New badge part of historic change in force support

  • Published
  • By April Rowden
  • Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  A new career badge made its debut when 57 officers graduated from the inaugural force support officer training course last month at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

After nine weeks of initial skills training, the officers are the first to showcase the badge of the new 38F Force Support Air Force Specialty Code. The AFSC, which incorporates services with the previously merged personnel and manpower career fields, came online Oct. 31.

"We wanted the badge to be unique while keeping some familiar elements from the legacy career field badges," said Capt. Thomas Oziemblowsky, who designed the badge using input from the manpower, personnel and services A1 community. "We preserved the unique history of each badge while establishing a new, distinct symbol for our new force support officers."

Armed with formal art training, it took the captain less than four hours to create more than 50 thumbnail sketches. Captain Oziemblowsky is the chief of A1 Organization in the A1 Office of Strategic Plans and Integration at the Pentagon.

The design selected by Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, incorporates the torch from the services badge and the delta from the manpower and personnel badge. The wreath around the torch and delta infuses the badge with a touch of tradition.

The images cradled in the wreath are steeped in symbolism. The globe represents the worldwide scope of operations and the diverse groups of customers the force support career field sustains. The delta signifies the link of support throughout the world. The flame represents excellence and captures the hallmark of force support organizations: strength, vigilance, spirit and camaraderie.

Captain Oziemblowsky and his teammates hope the new badge will help capitalize on the camaraderie forming under the new AFSC.

"There's lots of pride in being the first officers to go through this class and earn the badge," said graduate 2nd Lt. Emily Shanes from the 4th Force Support Squadron at Seymour-Johnson AFB, N.C.

Class leader Lt. Col. George Fenimore said the badge was embraced by the newly minted force support officers.

"There's a natural pride in wearing one's original badge, so changing badges brings out mixed emotions. But we've worked hard in a variety of ways to earn this badge," said the former instructor pilot assigned to the Active Guard and Reserves Readiness Management Group at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

In 2006, Air Force officials began merging the manpower, personnel and services career fields to streamline programs responsible for "all things people," including taking care of families and everything in between. The 38F IST course brings together skill sets from all three career fields to give the deployment-ready graduates a broader scope of knowledge, making them even more valuable to Airmen and commanders.

"The officers wearing this distinctive new badge are part of history," said Mark Doboga, Director of Plans and Integration at the Pentagon. "Their proud display of the badge not only signifies that the Air Force continually looks for innovative ways of doing things more efficiently, it serves as a tangible manifestation of our force support officers becoming key advisors to their commanders on all things impacting the lives of our Airmen."

Officers possessing the legacy 37F Manpower and Personnel and 34M Services occupational badges will discontinue wearing those occupational badges by Aug. 1. Starting immediately, but no later than Aug. 1, the 38F Force Support occupational badge will be worn. It will be displayed centered 1/2 inch above the top row of ribbons or left pocket. 

Officers will earn the basic 38F Force Support badge after graduating from IST. The officers will wear the senior badge after seven years in the specialty and the master badge after 15 years in the specialty.

The force support officers will maintain the badge level attained in their legacy career field - basic, senior or master - when they transition to the 38F badge.

The badges should be available for purchase at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service in early 2009.