
Military officials have pulled a provocative flyer featuring Martin Luther King Jr. atop a fun shoot at an Air Force Base in Georgia to be held on the holiday honoring civil rights icon.
The flyer advertised a noon gathering on Jan. 18 for the Robins Air Force Base Trap and Skeet Club. An official at the military bases Outdoor Recreation office said it was created by a marketing team.
We didnt make the flyer, said Leroy Minus, the official. We squared it away. We got rid of the picture.
The base, in a statement, called it an honest mistake.
Heres the full statement:
Were deeply sorry for any offense or harm caused by our insensitivity and failure to provide appropriate oversight of our marketing process. The flyer does not represent the values, opinions or views of the Department of Defense, the Air Force or Robins Air Force Base leadership and its employees.
We realized the inappropriateness of the advertisement several days ago and immediately began removing the flyer. There was no malice of forethought in the flyers creation and it was never the bases intention to portray Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in a negative light. It was an honest mistake, to which weve personally counseled the parties involved and will provide them with remedial training and appropriate oversight to prevent this sort of inattention from occurring in the future.
Again, we offer our heartfelt apology to those affected by our thoughtlessness. We hold the legacy of Dr. King in the highest regard.