We Are Airmen

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt.Theresa Meyer
  • 9th Medical Group
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Not very long ago, I reviewed an EPR that had a bullet showcasing someone's contribution to a training endeavor. The impact meant to capture the number of personnel trained from different branches of service, and I noted the supervisor referred to Army personnel as "Soldiers," Navy personnel as "Sailors," and Air Force personnel as "AF members." What!? I thought I might lose my mind for a moment, but then decided to pay attention instead.

Here's what I found: I heard the sergeant major call his staff "Soldiers"--every single time; I heard the master chief proudly speak of his "Sailors"--every single time. Then, as I listened to Air Force leaders at all levels in my organization, I heard our Airmen referred to as "members" repeatedly, "troops" occasionally, "bodies" periodically, and "Airmen" rarely. Even the Soldiers and Sailors called us Airmen, but we opted for an innocuous third-person noun that did little to convey who and what we really are. My unit wasn't unique either; I heard the same thing in both wing meetings and in casual conversation.

It has been said that words have meaning and names have power. The word "Airmen" derives from the nature of what we do: dominate the air, something we've been doing since 1947. We do it well, and our nation relies on us to do it. The word "Airmen" connects us with our past because it inspires us to recall the rich history of our service. The Tuskegee Airmen are an important part of that history, and we would never dream of calling them "The Tuskegee Members" because it would be a disservice to what they accomplished, to their sacrifice, to their contributions to what makes us the greatest air force. The name "Airmen" conveys what is important; it pays proper respect; and it represents our values. It's time we use it.

Years ago the CSAF released a Roll Call introducing The Airman's Creed, which superseded all other creeds and was seen as an initiative to instill Airman Culture and language into our vernacular. It was successful to some degree. Basic Military Training took things a step further and now culminates in The Airman's Coin Ceremony, an event steeped in tradition in which trainees earn "the right to be called Airman," as the BMT Web site points out. CMSAF James Cody has reinstituted Roll Calls, and refers to us as "Airmen"--every single time. In fact, in the January 2014 Roll Call, he used the words "Airman" or "Airmen" 14 times. He even calls our civilian employees "Civilian Airmen." It's time for us to follow his example. We've earned this title, and we as Airmen deserve the respect that goes with it.