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Clean up call signs

In a Navy that boasts of its diversity and understanding of other cultures, one vestige still exists that harkens to another era: aviator call signs, especially of the sexual or scatological variety.

Take Ensign Steve Crowston, an admin officer assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 136 who complained to the inspector general after being given the call sign “Romo’s Bitch.” A shipmate thought that was a clever reference to the fact that Crowston is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, whose star quarterback is Tony Romo.

It’s one thing to razz a fellow officer, especially in the testosterone-fueled environment of naval aviation. But call signs are more than nicknames.

They are uttered over the radio, painted onto jets, stamped onto name tags, used as sign-offs on official documents and messages, and can be career-long handles for those who climb the ranks.

Aviation sources say the previous head of Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm. Thomas “Killer” Kilcline, has informally counseled squadron skippers to keep call signs clean.

No written guidance exists, and as the Crowston episode illustrates, not everyone listened to Kilcline.

The Navy Ethos — released in 2008 — refers to the Navy as “a diverse and agile force exemplifying the highest standards of service to our nation,” and says “respect for others is fundamental to our character.”

Call signs can be self-deprecating, but you shouldn’t be ashamed to tell your mother, or the local TV station, what they are. And squadron members shouldn’t endure years of humiliation because their shipmates are immature.

As Vice Adm. Allen Myers takes command of naval aviation, one of his first orders of business should be to write a policy to follow the ethos — and pull the call sign tradition out of the gutter.