Logo no-gos

Published June 4, 2013
By Staff Sgt. J. Aaron Breeden
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- With more than 1,700 Air Force Instructions posted on the Air Force e-publishing website, it seems there is an instruction for nearly every function imaginable. The challenge can sometimes be, however, remembering the key pieces of those instructions for everyday use.

Enter: this article.

Did you know there is specific guidance for the use and reproduction of the Air Force logo?

According to title 10 of the US Code, section 2260, the Department of Defense is authorized to identify, register and license its trademarks and collect fees for the licensing activity. For the Air Force, the organization governing the use of the Air Force symbol and other Air Force trademarks is called the Air Force Trademark and Licensing Program.

According to the trademark and licensing program website, a trademark includes any word, name, symbol or device used to identify and distinguish goods or services of one source from those of others.

"We currently have close to 200 companies licensed with us to legally carry the Air Force brand on thousands of products - Scentsy candles, Adidas athletic wear, Cracker Barrel rocking chairs. And the popularity of the Air Force brand in the commercial sector is growing," said April Rowden, chief of the Trademark and Licensing program. "It's an exciting time to be working with our trademarks."

One perk that DOD employees, their families and veterans enjoy is an implied right to use approved Air Force marks on personal items such as T-shirts, cakes, custom gifts, etc. It should be noted, however, that these items must not be made to sell or endorse any entity; the marks must adhere to established guidelines and the designs must be approved by the local PA office or the Air Force Trademark and Licensing Program Office.

Overall, the goal of the program is to maintain the integrity of all Air Force-unique trademarks and service marks through monitoring and active licensing.

"Our program helps protect and preserve the iconic images that represents the identity of more than 600,000 uniformed and civilian Airmen, and thousands of veterans and their families," said Rowden. "By monitoring the internal and external use of our marks - primarily the Air Force Symbol, Emblem and Seal - our team works for every past, present and future Airman to keep our trademarks pure, unaltered and a source of pride."

Rowden encouraged all consumers to smart shop and only buy Air Force branded items that carry the "officially licensed product" label.

"Proceeds from the sale of these licensed products go back into the Air Force community by supporting various Services activities," Rowden said. "To date we have provided Services with more than $200,000 to support a variety of programs, ranging from youth literacy programs to Football Frenzy."

For more information about the Air Force symbol or other Air Force trademarks, go to www.trademark.af.mil.

Air Force symbol, curved text, blue