Airman Basic (AB) is the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force (USAF), immediately below Airman. The pay grade for Airman Basic is E-1.
As opposed to all other USAF enlisted and officer ranks, Airman Basic has no rank insignia affiliated. The lack of uniform insignia for Airmen Basic is the impetus for the nickname "slick-sleeve", in contrast to all other enlisted Air Force ranks which wear their stripes/chevrons on their uniform sleeves.
In accordance with Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2618, The Enlisted Force Structure, the term of address for an Airman Basic is "Airman Basic" or "Airman".
Read more about Airman Basic: USAF Grade History, Promotion From AB
Famous quotes containing the words airman and/or basic:
“‘Take the cylinders out of my kidneys,
The connecting-rod out of my brain,
Take the cam-shaft from out of my backbone,
And Assemble the engine again.’”
—Unknown. The Dying Airman (l. 5–8)
“There’s one basic rule you should remember about development charts that will save you countless hours of worry.... The fact that a child passes through a particular developmental stage is always more important than the age of that child when he or she does it. In the long run, it really doesn’t matter whether you learn to walk at ten months or fifteen months—as long as you learn how to walk.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)