AIR and also your AFSA Group Account Number NA16W01. 

FLY DELTA TO OUR AFSA CONFERENCE AND SAVE $
Delta Airlines is pleased to offer discounted airfares.  Use your Ticket Designator/Account Code to purchase your tickets and your negotiated discount may be applied.  Individuals and meeting planners may call 1-800-328-1111, Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (Central Time) and refer to File Meeting Code NM5SM for reservations and ticketing assistance. 

ATLANTA FALCONS:  DISCOUNTED TICKETS
The Air Force Sergeants Association and the Atlanta Falcons would like to extend you a special offer on tickets to two different Atlanta Falcons Home Games.  August 13^th they play the Kansas City Chiefs and on August 19^th they play the New England Patriots.  To take advantage of this great offer, click HERE and enter the Special Offer Code “AFSA.”  After that, you will be asked to set up an account with Ticketmaster.  Once you have set up your account, you will be taken to the window where you may purchase tickets.  If you have any trouble with purchasing your tickets, please contact Michael Ceccarelli in the Falcons ticket sales office at 404-367-2196 .  LOCATIONS ARE LIMITED AND WILL SELL OUT FAST…Individuals who purchase their tickets first will get the best seats!

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It has passed in the House and is now being forwarded to the Senate for action to be taken on this bill.

H.R.5136:  Representative Ike Skelton, D-MO, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2011 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.

S.3398:  Senator Max Baucus, D-MT, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the work opportunity credit to certain recently discharged veterans.

This legislation, if passed into law, would expand tax incentives to encourage businesses to hire recently discharged veterans. The bill was referred to the Committee on Finance. 

S.3406:  Senator Kay Hagan, D-NC, a bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the per-fiscal year calculation of days of certain active duty or active service used to reduce the minimum age at which a member of a reserve component of the uniformed services may retire for non-regular service.

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Your chapter doesn’t have to pay for a new domain name, your chapter doesn’t have to pay for hosting!  AFSAChapters.com is free for your chapter to use.  YES 100% FREE!  You can start building your Chapter Website TODAY!

Making your webpage is simple!

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Register your AFSA Chapter

Check your email for your password to login

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Start adding photos, videos, meeting minutes and more!

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From there you complete the following

1. Click on “add new” under the posts section
2. Then click the square box by the “add media” section
3. Then select your document to upload
4. Next, you will need to copy/paste the URL that it creates for your document.
5. You can close out when your are done as long as you have copied the link.
6. You do not have to create a new post just to upload a document.

Check out http://www.afsachapters.com/afsa1201 to see their minutes download link.

I’ve had the opportunity to command five different units and have found that advice to be spot on. I took that top-10 list and modified it a bit to fit my experience and perspective as a commander.

10. Quit getting sloppy drunk. The vast majority of Airmen (of all ranks) who come see me in their service dress were for alcohol-related incidents. In fact, most of the other items on this list are either caused by or exacerbated by alcohol abuse. I define “sloppy drunk” using the 0-0-1-3 criterion. Drinking underage? Had an alcohol-related incident? You’re sloppy drunk.

9. Don’t EVER do drugs. There is no room in our Air Force for drug abusers. Don’t do illegal drugs — ever.

8. Don’t lie, even a little. I correct mistakes and punish crimes. Don’t turn a mistake into a crime by lying to cover it up. If you are read your rights, you have two choices; tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, or say nothing at all until you consult a lawyer. Doing anything else will make the situation much worse.

7. Live within your means. The formula is easy even if math is not your strongest subject. Write down how much you make each month. Below that, write down how much you spend each month. Subtract the bottom number from the top number. If the answer is less than zero, you are not living within your means.

6. Be likeable and valuable. If you are a team player, strive to get along in the workplace and do what is expected of you, your supervisors will notice and appreciate you. They will provide you opportunities to excel.

5. Don’t fight. If you really want to duke it out with somebody, try organized boxing. It’s a lot harder than it looks.

4. Be squared away. When does a good Airman need a haircut? Never! A good Airman gets a haircut before he or she needs one. Be punctual for ALL appointments. If you are early, you’re on time. If you are on time, you’re late.

3. Treat everyone with respect. All of our Airmen have earned and deserve our respect. If we treat each other with respect at all times, most of these other problems go away.

2. Don’t hang out with idiots. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. You’re known by the company you keep. If your friends are doing the things listed above, people will assume you are, too.

1. Always ask for a lawyer. It’s not only your right, it’s a really good idea. If you are in my office in your service dress, you can bet I’ve already talked to a lawyer. Contact the ADC before answering questions and anytime you are given paperwork. Even if lawyer there can’t help get you out of the predicament you’re in, he or she will help you present your best case and minimize the damage.

This content was published from AFMentor.com

1. Log in.
2. Go to “Dashboard.”
3. Click on the “Manage” tab.
4. Click on the “Categories” tab.
5. Click on the “(add new)” link next to “Categories” or fill in the new category information at the bottom of the page.

It looks easy to setup your categories, and it is.  The problem is that you will create a category but it won’t show up on your page.  The only way to have your categories show up on your page is to have the “categories” widget on the sidebar.  AND you must create a post and check the category box that you created then click publish.  This will show your category.

How do you add the “category” widget to your sidebar?

First login then click “appearance”  Then click on the “widgets” then look for the “categories” box and drag/add it to the sidebar.  Done!

Tips & Warnings
Deleting a category does not delete the posts and links in that category. Instead, posts in the deleted category are set to the category “Uncategorized” and links are set to “Blogroll.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQvnzaqv9k8

1. Log in to your WordPress Administration Panel (Dashboard).
2. Click the Posts tab.
3. Click the Add New Sub Tab
4. Start filling in the blanks.
5. As needed, select a category, add tags, and make other selections from the sections below the post. Each of these sections is explained below.
6. When you are ready, click Publish.

How do I add photos to my post?

First you have to start with a post to begin with.  Login to your site, click on the Posts link on the left sidebar, then click Add new.  This will bring up a new page for you to start typing articles. 

Now to insert the photo

Click on the Square Icon on top of the toolbar. 

A box will pop open for you to choose your photo, you will need to browse to the file on your computer then click upload and finally select “insert into post” button and you will see it show up.

When you are done writing your post and inserting your images remember to click the “PUBLISH” button on the right hand side of your screen.

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1. Login
2. Click on the Appearance link on the left sidebar (toward the bottom left on the menu.
3. The Appearance menu will drop down extra options.  You must select Themes to view the available layouts for your site. 
4. Click the template/layout that you want to be displayed on your homepage and click Activate.

When you have choosen your new layout you can head to your site page to view the changes.  You can change your theme/layout as often as you’d like.

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