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In an August photo, airmen surround an open casket with another airman posed with a noose around his neck and chains across his body.
The Air Force has concluded there was “no criminal conduct” by airmen who posed around an open casket with another airman inside pretending to be dead.
The photo, which first came to light on Dec. 13 in the Air Force Times, drew outrage from military commanders, military wives, widows and others who saw it as mocking deceased service members.
“Da Dumpt, Da Dumpt … Sucks 2 Be U” was scribbled at the bottom of the photo.
Rather than criminal charges, the airmen involved in the picture received administrative punishment because their conduct “brought discredit to both the military and themselves,” Col. Gregory Reese, commander of the 37th Training Group, said in news release sent to msnbc.com. The Air Force said it does not disclose details of administrative actions due to privacy concerns.
Read Monday’s Air Force Times story
“The investigation indicated that the photo was intended by those who took it to remind the students that they could be killed if they failed to pay attention while loading and unloading aircraft,” Reese said.
The service members in the picture were airmen with the 345th Training Squadron at Fort Lee, Va., where they learn to load and unload aircraft. Their unit is a detachment from a command at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, which issued the news release about the punishment.
The photo, it turned out, was a sort of unofficial class picture in which “creativity got ahead of common sense,” Gerry Proctor, 37thTraining Wing spokesman, told msnbc.com.
After the photo became public, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, expressed concern that the photo might cause more turmoil for families of fallen troops.
"Such behavior is not consistent with our core values, and it is not representative of the Airmen I know. It saddens me that this may cause additional grief to the families of our fallen warriors,” Donley told the Air Force Times.
In response to the photo, 37th Training Wing commander, Col. Eric Axelbank issued a wing-wide policy that requires all class photography and memorabilia to be reviewed by squadron commanders.
Proctor told msnbc.com that with the investigation complete and administrative punishment handed out, the Air Force considers the case closed.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
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The response by the USAF is a bit of an overreaction. It's a class photo. It's not slamming anyone or promoting anything unsavory.
An issue was made of the leaked picture, so the AF had to do something. Notice how the discipline was kept private? May have just been a few hundred push-ups, a swim in the latrine, and a good old yelling to 'pull your head out of your back sides!'
Good conclusion.
Those airmen don't do push-ups. That's Army and Marine stuff. I was in the USAF for 4 years and the only pushups I ever did was in boot camp.
This reminds me of the end of Apocalypse Now when Kurtz tells Willard the about the hypocrisy of war.
Something to the effect that you can bomb a village full of people but you can't write curse words on the side of the bomb.
It is absolutely insane.
Looks to me that they should have only punished the one holding the club at the top of the photo. Clearly he intimidated the others into posing with the fake dead body. Notice how scared they all look?
Something to ponder..
Shameful that charges were ever pondered. Political correctness and catering to over sensitive panzies will be the down fall of America. Glad cooler heads prevailed.
This persistent criticism of our brave military is grown old, fast. This incident in particular looks like they were having fun and not hurting anyone. To all of you who always seem to know what's best for everyone (other than yourself): Your opinion will count when you enlist and serve your Country. Until then, shut up. You have NO idea what who these people are or the environment in which they are required to operate.
This incident in particular looks like they were having fun and not hurting anyone.
Not hurting anyone? What about the mother that had her son come home in a box? Although there was no criminal intent, it was hust a stupid prank done in very poor taste.
Your opinion will count when you enlist and serve your Country. Until then, shut up
Since when does militery duty be REQUIRED to make a comment? Are you trying to stifle freedom of speech?
these people are or the environment in which they are required to operate
It's a traininng school in Fort Lee, VA. Not thje front lines of a combat zone.
AF leadership is way over the top on this one.
I served with the AF most of my adult life. I loved every minute of it. When I see stories like this, I scratch my head and wonder what kind of idiotic leadership has take over. These are kids, making a point...and very boldly I might ad. Leadership way over reacted on this one.
