Talk:United States Air Force officer rank insignia

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During the 1990s, the USAF began using uniform striping similar to that of the Navy. This apparently proved unpopular and was abolished with five or six years. Interestingly, ALL information about this bit of Air Force history seems to have disappeared from the Web. Does anyone know where to find it? w6uab@arrl.net

I saw the sleeve stripes at the NROTC unit at the University of Minnesota. Next time I have a chance I should get them. --Mtnerd 17:19, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

USAF sleeves The sleeve stripes the Air Force tried to use were the same as current U.S. Navy, but silver on blue and no marking above the stripes. --Mtnerd 18:21, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Brigadier General

I've often wondered why a service without brigades uses this rank. McGehee 01:01, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

It's just tradition; carried over directly from the Army since the Air Force started out as part of the Army. 65.23.190.125 21:17, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

I added information about the sleeve stripes which were asked about above, and also something to address McGehee's question about brigadier generals. Since the article has so much more information now, I un-stubbed it. PubliusFL 23:52, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Correct epaulets

The pictures on this page are incorrect. The US Air Force epaulets have a thin silver stripe for Majors-Colonels (to signify Field Grade Officers) and a wide silver stripe for all generals. In addition, the ranks are not tapered as shown, they are straight. If anyone has pictures of the correct shoulderboard ranks, plesae put them in.

I think you misunderstand what the images are depicting. These are not the slide-on rank tabs worn on the light blue shirt, they're stylized depictions of the service dress jacket epaulets. The jacket epaulets are tapered, and do not have the silver stripes you describe. See the photo of Gen. Jumper in the article. PubliusFL 05:48, 21 March 2007 (UTC)