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The Air Force is facing some backlash over its new mandatory gate greeting.
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Altus Air Force Base staff taunted janitors with a scripted “Victory Begins Here!” greeting, an internal email showed.
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The mandatory greeting is part of a broader cultural shift within the Air Force.
Janitors at an Oklahoma Air Force base were the target of ridicule over a newly mandated greeting, according to an internal email.
The news was recently issued by local senior soldier leader MSgt. Bradley Opfar warned against mocking the guards, known as “Defenders,” for saying a scripted line: “Good morning, sir/ma’am. Welcome to Altus Air Force Base. Victory starts here!”
“I am frustrated to write you this letter, but it is necessary,” the email read. “Anyone who disrespects defenders will be held accountable.” The message warned that troops could face charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and civilians could report them to superiors.
The message includes a sample of reactions encountered by guards at the door since February 4:
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“Don’t tell me again.”
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“You don’t have to give me that crap when I come over here.”
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“You sound like a Walmart greeter.”
Others thought the greeting was “silly” and “silly,” according to information confirmed by the Air Force.
A spokesperson for Altus Air Force Base told Business Insider that “Victory Starts Here” is its “vision for the base.”
“We uphold a culture of professionalism and respect for everyone who comes to our bases, which is emphasized in the Air Force’s new policy,” the spokesman said, adding that “disrespect to any member of our community will not be tolerated.”
The base in Altus, Oklahoma, is home to courses that train pilots to fly one of the military’s largest cargo aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster III, and is another unit that trains personnel to perform notoriously complex refueling missions. Altus Air Force Base supports approximately 2,000 resident military personnel and employs a large civilian workforce.
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The base began requesting the new greeting after Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach and Air Force Chief Master Sergeant David Wolfe sent a memo on Jan. 30 outlining the base greeting.
“The way we greet each other is important,” the memo states. “Professional greetings must be standard when installing access control points and throughout interactions with the public. First impressions set the tone and, combined with a professional image, can enhance trust, authority and pride.”
The memo mentions another base where a gate guard greeted the driver and said, “The fight is on!”
“At one of our premier bases, defenders greet customers with, ‘Good morning, Sir/Ms./General/Chief. Welcome to ____ AFB. The battle begins!” the memo reads.
“This simple phrase,” it continued, “signals entry to a military installation protected by vigilant defenders and reflects who we are in the weapons profession. Every installation should ensure that a professional greeting is continually practiced.”
The new order is the latest sign of a broader cultural shift within the Air Force. The service introduced new quarterly uniforms and health checks last year, later reduced to annual ones, and tightened grooming standards.
Correction: February 12, 2026 — An earlier version of this article misstated David Wolfe’s title. He is the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.
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