Sometimes people have the best intentions for a photograph but they just fail:
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2011/12/25/christmas-card-2011-2/
Starbuck49, I don't believe "stifle free speech" as much as encourage the general population to understand that those people with idiotic ideals should stop having such a profound influence on anything that effects the future of this country or her citizens/soldiers. The movie "Idiocracy" is, unfortunately, a threat of becoming a reality if we are not persistent in promoting common since and stop promoting "hurt feelings" as if that were a crime. It is not, nor has it ever been, a crime in America to hurt someone's feelings or otherwise agitate them and our recent propensity to believe that it is, IS what is stifling free speech.
I believe what ed norton was trying to say is that you must be educated on the matter you critique before your critique should be given any weight or validity. Meaning, I have no privilege of commenting an opinion on the federal nuclear program's choice to use a submersive cooling system in power plants as apposed to a refrigerant system because I am not qualified nor educated in the matter enough for comment to be valid.
This statement proves a point. Training is considered by many to be several times more important than "front line" duty. When under fire, you WILL revert immediately to your training on a subconscious level. In the Police Academy, they teach a lesson regarding a true story about some officers that were involved in a shoot out. Back in the day of revolvers and "Speed Loaders" it was common practice to stack your spent brass neatly next to you when practicing at a firing range so that you didn't have to bend over and pick up the casings after you are finished with target practice. The Officers had responded to a robbery in which shots had been fired and ended up getting involved in a deadly barrage of gun fire. 4 officers were killed. beside each of them were neatly stacked shell casings. Today you are taught to let your spent casings fall were they may and completely disregard their existence until the round is over. You should not take training lightly, nor should you critique it if you don't understand it.
Typical of modern bureaucracy: it doesn't matter if you've done anything wrong, but God help you if you embarrass or inconvenience the boss or the institution.
Heaven help us all, if this is what the brass has to worry about! About like a new CO calling inspection in the middle of a fire fight and gigging for not having weapons clean and oiled.
Yes, young recruits do dumb stuff, who'da thunk it! But this country and now the military is turning into a collection of crybabies, just looking for something to be "offended" by. Go out in country and find a soldier who has been hit by an IED, if you want to be offended - get offended for a real reason, not some chicken shift stuff.
Disrespect for the uniform is not a crime, but they should treat it a little better. A lot of good men have died wearing them, so show some respect.
Steve, women have been injured and killed too.
Not very many women percentage-wise but I know you are always there to whine about it.
Cut him some slack and stop whining. I'm sure you knew what he meant. Hell, the marines just changed their slogan from "we're looking for a few good men" like less than 10 years ago. Give us a freakin chance to acclimate.
Glad it wasn't a race of color in the box! Then it would have been a "hate crime" too! Leave the kids alone, it's a funny class pic. That's all.
It was not a 'funny class pic', it was a training aid if you read the story. It's no different than the pictures of horrible car accidents that driver's training schools showed us when we were teenagers. And some of those were police photos with grizzly mangled victims (real ones) not yet removed from the cars. They were meant to shock us kids to keep us from speeding/reckless driving when we got out on our own. It worked on some of us, but most kids have the "It'll never happen to me!" attitude, so they didn't pay attention and some of them paid with their lives. What I'm saying is, I can totally understand what they were trying to do with the picture and can see nothing wrong with it. In fact, it would probably have had more effect if the 'body' was real, but then they WOULD have been out of line. For those people who try desperately to cause controversy....go locate some of those driver's training school photos and post THEM.
This is good to hear. This shouldnt even have been an issue
The only thing that should be punished is someone leaking the class photo to the press just to start some sensationalist news. People over react to everything now-a-days and get offended way too easily. I'm sorry your loved one died in service to the country, but these guys weren't making a statement to them in this photo.
as a former safety manager I can relate to the message they are trying to get out, I dont see any disrespect intended in the photo, wish I would of thought of this back in the day, very creative
so whats next? people offended that disaster reenactments didnt use real dead people? "its an affront that these people are "playing" dead while someones loved ones are really dead." get a life.
