Airman basic

United States Air Force rank
Airmen basic march in column formation as part of their graduation ceremony at Lackland Air Force Base.
In October 2000, airmen basic stand in formation, awaiting graduation. An airman basic wears no rank insignia.

Airman basic (AB) is the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force immediately below airman. The male form of rank designation also applies to women. The pay grade for airman basic is E-1.[1]

As opposed to all other USAF enlisted and officer ranks, airman basic has no rank insignia affiliated.[1][2] The lack of uniform insignia for airman basic is the reason for the nickname "slick-sleeve"; all other enlisted Air Force ranks wear stripes and chevrons on their uniform sleeves.[3]

In accordance with Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2618, The Enlisted Force Structure, the term of address for an airman basic is "Airman Basic" or "Airman".[4]

History

When the U.S. Air Force was split from the U.S. Army on July 26, 1947, it inherited the U.S. Army's enlisted ranks; the lowest U.S. Air Force enlisted rank became "private" (falling immediately below private, E-2), which wore no rank insignia.[5]

In March 1952, the Air Council and United States Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt Vandenberg adopted a number of changes to the U.S. Air Force enlisted rank structure that had been recommended by studies made in 1950 and 1951. On April 24, 1952, Air Force Regulation 39-36 was published, changing the name of the lowest enlisted U.S. Air Force rank to "basic airman"—whose holders still bore no insignia—immediately below the new "airman third class".[5]

On February 5, 1959, the new Air Force regulation governing the titles of enlisted ranks was released; the only change being direction that the title for E-1 was changed from "basic airman" to "airman basic".[5]

Promotion from airman basic

Under normal circumstances, airmen basic are eligible for promotion to airman (E-2) after six months' time in grade (TIG). However, individuals enlisting for six years are promoted from AB to airman first class (A1C) upon completion of either technical training (or 20 weeks thereof) or the indoctrination course for combat control or pararescue.

Demotion to airman basic

If an airman of E-2 or higher rank is court-martialed and convicted of an offense or crime, s/he may be demoted to airman basic, with or without being discharged (dishonorably or otherwise) from the service.

In accordance with AFI 36-2502, Airman Promotion Program, all promotions from AB require that an airman's immediate commanding officer approve the promotion in writing before he or she may assume it.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Department of Defense Enlisted Rank Insignias". U.S. Department of Defense Official Website. United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 17 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  2. ^ "Air Force Grade and Insignia". Air Force Link. United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  3. ^ Partridge, Eric; Tom Dalzell; Terry Victor (2005-12-05). "slick-sleeve". The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. TF-ROUTL. p. 1779. ISBN 978-0-415-25938-5. Retrieved 2008-08-02. a US Army private E-1; a US Air Force airman basic; a police recruit; 'slick' because he has no stripes on his sleeve
  4. ^ SMSgt Ronnie L. Murphy (1 December 2004). "Attachment 2". The Enlisted Force Structure (PDF). United States Secretary of the Air Force, United States Air Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008. This instruction defines the enlisted force structure, establishes enlisted leadership and development levels, specifies responsibilities of each enlisted rank within the structure, establishes official terms of address for Air Force enlisted personnel, describes special SNCO positions, and standardizes duty titles.
  5. ^ a b c TSgt Spink, Barry L. (1992-02-19). "A Chronology of the Enlisted Rank Chevron of the United States Air Force". Air Force Historical Research Agency. p. 22. Archived from the original (Scribd) on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  6. ^ SSgt Jeremy Gill (2002-08-06). "paragraph 2.1". Airman Promotion Program (PDF). Colonel D. Vande Hey, HQ Air Force Personnel Center (HQ AFPC/DPP). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2008-08-02. This instruction implements Air Force Policy Directive 36-25, Military Promotion and Demotion. Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 apply to all Air Force (AF) active duty enlisted.
  • v
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United States enlisted ranks
Branch of service
 E-1 E-2 E-3 E-4 E-5 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-9 Special
Army
 Private
PVT 		Private 2
PV2 		Private first class
PFC 		Specialist Corporal
SPC – CPL 		Sergeant
SGT 		Staff Sergeant
SSG 		Sergeant first class
SFC 		Master Sergeant First Sergeant
MSG – 1SG¹ 		Sergeant Major Command Sergeant Major
SGM – CSM 		Sergeant Major of the Army Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
SMA – SEAC
Marine Corps
 Private
Pvt 		Private first class
PFC 		Lance Corporal
LCpl 		Corporal
Cpl 		Sergeant
Sgt 		Staff Sergeant
SSgt 		Gunnery Sergeant
GySgt 		Master Sergeant First sergeant
MSgt – 1stSgt¹ 		Master Gunnery Sergeant Sergeant Major
MGySgt – SgtMaj 		 Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
SMMC – SEAC
Navy
 Seaman recruit
SR 		Seaman apprentice
SA 		Seaman
SN 		Petty Officer Third Class
PO3 		Petty Officer Second Class
PO2 		Petty Officer first class
PO1
CPO 		Senior Chief Petty Officer Command Senior Chief Petty Officer
SCPO – CMDCS 		Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer / Force Master Chief Petty Officer
MCPO – CMDCM – FORCM, FLTCM 		Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
MCPON – SEAC
Air Force
 Airman basic
AB 		Airman
Amn 		Airman first class
A1C 		Senior Airman
SrA 		Staff Sergeant
SSgt 		Technical sergeant
TSgt 		Master Sergeant Master Sergeant
MSgt – 1st Sgt¹ 		Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant
SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ 		Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant Command Chief Master Sergeant
CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM 		Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
SEANGB – CMSAF – SEAC
Space Force
 Specialist 1
Spc1 		Specialist 2
Spc2 		Specialist 3
Spc3 		Specialist 4
Spc4 		Sergeant
Sgt 		Technical sergeant
TSgt 		Master sergeant
MSgt 		Senior master sergeant
SMSgt 		Chief master sergeant
CMSgt 		Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Space Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
CMSSF – SEAC
Coast Guard
 Seaman Recruit
SR 		border
SA 		border
SN 		Petty Officer Third Class
PO3 		Petty Officer Second Class
PO2 		Petty Officer first class
PO1 		Chief Petty Officer
CPO 		Senior Chief Petty Officer
SCPO 		Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Area Command Master Chief Petty Officer, CMC Reserve
MCPO – CMC – DMCPOCG2 		Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
MCPOCG
  1. For the Army and Air Force, first sergeants are temporary and lateral ranks and are senior to their non-diamond counterparts, while Marine Corps first sergeants have no lateral movement within paygrade and is a permanent rank.
  2. The rank insignia is used by other Coast Guard senior enlisted leaders.