Balancing duty and family

(Lt. Col. Ronald Pieri is the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron commander at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska)

Men and Women of the 611 CES,

As the Air Force observes 2009 as the “Year of the Air Force Family,” please take a moment to consider what that means to you. More importantly, how can you make the phrase more than just a catchy slogan? For many of you, more time is spent with your coworkers than your families. As a result and though no fault of your own, the family’s perception might be that work is more important than family. A delicate balance for me at times but I swear to my wife, nothing is further from the truth. I rely on Carrie completely; making the daily decisions that need to be handled, taking care of the children’s school, medical appointments, social gatherings etc … Without her, I could not serve our country or this squadron. So during this holiday season, here are a few of the things I’ll do with my family...

1. Finish the project I’ve been putting off for most of the football season
2. Learn how to snowboard with my kids and teach them a board game other than Monopoly
3. Take my wife to see a scary movie
4. Have dinner together as a family … at the same time … at the table
5. Tell them how much they mean to me

Nothing earth shattering, expensive or time consuming but often activities like the ones listed above are neglected, or kicked down the road for a more convenient time. When will that time come? As decisions are being made regarding force projection in Afghanistan, we may soon transition from 1:1 posture to 1:1 execution.

In short, take the necessary time now and show your family you love them. I look forward to celebrating Christmas and wish all of you a warm and peaceful holiday season.