Andrew and others feeling this way
I agree the maintainers should get to wear coveralls. I don't think anyone would really argue the need for a uniform for duties such as maintaining aircraft, or the civil engineers building buildings and stuff.
Don't think for one minute that PJ's are the only ones who get shot at in the Air Force. I will agree that during war and other serious situations they go much deeper in the battle then almost all others in the AF, but Air Force Security Forces are getting shot at on a regular basis. Many Security Forces (Air Force Police) have been shot in the line of duty over the years.
As a matter in fact, in 1991 a good friend of mine shot a
gunman at Fairchild AFB, Washington.
It doesn't happen very often, but seems to be happening more often in the last 10 years. I believe it has a direct relationship to the Air Force lowering the standards of entry into the service and with recruiting a lower class of troop into the military as a whole.
Examples:
Cops at Guam
Edwards cop
There are many other examples, but I was unable to find them linked on-line.
Don't fool yourself into thinking Military Police (in all branches) aren't in dangerous jobs. The Law Enforcement and Security duties are inherently dangerous, just like at Podunk P.D. But we go beyond this calling when needed, we deploy for hostile threats, humanitarian missions and many other dangerous situations. There are a lot of Security Forces personnel deployed to Iraq and Liberia right now. Many I work with just returned from Iraq and reported personally being shot at on a daily basis. They were located with the Army in Bashir and Kirkuk.