The Ghana Air Force has inaugurated new ranks on their number one working dress from the traditional blue braids, to gold braids. The change was part of a restructuring and modernization process of the Ghana Armed Forces. At the colorful ceremony to officially inaugurate the ranks and also present the Air Force @ 50 medals to deserving personnel of the service, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal M. Samson Oje said the gold braid would make the ranks more visible, attractive and distinctive from the ranks of other paramilitary organizations. He noted that the change did not affect the rank. “This is specific to the service dress where the rank shall be worn on the shoulder instead of the cuff,” he said. He noted that the obvious advantage was that the gentleman officer was easily and promptly identified as such. He said the dress of the officer in the service could only be identified appropriately after a glance at the end of his or her sleeve. He reiterated that with this change the Ghana Air Force has joined renowned Air Forces whose officers wore their ranks on the shoulders of their service dress. Adding his voice, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General P. A. Blay, said the Armed Forces the world over, was gradually and systematically changing from their old ways of doing things and so, “our Armed Forces cannot be left out of the trend,” he added. He said 50 years in the life of any entity was no mean achievement especially in our part of the world, where resources were barely enough. The chief of defence staff said the presentation of the Golden jubilee commemorative medal, as well as the inauguration of the new ranks, was as an icing on the cake. Medals were also presented to personnel who were in active service at the time the service turned 50. The medal was embroidery of the aviation blue background with Air Force colours in vertical strips. Attached also to the embroidery was a brass medal–lion spotting the Ghana Air Force emblem.