Congrats fellow new Airmen! I understand DOD is consolidating branches to 1 combat uniform. The previous AF ABU uniform was far superior in design & most importantly, RANK RECOGNITION, left-right-center we used to be able to SEE the USAF chevrons. Now I cant identify an officer or enlisted member's rank until I'm in breathing distance of them, if enlisted the chevrons require a microscope. I served '91-'99 when major rank change took place. At that time, AF all had flight patches, but converted back to sleeve larger stripes. Those are critical, especially for identifying & saluting officers. It's extremely difficult & looks terrible. Adding full size sleeve chevrons (in addition to the current tiny chest rank) would look better, identify USAF from other services, yet still stay as consistent as DOD's current desire for uniformity. Likewise each branch could add their large sleeve rank insignia. It's currently a horrible mess. Also theres plenty of bleachers avail for a restricted # of graduate guests including social distance. Airmen not in closed ranks certainly are in an open air venue sufficient for removal of masks at least for identification of Airmen during the recorded online ceremony...let families SEE their grass, we're giving them to you, let us see them, at a minimum during open ranks. TIs can keep masks since they're moving w/coins, but Airmen ARE far enough apart for safe breathing freedom for visual identification!. Lackland ceremonies went back & forth w/mask during COVID, but trainees will stop enlisting if simple accommodations cant be made for 10 mins after 8.5 weeks of training.
i remember my coin ceremony was at my squadron (324 TRS FLT 201 wya)...still was the best feeling achieving that goal i set for myself and now im a little over a month away from getting to my first base. congratulations airmen
