[Vanders9]

Agree. They were wrong to foist a nickname on him like that, and he was wrong to complain about it like that. ~OTOH, what with all the current controversy about "gays in the military", I wouldn't have thought his commanding officers would be all that pleased.

I don't know enough about this aspect of US Air culture - are the callsigns always chosen by your squadron mates, or do you have any say in it at all?

[xone]

They were wrong to foist a nickname on him like that,

It was just selected from the available choices, and one that wouldn't get squashed.

he was wrong to complain about it like that

This is true, and now any and all 'negative' callsigns will be attached to this whiner like they were etched on his skeleton. What a wimp. (substitute any other noun, but this is a family website)

are the callsigns always chosen by your squadron mates, or do you have any say in it at all?

Real callsigns are assigned by someone else. I've seen guys check into the RAG out of flight school with "Ace' or 'Mustang'. Dopes like that ended up with the least admirable callsigns which would stick unless and until they did something great or stupid to distinguish themselves.