Sept. 18, 2022 will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Air Force as an independent military service, and preparations for a celebration are already underway. The service is requesting “birthday theme ideas” from both airmen and civilians, the Air Force said Tuesday in a release.

Following World War II and the signing of the National Security Act by former President Harry S. Truman, the Air Force was established in 1947. By choosing a theme each year, the Air Force seeks to highlight the service’s history, advancements, emerging technology and warfighting capability.

For the Air Force’s 50th anniversary in 1997, the service requested not a birthday theme but a birthday quilt. The final product, dubbed the “Fabric of the Air Force,” included “100 hand-made squares from virtually every Air Force installation throughout the world,” according to the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

"Your soaring spirit, your dedication, your skill have helped America to master the skies,” remarked former President Bill Clinton at the 1997 celebration. “You’ve made us more secure. You’ve made the world a safer place.”

This past year, for the Air Force’s 72nd anniversary, the theme was “Frontiers of Blue…This is 72!,” a nod to cyber and space capabilities.

“Our story began with a garage startup, two bicycle mechanics, and an airplane. Today we’re going faster, higher and smarter than ever before in air, space and cyberspace domains,” said then-acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan at the time.

For the 75th anniversary, the service is asking submissions to “consider inclusiveness of multi-domain operations, capture Airmen’s innovation and reflect on the Air Force’s heritage,” the release said. Theme ideas, which can be submitted online, are due by Jan. 31, 2020, with voting taking place from Feb. 24 to March 6.

The top entries will be subject to further consideration and relayed to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force David L. Goldfein, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Stephen W. Wilson, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright and the Air Force Director of Staff Jacqueline D. Van Ovost. The winning submission will be announced April 1.

What’s in it for the winner?

An “all-expense paid trip” to the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference and meet-and-greet with Air Force senior leaders at the service’s 75th birthday celebration in September 2022, the release said.

Happy brainstorming!

About Dylan Gresik

Dylan Gresik is a reporting intern for Military Times through Northwestern University's Journalism Residency program.

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