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Where America’s Pilots Begin: What Two Days at Vance Air Force Base Taught Me
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I just spent two days at Vance Air Force Base as part of my role as a Civic Leader with Air Mobility Command. I went expecting to learn about pilot training. I left thinking about something very different. I left thinking about the young men and women who are carrying far more responsibility than…
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Honoring Heroes: The Crew of the USS St. Louis Visits Stone Ledge Distillery
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There are moments when a place, a name, and a mission all come together in a way that reminds us what service, sacrifice, and community truly mean. The recent visit of the crew of the USS St. Louis (LCS-19) to Stone Ledge Distillery was exactly that kind of moment—one filled with pride, gratitude, and…
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The UK–US Alliance in the Iran Conflict: A Quiet Partnership Delivering Real Results
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At a glance, recent headlines might suggest strain in the UK–US relationship during the Iran conflict—hesitation, disagreement, even divergence. It’s a compelling narrative. It’s also incomplete. What is actually unfolding is something far more consequential: a mature alliance operating with clarity of purpose, division of responsibility, and a shared commitment to long-term stability. Not…
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From Scott to Whiteman: The Midwest Backbone of American Airpower
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When Americans think about military power, they often picture distant oceans, aircraft carriers cutting through the Pacific, or fighter jets screaming off coastal runways. But some of the most important missions protecting the United States begin far from the coasts — in the calm fields, quiet towns, and open skies of the American Midwest.…
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Honoring Our Veterans & Fallen Heroes
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This week, we pause to reflect on two solemn and deeply meaningful observances — Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth. As someone born in the UK and proud to call America home, I find this moment each November profoundly unifying. On both sides…
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St. Louis is the Future of Geospatial Collaboration
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Sitting in the front row at this past Friday’s ribbon-cutting of the new NGA campus in St. Louis, I had a distinct sense of witnessing history. This was not simply the opening of another government building; it was the unveiling of a facility designed to shape the way the United States and its allies…
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The Air Force Journey from Service to Citizenship
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As I attended a recent Air Force Basic Military Training graduation in Texas, I witnessed a moment that captured the unique role the Air Force plays not only in building warriors, but in shaping future citizens. During the coining ceremony, a group of Airmen marched in as their countries of origin were announced—dozens of…
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From Civilian to Airman: Witnessing the Transformation at Basic Military Training
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In early September, I had the honor of visiting Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, home of the 37th Training Wing and the United States Air Force’s Basic Military Training (BMT). I was there representing Scott Air Force Base as part of my role as an Air Mobility Command Civic Leader. Scott AFB is one of…
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Allies in Orbit
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Over the years I’ve seen many extraordinary examples of cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom. But earlier this month, something happened far above us—in the silence of geosynchronous orbit—that I believe will be remembered as a milestone. As reported by Greg Hadley in Air & Space Forces Magazine, a U.S. satellite…
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The Future of the Air Force Is in Good Hands: A Visit to the U.S. Air Force Academy
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As an Air Mobility Command Civic Leader representing Scott Air Force Base, I had the privilege of visiting the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Scott AFB, located just east of St. Louis, is the home of U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Air Mobility Command (AMC), and the 375th Air Mobility Wing. It…