Must Avoid Any Offensive And/Or Inappropriate Behavior, Even On Social Media

Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh has sent an email to "Commanders" in which he says that all Air Force Personnel are subject to a very high standard of conduct, even when it comes to social media and text messages.

In the email posted on the blog John Q. Public and confirmed by the Air Staff, Welsh (pictured) says "We all know 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on and off-duty, Airmen have signed up to live up to Air Force Standards and Core Values. Through all the different ways in which Airmen communicate and interact, respect and dignity are essential. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in person, by text, twitter, or the latest social media app, we are all personally accountable for what we say and post."

The email goes on to say that airmen "must avoid offensive and/or inappropriate behavior on social networking platforms and through other forms of communication that could bring discredit upon on [sic] the Air Force or you as a member of the Air Force, or that would otherwise be harmful to good order and discipline, respect for authority, unit cohesion, morale, mission accomplishment, or the trust and confidence that the public has in the United States Air Force.”

Welsh tells his Commanders that airmen "don't have to worry if they're doing what's right."

The email appears to be prompted by an incident in which some airmen are being accused of drug use because of text messages they exchanged. The airmen have denied any drug use, and have not tested positive for any illegal substances.

The blog offers a lengthy opinion of the email and its ramifications.

Welsh closes his email saying "America’s Airmen are phenomenal. Thank them for their focus on the mission and each other.And my thanks to YOU for leading ’em so well!"

(General Welsh pictured in file photo)

FMI: Blog Post