27 Sep 2013

'Bear' essentials: lock up food before winter -- natural resources mgr.

It's that time of year when black bears near the Academy prepare to hibernate by foraging around the clock, consuming up to 20,000 calories a day. Using their keen sense of smell and memory, bears easily find food before they hibernate and will regularly return to the same area in the spring unless the food source is eliminated.Bears commonly

5 Sep 2013

Integrity's healing power

Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. This I learned in 1989, as a U.S. Air Force Academy freshman. It was impossible for me to know at the time how much this truism would help me during the most difficult challenge of my life -- surviving and rehabilitating from two strokes.At the time of my strokes, I was in my 20th

18 Jul 2013

It's too easy to find parking

Most mornings, you're going to have an interesting time finding a parking spot near Harmon Hall unless you have a reserved space. That's not the case anymore. The first Friday after sequestration furloughs took effect, parking spaces were too easy to find. It's a symbolic reminder that offices around the Air Force Academy -- and every other

15 Jul 2013

Train to fight, fight to win

When most civilians think of the Air Force, I'd bet the first image that comes to their mind is a fighter jet hurtling through the sky at Mach 3, no doubt piloted by a chiseled officer with movie-star looks who goes by the call-sign "Caveman", "Razor", or "Swamp Thing."This is to be expected -- we are after all the "Air" Force, so the last thing

8 Jul 2013

Lorenz on Leadership: Starting a wonderful journey

I recently had the honor of attending the swearing-in ceremony for the Class of 2017 here at the Academy. Looking east across the Cadet Area past Vandenberg Hall, I was struck by the large size and beauty of the garrison flag blowing in the slight breeze. Behind me, standing at the top of the class wall were thousands of proud, cheering parents,

24 Jun 2013

Our commitment, our community

For most of us at the Academy, June 11 was a regular workday until word spread there was a fire in Black Forest. From our vantage on the third floor of Harmon Hall, we watched a thin grey column of smoke rapidly grow into a dark wall. We took turns looking through binoculars, but soon realized we didn't need any help to see the flames rapidly

6 Jun 2013

Thank you Team USAFA!

Paula and I want you all to know how thrilled we are over the entire team's performance throughout the year, culminating in last week's graduation activities for the Class of 2013! Even in the midst of sequestration and all the associated hardships - civilian furloughs, hiring freezes, operational and maintenance spending cutbacks, limited

16 Apr 2013

Lorenz on Leadership: A chance encounter

As a leader, you must always be observant of what is going on around you. Literally you need to observe, listen and sense in a 360 degree circle in real time. To truly be effective, you need to have your radar up and running at all times because you never know when you can make a difference.Recently, I was walking to my car after a meeting with the

1 Apr 2013

On Founders' Day, Academy reflects on history

The United States Air Force Academy features some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere, the perfect confluence of nature and man. The rugged natural beauty evident on the 18,455-acre Academy reservation remains largely as it was centuries, even millennia, ago. In stark contrast, the majestic buildings of aluminum, steel and glass look

22 Feb 2013

Cadets reap benefits of international partnership

Last summer, I had the chance to participate in the Diversity Office's Ambassadors of Inclusion program. This program, for the first time, added a program to the Academy's repertoire that focuses solely on a cadet's ability to work in a different culture and with different people. The AOI program took my international understanding and leadership