The Airman's Creed

I've been reflecting a bit on the changing role of the United States Air Force in a war fighting capacity. For those who always thought that the Air Force was "in the rear with the gear," that may have been true in the past, but no longer! The Operations Tempo has steadily increased and many Airmen have found themselves downrange doing things they never thought the Air Force would do. We have increased joint operations with our sister services and have even back filled many Army jobs to alleviate the stress the Army has felt in recent years. As all this was coming about, a new creed was introduced that replaced all other creeds in the Air Force. It is known as the Airman's Creed and it identifies the role of every airman in the service of this great nation. Here it is:

The Airman’s Creed
I am an American Airman.
I am a Warrior.
I have answered my Nation’s call.

I am an American Airman.
My mission is to Fly, Fight, and Win.
I am faithful to a Proud Heritage,
A Tradition of Honor,
And a Legacy of Valor.

I am an American Airman.
Guardian of Freedom and Justice,
My Nation’s Sword and Shield,
Its Sentry and Avenger.
I defend my Country with my Life.

I am an American Airman.
Wingman, Leader, Warrior.
I will never leave an Airman behind,
I will never falter,
And I will not fail.

This is the creed we now live by and hopefully it will give some insight to how the Air Force is operating in this day and age of warfare.