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The Order of the Sword is an honor awarded within the United States Air Force. It is a special program where noncommisioned officers of a command recognize individuals they hold in high esteem and wish to honor. Those selected for induction are usually honored during a formal ceremony at a dining-in. The honor can be awarded at the unit level or (more rarely) at the Air Force level.

The U.S. Army and Marine Corps lack such an honor bestowed by the enlisted corps upon the officer corps. The U.S. Navy has the title of "Honorary Chief Petty Officer."

The origin of the tradition is that:

The Order of the Sword recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the enlisted corps. Only seven other individuals have been so honored since 1978. The ceremonial presentation was adopted from the Royal Order of the Sword and passed to the United States during the Revolutionary War. However, it lay dormant until it was reinstituted in its current form in 1967. The original order of the sword was patterned after two orders of chivalry founded during the Middle Ages in Europe: the (British) Royal Order of the Sword and the Swedish Military Order of the Sword, still in existence today. In 1522, King Gustavus I of Sweden ordered the noblemen commissioned by him to appoint officers to serve him, and these people became known as the noncommissioned officers.

Recipients

Source:

References

1. Boone Nicolls, Airman's Guide. Stackpole Books, 2004 (ISBN 0-8117-3153-7), p. 12.
2. "Noncommissioned officers recognize Air National Guard director", press release from the Texas National Guard Public Affairs Office, retrieved 1 September 2006.
3. Names 1 through 231 taken from "Members of the Order of the Sword". Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
4. "ACC Airmen honor commander with Order of the Sword". Air Combat Command. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
5. Kilgallon, Paul (July 21, 2010). "AETC inducts newest member into Order of the Sword". US Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
6. "AFSOC commander inducted into The Order of the Sword". Air Force Special Operations Command. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
7. Gonzalez, Gustavo (September 1, 2011). "COMPACAF presented Order of the Sword". US Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
8. Gould, Michael (December 13, 2011). "AFA superintendent invited to join Order of the Sword". US Air Force Public Affairs. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
9. Gino Mattorano, Enlisted bestow highest honor on Academy superintendent, 26 March 2012, Air Force Academy Public Affairs
10. "Enlisted corps honors AFMC commander with Order of the Sword". Air Force Materiel Command. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
11. Atkins, Clinton (April 7, 2012). "General Flowers presented with Order of the Sword". Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
12. Ricks, Markeshia (February 6, 2013). "Former CSAF Inducted into AFSOC Order of the Sword". Military Times. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
13. "Donley becomes 9th inductee into AF Order of the Sword". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
14. Raatz, Joseph (November 7, 2014). "Kowalski first AFGSC Order of the Sword inductee". Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
15. "COMUSAFE inducted into Order of the Sword". Kaiserslautern American. April 14, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
16. "ANG director to be inducted into Order of the Sword".
17. "CMSAF Bestows CSAF with Air Force Order of the Sword". DVIDS. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
18. "Order of the Sword". DVIDS. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
19. "COMACC inducted into Order of the Sword". Air Combat Command. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
20. "Lt. Gen. Brad Heithold becomes 10th AFSOC Order of the Sword recipient". Hurlburt Field. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
21. "Patrick to receive Order of the Sword honor". JBSA. January 8, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
22. "Lt. Gen. Roberson inducted into Order of the Sword". aetc.af.mi. September 18, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
23. "Retired Gen. Lori Robinson receives Order of the Sword". DVIDS. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
24. "Goldfein Presented with Order of the Sword". AirForceMag. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
25. "ACC enlisted induct Gen. Holmes into Order of the Sword". Air Combat Command. August 27, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
26. "Leader Among Leaders: AMC inducts Gen. Miller to Order of the Sword". JBMDL. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
27. "Gen. Rand presented the Order of the Sword". Barksdale Air Force Base. April 28, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
28. "AETC enlisted Airmen present former AU president, commander Order of the Sword". United States Air Force. April 19, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
29. "AFGSC honors Gen. Tim Ray with Order of the Sword". Air Force Global Strike Command. June 2, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
30. "Bunch inducted into Order of the Sword". United States Air Force. May 17, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
31. "Scobee inducted into the AFRC Order of the Sword". DVIDS. July 12, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
32. "ACC enlisted induct Gen. Kelly into Order of the Sword". Air Combat Command. August 31, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
33. "AETC, AFSOC Airmen induct former commander into Order of the Sword". JBSA. October 21, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
34. "PACAF enlisted induct Gen. Ken Wilsbach into Order of the Sword". Pacific Air Forces. February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
35. "ANG Director Inducted Into Order of the Sword". DVIDS. February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
36. "Retired General Wolters to receive Order of the Sword". USAFE-AFAFRICA. June 21, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
37. "U.S. Air Force Academy Honors Lt. Gen. Clark with Order of the Sword". United States Air Force Academy. May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
38. Yates, Tisha (October 7, 2024). "A Joyful Farewell: 5AF Commander Inducted into the Order of the Sword". Fifth Air Force. Retrieved October 8, 2024.

External links

• Media related to Order of the Sword (United States Air Force) at Wikimedia Commons

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