Letters

摘要

I enjoyed your recent photo collage highlighting New England's Air National Guard units. There's nothing like photos of our Air Force in action to get you pumped up ["On Guard in New England," May, p. 126]! I was disappointed that [the photo essay didn't show] occupational badges. Occupational badges have been around since before the Air Force with many coming over when they emerged from underthe Army in 1947. Those were predominantly for pilots and navigators but aerial gunners, bombardiers, flight mechanics, and turret specialists also had badges. Other occupational badges were later introduced in piecemeal fashion. Air Force functionals would act unilaterally, designing and then advocating for badge approval through the Air Force Uniform Board. In the early 1990s Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Merrill McPeak opened the badge flood gates. He directed that every Air Force career field would have an occupational badge for wear.