Air Force Has Troops Remove Names, Unit Patches from Uniforms During Deportation Flights
Air Force Has Troops Remove Names, Unit Patches from Uniforms During Deportation Flights
The Air Force is the only one of the military branches involved in President Donald Trump's mandated border mission to not disclose publicly the number of service members or what units they're coming from.
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Hey gang, I'm very closely related to this field and wanted to share some insight into this!
This is VERY COMMON practice for these situations. The idea is not to cover up inhumane tactics, but protect our personnel. While I'm sure a majority of these individuals are simple illegal immigrants who have no ill intentions, there are criminal gangs being caught up in this. Not the entire gang is being picked up, just the illegal immigrants. So the policy of removing identification from the uniforms is to protect the military member and their family.
These commands come from the highest level, meaning each individual service member is not making the decision for themselves, but they are being commanded as a whole. Much as some might not like the connotations associated with this, it is a common practice and relevant due to the stated purpose of these missions.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and informing us that cowardly evasion of accountability in the execution of inhumane operations is a common practice in the service. Some folks out there might not have suspected this already.
They're just rounding up the dangerous Jews, I mean illegal immigrants. Everybody relax.
This is VERY COMMON practice for these situations.
Maybe it shouldn't be. You know, what with accountability being a thing that people should be held to...
Not wearing nametapes has been a thing for decades, long before Trump was president.
Maybe it shouldn’t be. You know, what with accountability being a thing that people should be held to…
I think the main problem people are having is that they are being used to enforce domestic policy within the United States, which is not normal at all and is arguably illegal.
Ok so you obviously don't know what you're talking about. There are a lot of people in OPs image but only 4 are Air Force personnel, see if you can spot them.
That would probably be a lot easier if they didn't remove all of their patches. Huh...
Not really considering they're wearing multicams.
Oh right, I forgot that if you are in the Air Force, that is the only possible way you can dress at all times. Never does anyone in the Air Force ever wear anything other than that.
Why else would I be making so many comments?
Then you would know that not everyone on the plane would be wearing multicam.
It's a bit too blurry to be sure, but I'm pretty sure the guy standing to the right in the back next to the console with what looks like a patrol cap is more than likely the loadmaster and would be wearing a flight suit and over jacket.
Higher quality photo along with a gallery located here: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8840870/department-defense-augments-us-customs-and-border-protection-removal-flight-efforts
There are a lot of people in OPs image but only 4 are Air Force personnel, see if you can spot them.
What does the percent of people in the picture being in the service have to do with anything......? We're talking about federal military members being ordered by the executive to enforce domestic policy, which is illegal.
Are you purposely being obtuse, or are you really this dumb?
And yes, I can spot the Air Force personnel..... I've spent 18 years living on AFB all over the country and abroad, my dad was a SMSgt.
We're talking about federal military members being ordered by the executive to enforce domestic policy, which is illegal.
The Air Force is not enforcing domestic policy here. If you see Airman out on the streets arresting people then you'd have a point. That's why I mentioned the 6 agents. The USAF is providing logistical support (yes they bring their own security too, the 4 in multicams).
If you disagree please look it up yourself.
The Air Force is not enforcing domestic policy here. If you see Airman out on the streets arresting people then you'd have a point.
I don't think you have any kind of authority to really substantiate that particular semantic dispute.
I'm sure we'll probably see it brought before a court at some point, but I would argue that if the policy isn't possible to execute without the logistical support of the military then the military is crucial to the enforcement of the policy.
The armed forces can’t execute law domestically. The question driving the discussion here is what exactly constitutes “executing law.” According to DoD policy, the armed forces are prohibited from performing the following law enforcement activities:
- interdiction of a vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other similar activity
- a search or seizure;
- an arrest; apprehension; stop and frisk; engaging in interviews, interrogations, canvassing, or questioning of potential witnesses or suspects; or similar activity;
- using force or physical violence, brandishing a weapon, discharging or using a weapon, or threatening to discharge or use a weapon except in self-defense, in defense of other DoD persons in the vicinity, or in defense of non-DoD persons, including civilian law enforcement personnel, in the vicinity when directly related to an assigned activity or mission;
- evidence collection; security functions; crowd and traffic control; and operating, manning, or staffing checkpoints;
- surveillance or pursuit of individuals, vehicles, items, transactions, or physical locations, or acting as undercover agents, informants, investigators, or interrogators; and
- forensic investigations or other testing of evidence obtained from a suspect for use in a civilian law enforcement investigation
According to DoD policy, the armed forces are prohibited from performing the following law enforcement activities:
This article is limited to national guard personnel, active duty troops have even more limitations to domestic operations. Which is why national guard units were utilized to "secure the border", and not actual active duty service members.
Applies to National Guard (NG) personnel in Reference (d) status only. e. Applies to civilian employees of the DoD Components and the activities of DoD contractors performed in support of the DoD Components.
This is VERY COMMON practice for these situations.
No, no it's not. Maybe when operating in dangerous missions while deployed overseas.... While working on American soil? No.
None of the other branches being ordered to do similarly sketchy quasi unconstitutional work have removed their identifiers, none of the other branches have opted to classify the work they are doing.
The Air Force has a pretty well known history of racism, rape, and Christian nationalist in their command structure. Out of all the branches it doesn't surprise me at all that the Air Force is the branch falling over itself to follow trump's orders.
Out of all the branches it doesn't surprise me at all that the Air Force is the branch falling over itself to follow trump's orders.
