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  • Wing springs into new challenges

    It was a Tuesday morning, and I was at work. As a civilian here, I'm chief of operations for the 439th Communications Squadron. An email came across my screen from Brig. Gen. Steven Vautrain, which read, "...can you come to my office at 1500 today?"I quickly replied, "Yes, General," then my mind

  • Spring fever doesn’t mean losing your self-discipline

    Spring fever must be in the air. The snow is melting, the birds are returning, the squirrels are out, and self-discipline seems to be slipping. The Patriot Wing is the best wing in the Air Force, but it seems that every spring we must be reminded that we are responsible for our own actions.

  • Farewell to the Patriot Wing

    It has been an incredible journey. It began on the December A UTA in 1988 when a young airman basic drove through the gates of Westover to begin a career that would provide him many life lessons -- two of the most important being a sense of duty and loyalty.I have cultivated friendships that will

  • Perspective from 38,000 feet

    I wrote this article aboard a C-5 on the way back from the AOR on my first downrange mission as a brigadier general. While cruising at 38,000 feet over Eastern Europe I had the opportunity to reflect on some thoughts I had while watching the offload and onload of our aircraft.It was the middle of

  • You guys rock

    Two-thousand thirteen was a hard year for the Patriot Wing, but we pulled together and overcame every obstacle. The furloughs, the government shutdown, and reduced funding did not hold you back from being Leaders in Excellence.The outstanding performance of the wing was recognized by the Reserve

  • Follow through on fitness for your new year’s resolution

    If you're like most, you've probably already made a few resolutions for this upcoming year. And, one of those resolutions is probably to lose a few of those pounds you may gain over the holidays, or maybe it's to get over a 90 on your next Air Force fitness test. Well, one of my resolutions is to

  • Career on the Line

    "ARE YOU STARING AT ME? YOU WANT TO FIGHT? SHUT UP AND STAND STRAIGHT! YOU ARE TOO SLOW! HURRY UP!" Basic training's rigidness threw me out of any comfort zones I'd previously known. Upon arrival, I entered a frightening world surrounded by strangers. Every miniscule moved prompted a crisp, navy

  • What’s your role in the Patriot Wing mission?

    October marked the two-year anniversary of my arrival here. It's hard to believe it's been that long already, but in today's fast-paced, full schedule, "plugged in" way of life, time passes pretty quickly.Often, our lives can be so focused on just surviving the everyday minutia or the never ending

  • Retiring with reflections

    In the beginning they called me "Airman." Then "sergeant." In later years, I became known as "Grandpa D.," or just plain old "Pappy"... upon retirement, how do you sum up an Air Force career?You can look it up on a computer and gaze at the countless pages of numbers and dates, all neatly

  • Accident assistance, CUI efforts, highlight wing spirit

    This is an amazing wing! Thank you for your efforts in support of the 104th Fighter Wing, your performance during the CUI, and the great turnout for Family Day. It has been a busy summer. The Patriot Wing has risen to, and conquered, every challenge. The common theme throughout August and September