Tag Archives: pride

Blog, Videos

Worldwide Air Force

The Air Force mission is to fly, fight, and win in air, space, and cyberspace anytime and anywhere. Every time I see images or watch video footage of my fellow Airmen I’m motivated even more to live out the Air Force core values. It’s almost like hearing your favorite song before you go to work out. After you hear the song, you are mentally prepared to accomplish your workout goals.

Here are a few videos that highlight parts of the Air Force mission from around the world that truly give insight into the amazing things Airmen are doing across the Air Force.  We’ll be sure to share more videos in the future of other Air Force missions. I chose to highlight these videos because of the job diversity shown in each video. We have more than planes in the Air Force; people assume we are all pilots or aircraft maintainers. All of the jobs in the Air Force reinforce our mission to fly, fight and win. We are truly one team! We will never falter, and we will not fail

Air Force Special Operations Command’s  primary mission is to deliver highly trained, capable and ready Airmen to conduct special operations. The mission is to organize, train and equip Airmen to execute global special operations.

The primary mission of U .S. Air Forces Pacific Air  Force (PACAF) is to deliver rapid and precise air, space and cyberspace capabilities to protect and defend the United States, its territories and our allies and partners; provide integrated air and missile warning and defense; promote interoperability throughout the Pacific area of responsibility; maintain strategic access and freedom of movement across all domains; and posture to respond across the full spectrum of military contingencies in order to restore regional security.

U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Forces Africa (USAFE) directs air operations in a theater spanning three continents, covering more than 19 million square miles, containing 104 independent states, and possessing more than a quarter of the world’s population and more than a quarter of the world’s Gross Domestic Product.

What Air Force mission intrigues you the most?

Blog

Defining her AF heritage: A military training leader’s journey

By Tech. Sgt. Quinn White
336th Training Squadron, Det. 2

Being stationed at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, there are many opportunities to venture to Washington D.C., such as when the Det. 2 staff attended the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference.

My commander and I decided one presentation we really wanted to see was Gen. Robin Rand, the Commander of Air Education and Training Command. It is not often a person can hear directly from their major command commander about the direction of the organization, and we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.

An Airman shakes hands with a survivor of the Bataan Death March
Tech. Sgt. Quinn White (then Tech. Sgt. Quinn Rakosnik), a 336th Training Squadron military training leader, visits with a survivor of the World War II Bataan Death March. (Courtesy photo)

During his speech, Gen. Rand talked about how AETC is instilling heritage into our Airmen and said something that really made me think: “History makes you smarter, but heritage makes you prouder.”

Continue reading Defining her AF heritage: A military training leader’s journey →

Blog

Top 6 Air Force pride posts for 2014

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By Staff Sgt. Antonio Gonzalez
Air Force Public Affairs Agency

Over the past week, we looked at the analytics from our Facebook page and compiled the top six Air Force pride posts from 2014. Our Saturday pride posts consist of an inspirational quote, a thought-provoking verse from a memorable song, or even a creative photo or graphic highlighting our Airmen and mission.

Check out our top pride posts, and tell us which one is your favorite!

Continue reading Top 6 Air Force pride posts for 2014 →

Blog

Pride in uniform

  

By Tech. Sgt. Samuel Morse
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Perhaps the phrase, “Have pride in your uniform,” evokes flashbacks of basic training or a particularly exacting first sergeant, but in the spirit of National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, I think we can look at this phrase in a new light.

I’m proud of my nation, my president, my Air Force and my colleagues for giving us the current state of LGBT rights in the United States. As a bisexual service member, being able to put on my uniform and live the core values of integrity, service and excellence to their truest meaning has instilled immeasurable pride in wearing that uniform. The past year has seen some significant changes to LGBT rights as a whole, but no change has been more pivotal to those of us serving in the armed forces than the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” last September.

“Because we repealed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans can serve their country openly, honestly, and without fear of losing their jobs because of whom they love,” said President Barack Obama in his proclamation of LGBT Pride Month for June 2012.

It’s hard to imagine the repeal only happened a few short months ago. Life has gained a sense of normalcy I never had thought possible prior to the repeal. Just being able to answer the question of “What did you do for fun this weekend?” openly and honestly is a breath of fresh air.

About two months ago, Tokyo had its first pride parade, which will continue annually. I walked the parade route through Harajuku and Shibuya with 11 other service members from bases around Honshu. I can’t begin to describe the feeling of walking with the 2,500-person-strong parade and seeing the 2,000 spectators, Japanese and a few Americans I recognized from base, all cheering us on and waving rainbow flags. Participating in an event like that would have been unimaginable just two years ago.

My pride isn’t limited to just the repeal of DADT, though. Obama referred to LGBT rights as simply being human rights, and said his administration continues to engage with the American and international communities to promote and protect those rights.

I attended a reception in honor of LGBT Pride Month at U.S. Ambassador John V. Roos’ house in Tokyo on June 4, and I spoke to some of the guests representing LGBT communities from around the world. It was truly eye-opening to see the great variation of acceptance people see depending on where they are born. Countries like Holland have supported LGBT equality since World War I, while other countries still consider homosexuality to be a criminal offense. As our country continues to move forward, I am incredibly thankful to be American, and to live in this age of new possibilities.

So here it is, my “pride in uniform.” I’m proud of my government and my commander-in-chief for allowing me to serve openly. I’m proud of my country for fighting for my rights just as much as I fight for theirs. I’m proud of my unit for accepting me for who I am and holding my value as an Airman above my orientation. I’m proud of my LGBT friends for showing honest solidarity as we embrace this new future. I’m proud of the rest of my friends for supporting me through the good times and especially the bad, regardless of their own orientation. Mostly, I’m proud to be a bisexual Airman serving the world’s greatest air power.

As the month of June comes to a close, be proud of the fact that we have successfully done what some have said would destroy unit cohesion and morale, while instead strengthening the bonds with our fellow service members though honesty. Be proud of those who came out of the proverbial closet to bravely fight for their rights before it was socially acceptable to do so. And, if you are part of the LGBT community, be proud of who you are, because the only person who can ultimately define your true worth is you.

Photo: U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Luke Bullard, left, and Master Sgt. Marc Maschhoff, both from Misawa Air Base, Japan, pose for a photo June 4, 2012, at the home of U.S. Ambassador John V. Roos in Tokyo. The ambassador held a reception Monday evening to commemorate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, which President Barack Obama has proclaimed each June since taking office in 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Samuel Morse)