JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
One of the biggest complaints I hear from the base population is when someone gets corrected for a uniform violation, "Staff sergeant so-and-so jumped all over me because my pockets were unbuttoned" or "Why does Lt. Shiny care if I wear my pink cell phone clip while in uniform?" The short answer would be because Air Force Instruction 36-2903 dictates the minimum standards of dress and appearance for members of the United States Air Force, but why all the exacting details over something as mundane as how we dress?
When asked this question, the first thing that comes to my mind is that everyone here is an employee of the Federal Government. Given that ours is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people," the local civilian population could be seen as our employer. They pay the taxes which feed, house and clothe us, so we owe it to them to show that we are good stewards of their investment. Presenting a sloppy, unkempt appearance undermines the public's trust in the profession of arms. It calls into question our ability to protect our nation from those who would do it harm.
The second thing I think about is that properly maintaining your uniform is the first step in each Airman's quest for excellence. To know the standard is good, but to actively strive to exceed that standard is one thing that every single member of the Air Force has in their personal control. You often prejudge people based on your first impression and a large part of that impression is appearance. When you see a sharp looking uniform, you are looking for the sharp Airman inside it. You expect someone who has a desire to succeed and demands results from themselves. Someone looking like they just crawled out of their duffle bag starts at a disadvantage.
In the end, the way you choose to present yourself is entirely your choice, but here are a few observations from my eighteen years of service:
· Individuals who pay attention to the details of their appearance pay more attention to the details of everything they do.
· Airmen who take great pride in their professional appearance go to great lengths to reinforce the first impression they make.
· When your base population presents a polished appearance in the local community, the civilians welcome the military with open arms. When we fall short of their expectations, they start questioning our commitment to their community.
· People who look good in their uniform feel good about themselves and project that positive attitude throughout their duty section, often infecting their co-workers with a productive and positive attitude.
Everyone graduates from some type of initial military training; Basic Military Training, Officer Training School or the Academy. On your graduation day when you looked around at the members of your flight, do you remember how sharp you all looked together? Element after element of Airmen, proud to be the newest members of the U.S. Air Force; one team, ready to go, looking sharp and exceeding the standards. What makes today different?