The Airman's coin is a challenge coin that is awarded to United States Air Force enlisted Airmen upon completion of Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB, Texas. [1] [2] After the award of the coin the individual is no longer referred to as "trainee," but as "Airman," marking the successful completion of the first phase of training in becoming an Airman in the United States Air Force.
The Airman's coin is used to welcome new junior enlisted into the United States Air Force as well as to give the newest members a link to the heritage of the Air Force. The Airman's coin is awarded near the end of Basic Military Training and marks the transition from trainee to Airman. [3] It is usually awarded by a Wing Commander or Command Chief Master Sergeant, but may also be awarded by other personnel such as the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force or even the trainee's own Military Training Instructor. The Airman's coin typically is the first challenge coin awarded to Airmen and is the foundation for an Airman's unique challenge coin collection. [4]
The original version of the Airman's Coin features on one side an eagle clawing its way out of the coin with the words "Aerospace Power" underneath it. The entire image is circled with the sentence "Awarded on the occasion of becoming an airman in the world's best Air Force". The reverse of the coin has a white star with a red dot in the center, known as a Hap Arnold star, flanked by a pair of wings. The symbol recalls the Air Force's roots in the Army Air Corps. The symbol is surrounded by the text of the Core Values of the Air Force: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All We Do.
The currently issued Airman's Coin replaces the eagle completely, having the new United States Air Force Symbol in its place in dark blue, itself based on the Hap Arnold star on the reverse.
Similar challenge coins are awarded to commissioned officers upon completion of their accessions training, such as successful completion of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps curriculum or Officer Training School (OTS), or graduation from the Air Force Academy.
As of 2021, the OTS challenge coin design conists of the Air Force prop and wings on the front, with the words "awarded on the occasion of becoming an officer in the world's greatest air force" surrounding. Two Hap Arnold stars break the words. The reverse contains the OTS crest, with the words "Officer Training School" and "Always with Honor" surrounding. Two Air Force symbols break the words.
The Tuskegee Airmen was a group of African American military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The name also applies to the navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks, and other support personnel. The Tuskegee airmen received praise for their excellent combat record earned while protecting American bombers from enemy fighters. The group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations.
Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique demands of military employment.
An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country. How OCS is run differs between countries and services. Typically, officer candidates have already attained post-secondary education, and sometimes a bachelor's degree, and undergo a short duration of training which focuses primarily on military skills and leadership. This is in contrast with a military academy which includes academic instruction leading to a bachelor's degree.
An airman is a member of an air force or air arm of a nation's armed forces. In certain air forces, it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank. An airman can also be referred as a soldier in other definitions. As a military rank designation the male form of address also applies to women.
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and an enclave of the city of San Antonio. It is the only site for USAF and United States Space Force enlisted Basic Military Training (BMT).
Senior airman (SrA) is the fourth enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above airman first class and below staff sergeant. The rank designation is the same for male and female. It has a pay grade of E-4. Between its approval on 30 December 1975 and 19 March 1991, senior airmen wore sleeve chevrons with blue center stars instead of silver to distinguish them from the non-commissioned officer rank of "sergeant", also a pay grade of E-4. The latter was abolished in 1991 and the blue center star was changed to white to conform to all enlisted rank chevrons.
Officer cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Air Squadron; however, these are not trainee officers with many not choosing a career in the armed forces.
The Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University.
Officer Training School (OTS) is a United States Air Force and United States Space Force commissioning program located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) is a U.S. camouflage combat uniform formerly worn by members of the United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and some civilian employees of the U.S. Department of the Air Force until April 2021. It replaced the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform on 1 November 2011 after a four-year phase-in period.
Airman Leadership School (ALS) is a 24 duty day United States Air Force program designed to develop airmen into effective front-line supervisors. It is the first professional military education that enlisted Air Force members encounter. ALS focuses on developing leadership abilities, the profession of arms, and building effective communication. ALS was established in the 1990s, replacing the Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) Preparatory Course and NCO Leadership School.
The uniforms of the United States Air Force are the standardized military uniforms worn by members of the United States Air Force to distinguish themselves from the other services.
Ramón Colón-López is a retired senior non-commissioned officer of the United States Air Force and a former pararescueman, and served as the 4th Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) from December 13, 2019 to November 3, 2023. In his role as SEAC, Colón-López was the most senior enlisted member of the United States military. In 2007 he was the only Hispanic American among the first six airmen to be awarded the newly created Air Force Combat Action Medal. He served as the Senior Enlisted Leader of United States Africa Command from September 2016 to November 2019.
United States Air Force Basic Military Training is a seven-week program of physical and combat training required in order for an individual to become enlisted into the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and United States Space Force. It is located at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
Airman first class (A1C) is the third enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above airman and below senior airman. The male form of rank designation also applies to women. The rank of airman first class is considered a junior enlisted rank, with the non-commissioned officers and senior non-commissioned officers above it.
Alfred K. Flowers is a retired United States Air Force major general who served in many roles, culminating as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget. At the time of his retirement, Flowers had served more than 46 years on active duty, making him the longest-serving airman in Air Force history and the longest serving African American in the history of the United States Department of Defense. Prior to his retirement, the enlisted members of Air Education and Training Command presented Flowers with the Order of the Sword, the Air Force enlisted force's highest honor for officer leadership.
The United States Air Force Basic Training scandal is the military sex scandal which took place at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The scandal involved 43 female trainees allegedly victimized by their instructors during and after basic military training beginning in 2009. Seventeen male instructors were accused of offenses ranging from the solicitation of improper relationships to rape, and 35 instructors were removed from their posts pending an investigation. Nine of the accused instructors belonged to the 331st Training Squadron, and squadron commander Lt. Col. Mike Paquette was removed from command in June 2012 because of the problems in his unit. In August 2012 Col. Glenn Palmer, commander of the 737th Training Group, was also relieved from his position due to the scandal.
The Space Operations Badge is an occupational badge for guardians of the United States Space Force and space airmen of the United States Air Force while the United States Army (USA) version of the badge, known as the Space Badge, is a special skills badge for soldiers who qualify as space professionals.
Staff Weather Officers (SWOs) are United States Air Force personnel tasked with providing tactical and operational meteorological support for conventional Army forces.
Members of Civil Air Patrol are assigned various ranks, the titles and insignia of which are based on those used by the United States Air Force. Each grade and insignia corresponds to an equivalent United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia and an equivalent officer rank insignia.
