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  • 439th Airlift Wing Commander

    Face your challenges head-on

    Welcome to the Summer of 2013! Be sure to take time to enjoy it while we continue to adapt to new challenges and accomplish our mission in an excellent manner. Sequestration and furloughs have become a reality and the pace of work does not show any sign of slowing down, but the work ethic and the resilience of the Patriot Wing are evident in
  • Spotlights, taxiing lights and the sunset illuminate the C-5 Galaxys at Westover Air Reserve Base, Chicopee, Mass., on July 7, 2012. The C-5 is able to takeoff fully loaded within 8,300ft and land within 4,900ft with 28 wheels of landing gear sharing the weight. (U.S. Air Force photo/SrA. Kelly Galloway)

    Thoroughbreds vs. pack mules

    I recently finished an organizational theories class. One of the lessons I studied was how managers treat their people, and it caught my attention. "Managers should try to ensure that people feel they are rewarded fairly in comparison to others in regards to responsibility and challenges. But some managers find it easier to rely heavily on the most
  • Lt. Col. James Bishop at the race, before the bombings.

    Marathon bombings: What emerges from the rubble

    There was a race, before the smoke and blood. At 11:50 a.m., my wife Deb and I watched the wheelchair racers turn from Hereford St. onto the home stretch of the Boston Marathon. A wave of cheering slid down Boylston Street.My son's fiancée Katie was running for the Mass. General Hospital Children's Cancer Center. Deb wanted to hurry to Heartbreak

  • Look before you leap - things to consider before enrolling in higher education

    Many Airmen join the military specifically for the education benefits. The GI Bills and Tuition Assistance have provided a tremendous opportunity to gain the education needed to compete in the 21st century. However, the path to higher education can be confusing. It is more important than ever that we provide our prospective service member students

  • Commander addresses Patriot Wing about upcoming furloughs

    Men and Women of the Patriot Wing,The Pentagon announced yesterday that furloughs for up to 11 days are scheduled to begin in early July. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel stated that - "After required notifications, we will begin the furlough period on July 8 at the rate of one furlough day per week for most personnel. We plan to continue these
  • A Westover C-5B sits on the flightline boasting its four turbofan engines which, mounted on pylons under the wings, power the C-5. Each engine pod is nearly 27 feet long, weighs 7,900 pounds and has an air intake diameter of more than 8 1/2 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo/SrA. Kelly Galloway)

    Stop and smell the roses

    Why does it happen all too often that it takes a tragedy or a life-changing event for us to realize what's most important? Trust me, I've been there. In the winter of 2004, I had to make the decision to take my father off life support. What carried me through was my faith in God and the support of my family.I think we could all agree that the
  • The month of April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate individuals on how to prevent sexual violence. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration/SrA. Kelly Galloway)

    "If it isn't you, it's the person next to you."

    "Hey sexy... you single?"I turned to see a fellow Airman in training; standing about five foot eight, dark hair and eyes. Over the next four months, I heard my fellow classmate repeat the same line more than a couple dozen times. It wasn't just me that he had an eye for; it was a handful of my new girlfriends as well. We laughed it off... all of us
  • Colonel Vautrain

    Thriving in stressful times amid sequestration

    As you know, sequestration has been enacted. Flying hours are being cut, tuition assistance has been suspended, conferences are being cancelled, and Department of Defense civilian employees must plan on being furloughed without pay for one day a week beginning in late April. These cuts will affect every civilian and ART on base directly, and

  • Questions and answers on Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    EDITOR'S NOTE: The Air Force has designated April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Maj. Carrie Baker, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for Westover, provided answers to these questions.Q. Why is April Sexual Assault Awareness Month?A. This largely resulted from work done in the 1990s by the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault which

  • Going bananas for good health

    EDITOR'S NOTE: Westover's Integrated Delivery System team provided this information. The base IDS team comprises staffs of the Airmen and Family Readiness Center, wing chaplain, 439th Aeromedical Staging Squadron mental health office, wing safety, drug demand reduction program, military equal opportunity, force support squadron, sexual assault
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