I'm not sure how you can imply that you're familiar with how the military operates and then say something as ignorant as this.
All branches of the military "fall over themselves" to follow the orders of the President. That's literally how the chain of command works.
Be upset at Trump for assigning shit missions, but it's incredibly ignorant to attack any specific branch of the military for following lawful orders.
What do you picture the alternative to be? That some Airman should get himself court marshalled for refusing the order to remove his name and unit patch?
Could you explain how transporting people to their country of origin is an illegal order?
Or, maybe explain how you would handle the order as an enlisted soldier?
Be upset at Trump for assigning shit missions, but it's incredibly ignorant to attack any specific branch of the military for following lawful orders.
They are going above and beyond the assignment of the mission. As I said, the other branches have received similar orders but have made what they are doing public, and have not decided to operate anonymously.
That some Airman should get himself court marshalled for refusing the order to remove his name and unit patch?
Did I criticize the airman? No, I specifically criticized their command.
Could you explain how transporting people to their country of origin is an illegal order?
The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385, original at 20 Stat. 152) signed on June 18, 1878, by President Rutherford B. Hayes that limits the powers of the federal government in the use of federal military personnel to enforce domestic policies within the United States.
No, no it’s not.
Yes it is, those are Fly Away Security Teams (FAST) or Ravens. Go look it up, 95% of the official Air Force photos of FAST/Raven show people without nametapes, example taken from here.
Furthermore:
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I can just take my top off if it's not too hot. My t-shirt does not have a nametape
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I can just buy a nametape that says "Smith" or something common and you wouldn't know the difference.
And how often are they operating on American soil.......?
24/7
The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385, original at 20 Stat. 152) signed on June 18, 1878, by President Rutherford B. Hayes that limits the powers of the federal government in the use of federal military personnel to enforce domestic policies within the United States.
Possie Comitatus has nothing to do with aircraft security.
Who said anything about aircraft security.....?
They are being ordered to enforce domestic policy on us soil, which is exactly what the law is made to prevent.
Who said anything about aircraft security
Me, I did. That's what Fly Away Security Teams do, that's what the USAF uses to secure it's aircraft, domestically and abroad.
Lol, do you think the plane is flying itself? The security of the plane isn't a problem, the problem is the mission of the plane in the first place.
You're moving the goal posts. The Air Force isn't enforcing domestic policy. They're operating an aircraft to provide logistics for other federal agencies.
The other agencies are enforcing domestic policy, not the Air Force. The people are not in the custody of the Air Force and they were not captured by the Air Force. ICE is simply using the Air Force equipment as transport and Air Force personnel operate and secure that equipment.
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Being in America without paperwork isn't a criminal charge, it is civil, so they aren't even here illegally, by the definition of the law. They are undocumented immigrants, not illegal.
The Nazis are trying to change the narrative to make it sound like there's an evil scary cabal of people trying to destroy out country, to move the arrow away from pointing at the Nazis in power.
We're just trying to hide our identity while committing crimes acting on orders from the Criminal in Chief because all of our white robes and hoods turned pink due to a MAGA cap that somehow ended up in the wash.
Got it.
Fly Away Security Teams/Ravens haven't been wearing nametapes for decades, this is nothing new.
They always have another option: walk away.
That is literally not an option for a very large majority of these service members. That'll be an Article 15 for sure, maybe a courtmartial.
Yes, the people made to assist the Nazis in the 1930s/40s had to make some tough decisions too.
Taking an Article 15 or court-martial instead of participating in massive civil rights violations not only absolutely is an option, but it's the only ethical one!
They executed Nazis who were "just following orders."
Rightfully so.
No, they executed Nazis for operating death camps.
They did not execute for "just following orders", aka Nuremberg Defense.
As it turns out, soldiers in all militaries follow orders every day without being executed.
Unless you're going to explain how removing a unit patch and name tag, or transporting people to their country of origin is worthy of execution, I'm not sure that you have an argument.
Resigning ones commission is exactly the type of meaningful protest that is needed. Nazis soldiers got pay and retirement benefits as well but tough things are tough to do. It sorta cracks me up because you say literally not an option and then present the very literal options they have.
What’s your favorite film? Starship Troopers? Go back to reddit.stormfront.
I get what you mean but Starship Troopers is a critique of war and militarized states.
My sibling in Kristallnacht, a militarized/police state is exactly what this is. This is war turned inward. This is what fascism looks like. This is fascism.
They’re starting with (mostly non-European) immigrants and trans people, and so on.
The Independent: Trump State Department official has repeatedly called for mass sterilization of ‘low-IQ trash’
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a CommunistThen they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a SocialistThen they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionistThen they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a JewThen they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for meWe might be talking about different things. I’m just saying that Starship Troopers is an anti-war film and most of the people who like it are fairly liberal.
Yes. My point was that the type of people who think it’s reasonable for troops to hide their identities are the same people for whom Verhoeven’s satirical fascism goes over their heads.
Ah. Now I understand. I think those people prefer more naked propaganda like “American Sniper” though.
Doesn't seem like it, but OK. It's not a big deal.
Hell or High Water. Fantastic utilization of visuals combined with smooth and enjoyable music. Love the whole trilogy, but this is my favorite of them.
Gross.
I'm far more concerned with the safety of people trying to survive than the bullies holding guns
Every individual has the power to make a decision even if that decision would exit them from the situation. Maybe more people should stand up to authoritarians