I guess that is OK with MSNBC to have a picture of a "dead" white kid with a noose around hs neck and chains on his body? Where is Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton et al decrying this outrage? Oooops, wrong color. No double standard here. Also, there are a lot of stripes on some of those sleeves. Care to notice who is wearing most of them?
Yeah Rodney--it's the instructors wearing them. What a racist, insulting comment. You obviously don't have any concept about how rank is earned in the military-so suggest you keep your conspiracy and racist comments to yourself.
raghead, that demonstrates a level of judgement that borders on incompetency for these airmen to be instructors. If these instructors with all of those stripes were white and the kid in the box were black, I am willing to bet you would be outraged calling for all of those stripes to be taken away. And, yes, not only I am aware the concept of how military rank is earned, I earned rank in the Marine Corps. So you, shhhhhhhhh!
What other type of behavior should be expected from "soldiers" ? A uniform does not increase ones IQ and to think so is quite ludicrous. Give all of these fine young Americans a commendation and a gun, send them to the front lines and let them get shot at for a while. Maybe then they will retract their idiotic demeaning actions and grow from it.
How about retracting the idiotic offense people are taking at it? It's the fact that this made the news that even gives anything like this any power at all. Whoever first came across it should have just said bad taste and moved on.
Nor does civilian garb increase one's IQ and to think so is quite ludicrous. Give your judgmental, self righteous ass a gun - no commendation because you haven't earned it, and doubtful you would - pitch your butt on the frontline and get shot at for awhile. Maybe then you will retract your idiotic demeaning statement and grow from it.
Soldiers have a different sense of humor. They were likely punished appropriately. I was certain from the get go that these soldiers never intended to mock dead soldiers.
People love to start crap about America's military. You're always going to find that when you're the best, someone is always going to try to bring you down! Get over it, people. It was a careless mistake, and the picture was obviously misunderstood.
BTW, these aren't "soldiers", they are baggage handlers for the Air Force. The closest thing to weapons and combat that most of these fly-guys and fly-gals will see is when they are in the rear with the gear playing Call of Duty on their X-box.
You don't know WTF you're talking about, and your an A-hole.
Rodney proved he was a racist jerk above, did you expect senibility form him on this one?
@1Rodney: How do you know that the AF baggage handlers don't see combat? Who do you think has to unload the luggage when the plane lands in a war zone? I think they do a good job and I agree with MaryAnn!
Rodney knows - he's a REAL baggage handler.
Mary, thanks! You made my day! raghead - don't gloss over my post and dismiss it as racist. Think about it! marlen - thanks for agreeing that these are nothing more than baggage handlers. alim - I have an enormous baggage to handle.
This is a Non Issue -- build a bridge and get over it.
1Rodney B
You are disgusting!!! You remark was crude, at best. Have you EVER served in the military? I know if you answer you will say you did. But I doubt anyone would believe you. " Baggage Handlers" ??? Crude and rude. Marines, Army and yes even Sailors, have been refered to as " soldiers". Combat ??? Not all military personnel serve in combat. However many of the "fly guys and fly girls" have seen combat duty. As and old "Airman"... I think you owe them an apology. But doubt you will.
I'm pretty sure he hasn't, Old One. The closest he's ever been to being a soldier is playing Call of Duty on his X-Box. After all, what do you think made Rodney think of that? These people in the photo ARE soldiers, and not only that, if they're doing duty training in Afghanistan, then they ARE in the middle of weapons and combat and danger 24/7. They deserve infinitely more respect than Rodney does.
BTW, I'm Vietnam era, pretty old sailor myself!
Soldier = Army, Marine = Marines, Sailor = Navy, Coast Guard, Airmen = Airforce. These people are NOT soldiers, they are Airmen. You don't have to like it but that doesn't make it untrue.
Don't get mad at Rodney. Rodney is not well.
The Old airfart - to answer your question Yes I served. Marine Corps 82-89 and I do not consider myself anything more than one who answered the call. Don't need your stamp of approval. steel toed pier queer - If those gal and guys aren't in the rear with the gear, they are 35,000 feet above Afghanistan with little time on the deck. The airbases there are some of the most secure in the world. The only thing they have to worry about is making it to the chow hall before it closes. Starving to death would be their biggest fear. alim - I am not well, I am great!
