Commanders have until February 21 to review their units’ emblems, moral badges, slogans, nicknames, coins and other heraldics and insignia and remove anyone who is racist, sexist or derogatory, the Air Force announced on Tuesday.
Starting at squadron level and moving upward, commanders must abolish derogatory symbols “of any race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, age or disability to ensure an inclusive and professional environment”, according to a Force memo Air Chief of Staff General Charles “CQ” Brown, Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett and General John “Jay” Raymond, chief of the Space Force.
“It is essential for the Air Force Department to incorporate an environment of dignity, respect and inclusion for all aviators and tutors,” says the memo, according to a service statement. “Our core values require us to maintain high standards and maintain a culture of respect and trust in our chain of command.”
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Air Force Instruction 84-105, last updated in 2019, guides units on how to best recognize their organizational lineage, honors and heraldry. Commanders should consult with AFI – which emphasizes that the symbols and language must be original, “tasteful and not controversial” – and its local historian, the statement said.
Derogatory language and symbolism “condemn our teammates, undermining the unit’s cohesion and impeding our readiness and success for the mission,” according to the memo. “Our diversity of experiences, culture, demographics and perspectives is a force multiplier and essential to our success in this dynamic global environment. … We must ensure that all of our aviators and guardians are valued and respected.”
It was not immediately clear whether the latest memo applies to personal call signs – usually given to fighter pilots. In 2019, the Navy created a new process to approve and review pilots’ call signs after two black airmen from an F / A-18 Hornet training squad in Virginia filed complaints alleging racial prejudice at the unit.
The Air Force had its own problems with call signs: an airman received an inappropriate call signal from other airmen during a drinking game in 2018, which surfaced when officers examined reports of a separate threatening incident at 47th Training Wing Flight at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
Last year, the Air Force announced that it had removed all “all-male references” in its official song, known as “Wild Blue Yonder”, which is traditionally sung before service events. In September, the Force encouraged airmen to submit ideas for improvements to uniforms, appearance patterns, badges and patches and even jewelry. Both efforts aim to create a more inclusive culture among the ranks.
The memorandum on the symbols comes in the same week as the service’s latest initiative to track less demographic disciplinary actions to ensure impartiality.
The service said on Wednesday that it will collect data on how Space Force airmen and guardians who receive administrative advice, warnings or reprimands are treated, including a comparison based on classification, age, gender, race and ethnicity.
– I hope that Hodge Seck contributed to this report.
– Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @ Oriana0214.
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