MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Author's note: The views expressed are solely those of the author.
At some point, we started adding adjectives to the title Airman.
Over the years, I've seen several versions. There was the Mission-Ready Airman, the Multi-Capable Airman, the Agile Airman, the Expeditionary Airman and, most recently, the Air-Minded Airman. The intent behind these labels has always been good. They were created to reinforce qualities the Air Force values and prepare Airmen for future challenges.
The problem is that being an Airman should already mean those things.
The title doesn't need to be enhanced or rebranded. It comes from more than a century of service, sacrifice and combat. It's tied to generations of men and women who fought in contested skies, defended airfields, generated combat power under difficult conditions and helped project American airpower around the world. Airmen are still doing those things today.
Airmen have never had the luxury of standing still. When the mission changed, they changed with it. They adapted, learned and found new ways to get the job done. That's always been part of the profession. Instead of creating new labels, we should spend more time reinforcing the identity that already exists.
Being an Airman means belonging to a profession built on competence, discipline, initiative and service. It means understanding that every specialty plays a role in mission success. Whether someone works on the flightline, in security forces, logistics, cyber, intelligence, medical support, personnel or munitions, their work matters.
Sometimes there's an argument that the Air Force has become disconnected from the fight and that we need new ways to help Airmen see their role in it. I don't think that's the case. Airmen support national security objectives every day, and they're often among the first called upon when the nation needs combat power delivered quickly and effectively. Recent operations such as Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury show that Airmen remain at the center of the joint fight.
When people think about airpower, they usually picture aircraft, weapons or visible effects on the battlefield. What they don't always see are the thousands of Airmen behind those outcomes. A strike on a target halfway around the world depends on maintainers, logisticians, intelligence professionals, communicators, defenders and countless others. None of it happens without them.
That's why identity matters. The title Airman should already carry an understanding of professionalism, competence and service. Basic military training and professional development programs should continue helping Airmen understand their place in the mission and the importance of what they do. But we shouldn't need a new adjective every few years to explain that value. Readiness, adaptability and resilience have always been part of the profession.
Over time, all those extra labels can leave the impression that the title Airman needs help standing on its own. But there is nothing ordinary about being an Airman.
The Marine Corps doesn't spend much time creating new labels for Marines. The title itself carries expectations. When someone says Marine, people immediately think of discipline, toughness and combat effectiveness. The same should be true when someone says Airman.
None of this is meant to criticize the people who created these terms. Most were trying to solve real problems and encourage important behaviors.
But the Air Force doesn't need a new definition of an Airman. It needs Airmen who understand the history behind the title, the responsibility that comes with it and the role they play in defending the nation.
That was true for the generations who came before us, and it's still true today.
We're Airmen. No adjective required.