The removal of name tapes and unit patches from the uniforms of Air Force crew members and security forces involved in deportation flights has sparked concerns about transparency. This decision obscures details of the Air Force’s role in the controversial border mission, raising questions from experts and watchdogs. While the Air Force cites security concerns for this measure, it contrasts sharply with the practices of other military branches engaged in the same operation.
According to an Air Force spokesperson, personnel on these specific missions are instructed to remove identifying insignia. “Aircrew are removing name tapes and unit patches but will keep U.S. Flag, U.S. Air Force tape and rank on their uniform,” the spokesperson stated to Military.com. The justification provided centers on protection: “The identity of those supporting deportation flights is being protected to ensure the safety and security of our service members.”
This policy sets the Air Force apart. Unlike other branches participating in the President’s mandated border mission, the Air Force has not publicly disclosed the number of personnel involved or their units, citing the same safety and security anxieties. U.S. Northern Command, overseeing the border operation, released a detailed list of over 1,600 Army soldiers and Marines involved, providing unit information. In contrast, Air Force participation has been largely limited to occasional, vaguely detailed press photos of deportation flights.
Defense press images from the border mission clearly show Marines and soldiers with their name tapes and unit patches visible on their uniforms. This visual evidence underscores the Air Force’s outlier status in obscuring unit identification through uniform modifications.
Soldiers wearing patches on their uniforms, contrasting with Air Force policy.
In a recent press release, Air Force public affairs acknowledged their support for Northern Command’s mission. They confirmed the use of C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for military transport and deportation flights, assisting U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However, details regarding the number of airmen involved or the specific units participating remained undisclosed.
Despite the lack of transparency, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin praised the airmen’s rapid response, stating, “The swift response by our airmen to support this important mission demonstrates our service’s ability to rapidly deploy and deliver American airpower… We will continue to ardently support U.S. Northern Command and our interagency partners along the southern border.” The press release also mentioned the deployment of the Phoenix Ravens, a “specialized security unit,” to protect aircraft and flight crews. This unit, established in 1997 by Air Mobility Command, consists of security forces specializing in in-flight security, with over 200 members stationed at airlift bases nationwide.
The Air Force spokesperson indicated that “deportation flights from the U.S. to South America ‘involve a crew of about 10 airmen per flight on average.'”
Dan Grazier, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center and former Marine Corps officer, expressed surprise at the Air Force’s uniform patch removal policy. “This is very unusual, because when I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, nobody ever asked me to, or nobody ever ordered me to, strip off my insignia or name tapes,” Grazier told Military.com. “So it seems really odd that the Air Force is doing this for missions here in the United States.” His experience highlights the departure from standard military practice, raising further questions about the necessity and implications of this policy change specifically for domestic operations.
Air Force C-130 Hercules, type of aircraft used in deportation flights.
The White House and Department of Defense have emphasized safety risks related to deportation efforts as justification for both military involvement and the Air Force’s lack of transparency. The Air Force spokesperson reiterated these concerns, citing “safety and security concerns associated with the transportation of illegal/criminal aliens” when questioned about the lack of disclosure.
President Trump’s executive order last month tasked U.S. Northern Command with “sealing the borders and maintaining the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of the United States by repelling forms of invasion including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, and other criminal activities.”
Bill Frelick, director of Human Rights Watch’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Division, critiqued the framing of the situation as an “invasion.” He argued that this terminology is used to justify military involvement at the border and could bypass due process. “There’s not an invasion taking place as the word is commonly and even legally defined; there’s no attempt by force of one country to mount an incursion on the United States that would require a military response using this kind of language,” Frelick stated. He emphasized the importance of distinguishing between genuine national security threats and the current border situation.
The Air Force’s decision to remove Patches On Uniforms and withhold unit information raises significant questions about transparency and accountability in military operations, particularly when those operations occur within the United States. The contrast with other military branches and historical norms amplifies these concerns, prompting a closer examination of the stated security justifications against the public’s right to know about military activities conducted in their name.
