'Your Guardians of Freedom' site set to scale down

  • Published
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Budget constraints and contract services reductions have forced officials  to make changes to the "Your Guardians of Freedom" Web site starting Oct 1. 

The Web site enables Air Force members to order pins for employers of activated Guardsmen (E pin), parents (P pin) and spouses (S pin). Pin recipients also receive a personalized letter signed by the Air Force secretary and chief of staff thanking them for supporting the Airman's service.

The pins are a contemporary adaptation of the World War II "E" flags used to recognize companies for contributions to the war effort. 

The program was established in November 2001 to recognize employer support of activated Guard and Reserve Airmen. It expanded in 2003 to recognize parents of total force Airmen, spouses of Airmen and Air Force civilians.

"To date more than 833,000 pins have been delivered," said Capt. Tynisha Jones-Vincent, YGOF program manager. "Basic training and officer accessions have been the biggest customers of the program."

Enlisted and officer accessions will continue to have the opportunity to order and present the "P" pin to their parents or "S" pin to their spouses at their graduations.

The change to the program leaves it open only to new accessions. Other members have until Oct. 1 to use the Web site for placing orders. 

"Members still have two months to order parent pins; we will make sure all orders and backorders received through Oct. 1 are fulfilled," Captain Jones-Vincent said.

The next phase of the program will include a new user-friendly Web site. The "S" pin will continue to be available to order online for active-duty members through the Air Force Portal. This will allow Air Force members who have married since joining the service the opportunity to order a spouse pin. 

The "E" pin will no longer be available after the Oct. 1 deadline.

Additionally, "My Mommy is an Airmen" and "My Daddy is an Airmen" books are available for distribution through base agencies. These books are aimed at elementary-aged children to help give them a better understanding of the Air Force as children of deployed Airmen.