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  • Kayakers leave Boiling Creek and enter the Yellow River during the first-ever Kayak tour through the Eglin Air Force Base range. The five and a half mile kayak tour took 10 people down Boiling Creek and the Yellow River deep within the Eglin range. The scenic tour showed off Eglin’s unique wild and plant life. It kicked off Eglin’s week-long Earth Day celebration. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

    Down by the river: a tributary trip through the Eglin range

    A new tradition may have started this week with the first-ever kayak tour of the Eglin range April 19.I was initially hesitant about covering the tour. The photo imagery would be great, but juggling a paddle, an eight-pound camera, backpack and an inexperienced kayaker on a 15-foot plastic boat over water, sounded nearly impossible. I was willing
  • "Rizzys Coin." (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

    The priceless reward of service – a simple thank you

    Some people question the value of service in our nation's military or whether we adequately compensate our warriors. I always remind our Airmen that the opportunity to serve our nation and a cause greater than ourselves is a priceless reward. I saw a concrete example of that priceless reward this weekend.In the midst of Eglin's largest open house
  • The newly created Eglin Energy Management Center began a contest between three of Eglin's largest buildings to see which one could conserve the most energy for a month, beginning Feb. 11. The 53rd Wing and the 308th Armament Systems Wing, occupiers of the identical six-floor buildings, are in a "heated" competition to see how they can reduce energy cost and consumption. Results will be published and the winner will be announced in March. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

    Earth Day ties into an Air Force core value

    "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." -New England proverb -- Perhaps because I grew up in a large family, the proverb above became an ingrained practice. Some people today may think this attitude is dated, as if it were pulled from a Depression-era Farmer's Almanac. For me though, this proverb expresses a value that is more
  • Senior Airman Andrew Harpole, 96th Communications Group, recently visited Washington with his wing commander and command chief. He met key Air Force leadership as well as many congressional delegates from Florida. He also recently returned from a tour in Iraq where his job was force protection. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Anthony Jennings.)

    Senior Airman meets with key leadership in DC

    Only two months ago, I sat at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, waiting on a flight home. While I was there, my duty title was Force Protection. This ranged from escorting Iraqis and Third Country Nationals (workers from countries other than the U.S. and Iraq) to guarding restricted area entry control points. We conducted random searches of living quarters
  • Michael Jago, 96th Civil Engineer Group, and his motorcycle prior to his motorcycle accident in February. Mr. Jago hit a deer while riding his motorcycle on a Range Road near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He sustained multiple injuries all over his body. He attributes his survival on luck and wearing all of the necessary protective gear. Courtesy photo.

    Eglin civilian recounts motorcycle/deer collision

    Editor's note: this is the recounting, description and analysis from Michael Jago, 96th Civil Engineer Group, who ran into a deer while on a motorcycle earlier this year.Feb. 28 was a clear and crisp Saturday afternoon.I was riding my 1100 Honda Shadow on Range Road 213. I can clearly recall right up to the point when a doe appeared to my left, and

  • Air Force Enlisted Village needs help

    When an active duty master sergeant died suddenly, he left behind a wife and four children at RAF Alconbury. With nowhere to go, this newly widowed Air Force wife was offered a home at the Air Force Enlisted Village. It would be a temporary home until they could make more permanent arrangements. Air Force Enlisted Village residents stocked the

  • March is Florida archaeology month

    Florida's diverse history and prehistory stretches back over 12,000 years. Each year in March, statewide programs and events celebrating Florida Archaeology Month are designed to encourage Floridians and visitors to learn more about the archaeology and history of the state, and to preserve these important parts of Florida's rich cultural heritage.

  • Team Lean Challenge begins again at Eglin

    Team Lean Challenge returns to Eglin with online enrollment in February.The theme is "Cleared for Take Off," and focuses on clearing the way for permanent healthy lifestyle changes which can"take off" your unwanted pounds. The program is designed to help military and civilian personnel develop healthier lifestyles. Utilizing the Health Risk

  • Relationship workshops available in Feb

    One of the most common problems in a relationship is ineffectual communication. The fact is the majority of us didn't learn relationship skills in a direct manner from qualified sources. We picked up bits of information from books, television, and people who had good intentions, but lacked expertise. Worse, some passed on advice that was negative
  • Members of the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron participate in a military honors ceremony at Barrancas National Cemetery Naval Air Station, Pensacola Fla. Courtesy photo.

    The value of family

    I often tell people I am blessed with three families: my immediate family that includes my wife, children and relatives; my spiritual family that help me stay balanced and maintain my spiritual wellness, and my military family that includes my brothers and sisters in arms.We all value our immediate family, our loved ones who support us daily, often
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