The Missing Retirement Lapel Pin

Written by TheMilitaryTransition



June 28, 2020

Almost 10 years ago, I was stationed at an undisclosed location in the Middle East for a year. The Commander, CFACC (Central Command and Combined Forces Air Component Commander) at the time was Lieutenant General David Goldfein. Who just happens to be the departing Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF), General Goldfein. He was my supervisor’s supervisor…yes my additional rater and only two-supervisory levels above me. It was a great opportunity and a great assignment.

The Flesh-Colored Band-Aid

He got a bunch of us CGOs together to have a talk about leadership. He led that talk with the story about the flesh-colored Band-Aid. A reflection story about his experience as a new Squadron Commander and being made to think about diversity and given an alternate perspective. Now, as the CSAF, I have seen that he has given this speech and told this story multiple times. See a recorded speech here. It was a story about how something so simple as a band-aid that is flesh-colored for many, isn’t flesh color for all, or even for most. It highlighted the assumptions that are prevalent in many organizations, civilian and military. What is common to some isn’t common to most and we have a greater responsibility to realize what isn’t common and make ourselves and those around us aware.

During retirement preparation, a friend of mine had her own experience with a version of the flesh-colored band-aid, only in this story, it is a retirement lapel pin.

The retirement lapel pin is presented at the retirement ceremony or directly to a retiree who foregoes a ceremony to all service members who have served 20 years of honorable service. (I am unsure if they are given to those who are medically retired at less than 20 years of service.) The pin is presented along with the Certificate of Retirement (DD 363) and the Appreciation for Service (DD 2542), along with other retirement documentation. It is an item that is automatically given to the retiring member once their retirement is finalized.

In this unique case, my friend, who is retiring from a geographically separated unit overseas, didn’t’ realize the retirement pin was “a thing”. She didn’t know she was supposed to be presented the pin at her ceremony. Literally days before her retirement ceremony, she realized that it wasn’t sent to her along with her retirement certificates. After some digging, all involved accepted that she wouldn’t receive one in time for the ceremony. She will have her retirement ceremony without it.

Whose Fault Was It?

Was it the member’s fault? In full disclosure, I didn’t know the retirement pin was a thing either. I actually had to search more than one document to even find it mentioned in a sample Air Force Retirement Script. My friend should have had a retirement ceremony checklist that she reviewed with a fine-tooth comb and she should have known. But to her defense, she is thousands of miles away from the servicing support squadron. Obviously the checklist she was given didn’t have enough detail to highlight the receipt of the lapel pin.

Was it the Force Support Squadron’s Fault? They should also have a checklist. It is their job after all. It’s not like the retirements section of that office doesn’t do this exact thing Every. Single. Day. Even it was another office’s responsibility, they should bring it to the attention of the retiring member.

Was it the Command Support Section’s (CSS) Fault? At a small GSU, there isn’t a real CSS. It may be located in a whole other country.

To exacerbate the disappointment, when asked directly who dropped the ball, everyone’s finger started pointing to someone else. It was usually the responsibility of the CSS, but in this case, there really wasn’t a CSS. So the FSS needed to at least make mention of it to the member so she could bring it to the attention of another office that could help. But, as you will see in the regulations I reference below, it is a required item and it should have been mentioned on someone’s checklist somewhere. In those cases, I guess it’s no one fault.?.?

In the end, my friend will have a small COVID-19 -like retirement ceremony without being presented with the retirement lapel pin she deserves and has earned with her 20+ years of honorable service. The problem that this blog highlights is, will the next person who retires from the same servicing support squadron experience the same thing? Did that unit create a new and improved checklist that notifies the member of the items they should have at their ceremony and who is responsible for procuring it? Will they take extra care to make sure someone else’s ceremony is lacking? Will they take responsibility for their part in the mishap and correct it?

Probably Not. You will be the next person and your retirement lapel pin won’t be in your certificate package either. Because you would have to have known you should receive it, then be sure to ask the Airman compiling your certificate package for mailing to include it.

We Will Take Care of Each Other

The onus is on us! We have to stick together. We have to cross talk and share information. We have to spread the word. I have to continue to write these articles and bring awareness to what you need to know when you transition out of the military. We cannot rely on the offices whose sole responsibility it is to take care of in these integral moments in our career. There are regulations, shared drives, and websites that are there to point us in the right direction. But, in the end…you don’t know what you don’t know.

I hope to change that for you. Make you aware of what you need to know so your transition, well at least the ceremony part of your transition, can go off without a hitch.

To mitigate some of the stress of planning your retirement ceremony, I have some concise information about retirement ceremony expectations. Every service is different, but at a minimum you should expect to receive the below documents.

Documents/Items Issued at Retirement

DD363 Certificate of Retirement w/folders
United States Flag
DD 2542, Certificate of Appreciation for Service in the Armed Forces of the United States
Retired Lapel Pin (20- or 30-year version)
Letters of Appreciation from the President (you can also request this similar letter from previous residing president’s of the United States) — Request 6 months out