AF Academy renames "Bring Me Men" ramp

AOG email | 9/23/2004 | James A. Shaw, ‘67, Col, USAF (Ret)

[RightOnline]

TO: All Graduates and Friends of the AOG

SUBJECT LINE: Core Values to be New Words above the Warrior Ramp

Below is information we received from the Academy today regarding the new words to be used above the Warrior Ramp. Because of our commitment to keep the graduate community and our friends informed on recent developments at USAFA, we are distributing this announcement as quickly as possible.

James A. Shaw, ‘67

Col, USAF (Ret)

President & CEO

Association of Graduates

After the “Bring Me Men” words were removed from above the Warrior Ramp in March of 2003 the Academy sought to replace the words with a new statement more reflective of the values of our Air Force and Air Force Academy. At the request of the Academy, the Association of Graduates started collecting suggestions in August 2003, completing input in February 2004. The AOG compiled 42 of the suggestions most often cited from the hundreds they received and put them before the Academy Memorial Board. Based on recommendations from the board and approval by the Superintendent the wall will now welcome cadets, staff and visitors with words that have deep roots at the Academy and are most appropriate for the cadet wing: our Air Force Core Values.

Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence in All We Do.

The origins of the Air Force’s core values are right here at the Academy. Their development began in the early 1980’s when the Dean searched for a set of principles to capture the personal standards he wished to enforce. As a result, he arrived at an early expression of the core values involving integrity, service and excellence. In the early 1990s, then-Chief of Staff, General Merrill McPeak, published six Air Force Core Values: integrity, courage, competence, tenacity, service and patriotism.

In an effort to strengthen its character-development efforts, the Academy rejuvenated its core values in 1994 and refined them into Integrity first, Service before self and Excellence in all we do. Subsequently, Air Force Secretary, Sheila Widnall, and Chief of Staff, General Ronald Fogleman, published a policy letter identifying the Air Force Core Values as Integrity first, Service before self and Excellence in all we do.

Our core values will be installed on the wall over the next two days and will be officially dedicated next week at a ceremony during CORONA.

Dedicating the wall as the Core Values Wall truly reflects the standards we strive to uphold at the Academy . . . and across our Air Force.

[RightOnline]

Received this from the head of the Association of Graduates for the USAF Academy. For those of us who attended the Academy when this was known as the "Bring Me Men..." ramp.....for decades.....it's another sad day wrought by political correctness. Makes me glad I'm a dinosaur.

In light of far bigger issues today, trivial. Still, another thorn in the side.

[SteveMcKing]

"Bring me men" encompassed all of those values and more. All they've done is restricted the list of hundreds of hard values that make up a true man down to only three.

[SteveMcKing]

If I had my way, I'd change it to: "L.C.W.B."

[narby]

The continuing feminization of the military.

When will someone get the cajones to say out loud that men are the warrior sex, and thats OK.

Not saying that women can't be in the military and be valuable. But "sex in the foxhole" isn't good for the military. Whether it's straight sex, or homosexual, no matter.

There's more important things going on in warfare, and if people are thinking about who they're going to manuver into bed tonight, then they're not doing their job.

[Lucky Dog]

Makes me glad I'm a dinosaur.

From one dinosaur to another: I agree wholeheartedly!!

Proudly, but, in another sense, sadly, I watched my nephew graduate from our alma mater this June and saw, first hand, how so many things had changed. He and my son who is an active duty F-16 pilot are going to have to live with the PC BS exemplified by the removal of "Bring Me Men" from the ramp throughout their careers.

These misguided PC policies are ultimatedly weakening our military and our nation. I just hope that one of my loved ones does not have to pay the ultimate price for this stupidity.

[Gritty]

They had no choice but to change the slogan to something entirely different.

Somehow, "Bring Me Persons" doesn't contain much of a punch, nor much of anything else, does it?

[bnelly]

I am a '69 grad of the Academy. It was extremely painful to see political correctness run wild and drag down a symbol that all grads cherished. 'Bring Me Men' was in no way disrespectful to women. Everyone knew (and knows) that "Men" was used metaphorically to describe the warriors that would be needed to defend our country. Women can be warriors.

I pray that this is not a trend, that it is just an act of temporary insanity and that we will eventually return to the core values that have made our country great.

[asgardshill]

What are they going to change it to? "Mars Needs Women"?

[longtermmemmory]

This is just more "Men" is bad and may NEVER be uttered.

If these keeps up the words Men or Man will become the new "N" word.

[grobdriver]

Would have been easier to just add a word:

"Bring Me Girlie-Men"

[Militiaman7]

In the early 1990s, then-Chief of Staff, General Merrill McPeak, published six Air Force Core Values: integrity, courage, competence, tenacity, service and patriotism.

Retired General "Dress Blues" McPeak knows nothing about these values.

[RightOnline]

I'm a '77 grad. Interesting time to be there. I saw the last of the true "brown shoe days" (from pointed parkas and Air Gardens to.......the first group of female cadets coming in during my Firstie year). I didn't like the trends then, let alone all these years later. I've been out since '84 and probably damned glad I made the decision I did.

Sure love that school, though, pain in the ass that it was.

[Laserman]

Very sad for my alma mater. PC strikes again!

[Billthedrill]

< Richard Simmons voice > "Bring me Perthonth!" < /voice >

[Noachian]

After the “Bring Me Men” words were removed from above the Warrior Ramp

I wonder what genius thought this was a good idea.

I don't see anything in the article that says why the words were removed from the Warrior Ramp in a time of war when warriors are needed to protect the nation. I can only guess that some feminist got a "snit" because of the word "men".

Are they sure they want to call it a "warrior ramp"? That sounds too masculine. How about a "unisexual equal capability ramp"? That sounds soooo less violent, and ohhh so precious.

If we keep feminizing our military how are we suppose to win wars?

[Pukin Dog]

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The new "Bring Me Women" sign was just installed outside Pukin Dog's home.

[OldCorps]

Of the service academies, USAFA is, like its parent service, the quickest to yield to political correctness. I'm not surprised by this development in the least.

As others have posted, we are witnessing the emasculation of our military.

[Lucky Dog]

You were the "upper class" for me, I was '71. Regardless, I have a some very good friends from your class.

The line "Bring Me Men" came from a poem... As I recall the rest of that line went: "to match my mountains." You are absolutely correct that there was no disrespect intended to women, or anyone else, for that matter.

Unfortunately, the intent of historic poems and other documents, and even, events, are now being "rewritten" to suit some imaginary sense of ideological feminist extremism.

[RightOnline]

You are correct.......a poem by Samuel Walter Foss:

Bring me men to match my mountains,
Bring me men to match my plains;
Men with empires in their purpose
And new eras in their brains.
Bring me men to match my mountains,
Bring me men to match my plains;
Men to chart a starry empire,
Men to make celestial claims.
Bring me men to match my prairies,
Men to match my inland seas;
Men to sail beyond my oceans,
Reaching for the galaxies.
These are men to build a nation,
Join the mountains to the sky;
Men of faith and inspiration,
Bring me men, bring me men, bring me men!
Bring me men to match my forests,
Bring me men to match my shore;
Men to guard the mighty ramparts,
Men to stand at freedom's door.
Bring me men to match my mountains,
Men to match their majesty;
Men to climb beyond their summits,
Searching for their destiny.

[Publius6961]

Somehow, "Bring Me Persons" doesn't contain much of a punch, nor much of anything else, does it?

Bring me Warriors would have fixed the problem, but I suspect a deeper agenda. Much deeper.
What with fighting "more sensitive wars" and all.

I'm all for his and hers Academies at this point and let the chips fall where they may.