There’s a good reason why this Air Force general only wears 3 ribbons on his dress uniform
Tell me you put the team first without telling me you put the team first.
By David Roza | Updated Oct 19, 2021 4:51 PM
News Air Force
If you know anything about generals, you know that they typically sport a lot of ribbons on their dress uniforms. These strips of colored fabric, sometimes referred to as “chest candy” by service members, represent accomplishments achieved over one’s career. So when someone walks into a room with a chest that looks like it’s covered in paint swatches from a hardware store, it sends a message that they’ve “been there” and “done that.”
But sometimes what awards you choose to showcase speaks far louder than how many you’ve earned.
That’s what stood out to airmen when Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan, the brand-new commander of Air Mobility Command, took nearly all of his 32 ribbons off his uniform for his most recent official service photo. Of those 32 ribbons, Minihan left only three on his chest, all of which were unit-based, rather than individual awards. One of Minihan’s public affairs officials said the general’s intent was to signal his commitment to team accomplishments over individual glory.
“Gen. Minihan’s decision to wear these three ribbons is in accordance with AFI 36-2903 guidance to wear ‘all or some’ [ribbons], and the some he selected aligns with his team-focused leadership approach,” Lindsey Wilkinson, the deputy director of public affairs for Air Mobility Command, told Task & Purpose.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-general-minihan-ribbons/
