Service members at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar have been ordered not to publicly wear a T-shirt — sold at the base's exchange — that features a pinup-style drawing of a woman and a bomb.
The shirt has a 40s-style drawing of a woman with a ribbon in her hair, leaning on a bomb with the initials "AUAB," with fighter jets flying behind her. It also says: "Al Udeid, Qatar."
The Army and Air Force Exchange Service confirmed to Air Force Times that the pinup T-shirt was being sold at Al Udeid's exchange. The store received one complaint about the shirt,
An airman stationed at Al Udeid posted a picture on the John Q. Public Facebook page Sunday of the T-shirt, and a sign that reads "Attention shoppers: Please be advised that the limited edition Pin-Up Bomber Girl Tee Shirt should not be worn in public. This includes this installation and off. The image presented may be considered offensive to others to include host nation military and civilians. Thank you for your cooperation."
AAFES spokesman Chris Ward said the exchange put up the sign about a month ago after that someone made a comment — but did not file a formal complaint — about the shirt to an exchange employee, and the exchange put up the sign about a month ago "as a precautionary measure.".
"After a meeting with Air Force services, [the store] decided to place the sign up as a precautionary measure," Ward said. "The exchange will not be ordering any more of the shirts."
Ward said the remaining stock of pinup girl shirts will continue to be sold at Al Udeid until the exchange runs out of stock.
It is unclear whether any of the existing stock of the pinup girl shirts are still being sold at Al Udeid, whether remaining shirts were pulled, or whether they have sold out.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
