WASHINGTON — A photo that has went viral on the world wide web has caused a stir and prompted a stern response from military leaders.
According to Stars and Stripes, the Air Force is “disappointed” in the airman who appeared in a photo which shows her posing with her tongue in the mouth of the prisoner of war depicted on the iconic black-and-white POW/MIA emblem.
Stars and Stripes reported that the Air Force said in a statement that “We do not yet have all details behind the photo, but it certainly is a concern; it’s a concern any time someone shows disrespect for prisoners of war and those missing in action. They deserve our utmost respect and we must always remember their sacrifice and the legacy they’ve left for us as men and women serving our nation.
“I want to make it clear that this is not a reflection of Airmen who wear this uniform; it is a case of poor judgment of one Airman … to say we are disappointed would be an understatement. We are gathering all the details and will take appropriate action at the appropriate level. Our Airmen fully understand the significance of the POW/MIA flag and the sacrifice of the men and women it honors,” Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody said in a statement.
There wasn’t any immediate word on the name of the airman in the photo or if she would face disciplinary action.
#AirForce is “disappointed,” will take ‘appropriate action’ over viral POW/MIA emblem photo http://t.co/ho3LydUX7W pic.twitter.com/LKywSHuvqx
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) February 14, 2014
I disagree with the military on a lot of levels, but this isn’t one of them. This is just crude, ignorant, and disrespectful.