Football fan CMSAF Rodney McKinley uses a football analogy, specifically the need for performing the basics of blocking and tackling well to highlight a leadership message in his latest “The Enlisted Perspective.” In his words, “At [basic military training] and technical training [airmen] learn the basics, or blocking and tackling. … As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure those basics our airmen learned are reinforced every day. … Leaders never walk by a problem. If you do, you are now part of the problem. You must never miss the opportunity to provide feedback to our airmen, positive or negative.”
Billy Mitchell: Lessons a Hundred Years Hence
Dec. 16, 2025
Exactly 100 years ago, on Dec. 17, 1925, Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell was convicted by court-martial for violating an order that required approval before he could engage with the media. Mitchell’s provocative thoughts and unorthodox methods sought attention for a cause that he saw as uniquely American.
