Commentary

As Airmen, we have taken a solemn vow to serve and protect our nation,
and I commend you for your service. With that service, however, comes
great responsibility and the necessity to make proper choices.

As my time as wing commander for Ramstein Air Base and the KMC draws to
an end, I want to thank the entire base and local community for their
unwavering support of the base and the U.S. service men and women and
family members who are so fortunate to be assigned here.

Living in a foreign country can be both exciting and challenging. While
experiencing new food and culture can be an enjoyable part of living
overseas, the language barrier can often cause frustration. Although it
can be difficult, the best way to truly immerse your self in a foreign
culture is to attempt to speak the language.

Budgeting time, energy and money when traveling can mean the difference
between returning to post-vacation routines depleted and frazzled or
refueled with a surge of endorphins. With places like Paris, Prague,
Brugge and Berlin on the list, it makes sense to prioritize. Insightful
travelers know how to carefully balance their allotted resources.

As I walked through the American cemetery at Omaha Beach, I found it
difficult to wrap my mind around a battle so large and brutal that
thousands of American Soldiers died in a single day. I imagined
thousands of Soldiers pouring onto the beaches 65 years ago; the
magnitude of the

conflict must have been overwhelming to them as well.

This one member of the Flamingo Wing is grateful to all of you!

I thank the 7,574 Fight

The life of a military child can be hard. Some people underestimate how
hard it really is to be constantly uprooted, always having to pack up
and leave right when a young person finally feels a sense of belonging.