Air Force Pulls Video After Marines Complain

The Air Force hastily pulled down its latest recruiting video yesterday in response to a complaint from a high-ranking Marine Corps official. In the video, an Air Force instructor boasts that his charges leave basic training “in better shape than most Marines.” Marines spotted it on the Air Force website and began e-mailing it to each other. “You have to understand, Marines are very proud,” said the corps' sergeant major, the highest-ranking enlisted Marine, “and will defend the honor of our Corps at all costs.”

An Air Force spokeswoman said the video was being removed only until its claim that the Air Force had the highest PT standards of any branch of service could be verified. But she said if it went back up, the “better shape” comment would be edited out. She said it was a “personal opinion” of that instructor, and “in no way intended to disparage Marines.” (More Air Force stories.)