No Fly Boy!

Having never been assigned to an Air Force Base while on active duty, being now assigned to serve airmen is a new experience. There is a new language and I've begun to work with a "translator" (a person who is helping me translate my army language and understanding to air force language and understanding. I know all planes have wings and Moody Air Force Base has more than one "wing commander." But does that mean every plan with two wings has two "wing commanders?" NOT! There is a difference and I have to understand it. Hey! That sounds like what we do in relationships. We try to communicate but sometimes don't get the idea that what we say does not have the same meaning to the other person. Sometimes there are cultural differences (I'm from Ohio, my wife is from Alabama!), or language (parts of the US or the world), or gender; maybe even age, as parents and children try to understand one another. (Ever try to communicate clearly with a teenager? Very challenging.) The idea I've learned here is that if I keep talking "army" pretty soon no one will talk with me. I can't have that, so I learn the language of the other person. Cool idea I think for couples and families. Dr. D.

Packin' Up Gettin' Ready to Go!

It is almost that time again when another journey begins. Wednesday morning I will hop in my car rental and find my way to Moody Air Force Base. It is an adventure I am not accustomed to since I will be serving the Air Force. Now, I've depended on the Air Force before. Flown with them many times (how else did I get there?). But I have not had the opportunity to serve them exclusively. new language, new people, and likely no one there I know. I guess you can teach old dogs new tricks! So, every time you're tempted to say "that's just the way I do it" or "I've always done it that way and I'm not gonna change no!" Forget about it! Change is easy and essential. See you in Georgia! Dr. D.