In the meantime, George Bush and Dick Cheney go unpunished.
Along with all of Congress and the CIA.
What they were guilty of is poor judgement and poor taste. Let me assure you, "administrative punishment" is probably code or an Article 15. I'm retired Air Force. Trust me they got punished.
I have a GReat idea ,,,leave 'em alone move on to more important things like a 1300 person colony on the moon! Monnbase Newtta!
OMG people. This is non-issue. They were making a statement about safety. If you haven't been in the military then shut the hell up. I'm a USAF Veteran and I think its not your business. Doesnt matter what a wife or reporter thinks.....its militarty. Safety and death are a real threat......this picture makes it real.....it needs to be. They should show young men thinking of joining, especially the Army and Marines where front line action is almost inevitable, things like this to make sure they understand the risk.
AGREED!
Dan-agree with you 100% (USAF, E-4, 1968-1972)
This is likely a routine M*A*S*H-syle skit that the noncoms put on for the officers club, but when it gets publicized, the politically-correct reaction is to feign indignation like you were raised with a crown-of-thorns up your ass.
I couldn't have said it better myself David. I guess there is no parody allowed at all in our military what so ever.
"unofficial class picture"
Official un-class picture more like it.
Just like most people are commenting here. This isn't a story. Freakin' media trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. They did it to promote safety in their job. Bad taste probably....anything more than that is stupid to assume. They are the ones risking their lives for us. They are allowed to parody death of their own fellow soldiers as far as I'm concerned.
Occupy protesters burning the American flag,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nobody is offended.
Occupy protesters defecate on American flag,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,adored by media.
Occupy protesters vandalize public property, attack policemen and steal from local stores and vendors,,,,,,,,,,,adored by media.
Cop killer twice convicted and on death row,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,adored by media.
Obama goes to a racist black separatist church for twenty years,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nobody is offended.
Obama's wife announces she, " is ashamed of her country" ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nobody is offended.
Democraps spend $1.2 trillion dollars a year more than country receives in tax collections,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nobody is offended.
Union thugs assault people at Tea party rallys,,,nobody is offended.
Black Panther party goons threaten voters at polling places with clubs and knives,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nobody is offended.
Department of Justice assists the BATFE is smuggling 3000 assault rifles to Mexican drug cartels,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nobody is offended.
Borders left unsecured, our nation invaded by 11,000,000 criminals,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nobody is offended.
Taliban kills women and children,,,,,,,,,,,,,they are praised by our commander-in-chief and adored by the sec of state.
Someone in the Air Force posed in a coffin,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,OH MY GOD,,,,,,,,,,,,,STOP THE PRESSES AND COURT MARTIAL THEM,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HOW CAN WE STOP THIS.
RIGHT,TRUE ,pardon the shout but I agree
It's a matter of perspective, Paid. In the last presidential election the majority of Americans voted the leftist, liberial Democratic format into office. They wanted change. Now we have change. The only things you missed in your list above were our president's love affair with the UN's back door politics and his use of his presidential power to circumvent both Congress and the Constitution, a document he would like to see scrapped and replaced with something vetted by the UN. If he gets another term we will all find out how really bad living as tenants to our soon to be Chinese landlords can get. We've got a chance coming up, folks, think long and hard before you let it slip by.
Retired army here, the only thing wrong is that someone let this get out. We had a picture of a guy's ring finger at an army school where I worked. By ring finger I mean just the ring finger,the man it belonged to had kept his wedding band on,went out over the side of a deuce and a half ring caught on the top rail ripped the finger out at the joint.Made a pretty good training aid when talking shop safety.We also had a pic of a guy's finger who shorted his ring out on a 24 volt battery, took weeks to get the smell out of the shop but the later classes would remove their rings after we showed the pics.
I'm an Army veteran of the 1960's. Back then, we would have used a real dead guy and it still wouldn't have been a big thing.