Welcome to AFBMT
Welcome to AFBMT.com, where I hope to help give people interested in joining the US Air Force a good idea of what the process of enlisting and going through basic training is like. I’m a young Airman currently in the Air Force myself and frequently get questions about what it’s like, so I thought I’d make this site to answer those questions.
I am obviously only one person and only have my own experiences to go on though, so your own experiences may be different than mine. I welcome feedback and input from others that have joined or are thinking of joining, so please let me know if there are things that are inaccurate or that can be improved throughout the site so that I can create a better resource for everyone.
Thanks and I hope you find the site valuable.
To get started, visit the Before BMT section.
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Hi Derek
my name is Regina and i’m think about enlisting int he services. AF.. Right now i think it would be the best for me. I look at all the benefits man and women it while in and out of the services. And having job security is the most important thing for me in my life.
I’m 27 years old. I have a BA degree in HR and im seeking to enlisted as a officer. But I file ch 7 bankruptcy. Is it true that, that i’m unable to enlist..
And will i be able to enlist as a officer?
What should I look forward to as well?
It is probably difficult to join as an officer right now, there are too many people in the AF right now and they just kicked out a bunch of officers. It will be especially difficult with your degree, since it is not a technical degree. They are always looking for people with engineering degrees, etc.
I enlisted after having a bankruptcy, and as long as you currently don’t have any financial problems it shouldn’t be a problem. They may tell you that you can’t get a high level security clearance because of it though. I ended up getting one anyway but the recruiter may tell you you can’t get above a secret clearance.
Talk to an officer recruiter and see what your chances are. You may have a chance of joining on the enlisted side rather than officer, but of course you won’t be paid as much.
im 20 and decided to join the air force , whats is the difference between reserve and active duty ? which one you think i should do ? would i still get benefits like active duty , like housing allowance since i have to live off base ?
The reserves are basically part-time. You work one weekend a month and two weeks a year. During those times you receive full military benefits, but during your off times you don’t. There are something called active guard reserve slots that you can get into where you are in the reserves but basically working full time, and during that time you have all the benefits of the active duty guys. But if you want to do the Air Force as a career or full time, then just join the regular Air Force. AGR slots aren’t guaranteed in any way and the slots can come and go, so it’s not as dependable as the regular AF if that’s what you’re looking for.
Great site and I’ll be checking back to see what’s new. I’ve got a support group for people with a loved one in BMT called AF WingMoms. Everyone is welcome to join and we’d love to have you. Question – how soon will you be adding the Tech school stuff?
Hi Lisa, thanks for visiting my site. I haven’t updated the content on the site for a while and have a lot going on right now so it’ll probably be a while before I do. I haven’t seen much interest in the tech school stuff, so I guess I’ve always been putting it off.
hey well im 18 and i have been thinking bout joining the services but i really dont wont to leave my boyfriend and be away from family for a long period of time
Well unfortunately if you do join, you will be away from your family and friends for quite a while. Basic training is 2 months long, plus your tech school which can be anywhere from a couple months to 2 years long. After that you get to go home for a couple weeks on recruiter’s assistance if your recruiter selects you for that, then it’s on to your first base, and you really have no control over where that will be. You could be thousands of miles away from home and would be there for three to five years. So, if you really don’t want to leave home, I wouldn’t advise joining the military.
Hi, I have a question about tech school. I am interested in (trying to become) an airborne cryptologic linguist and from some of the sites I’ve been to they say that there is a fairly high washout rate. Have you heard of this position/ have any information about this position? Also, what happens if you washout or “not do so well” in tech school? Are you dropped down to an “easier” job or even kicked out of AF?
(I am 18 years of age, and about to graduate from Highschool this May. I have just solidified this decision of joining the AF, I am hoping to do DEP)
Any and all information will be very helpful. Thank you.
I don’t know anything about the job other than what you’ll find online. I don’t have any personal experience with it or with people that do it.
If you fail out of tech school you will likely be kicked out of the Air Force right now. There are too many people in currently, and when people can’t make it through tech school they are usually kicking them out altogether. I don’t know if this is different for a high washout job like linguist. It is possible that you’d have another chance and they’d put you into an easier job like Security Forces. I imagine it depends on the situation as well. If you have a good attitude and are trying your hardest to pass but just can’t handle it, they may treat the situation differently than if you have a bad attitude and just aren’t trying or applying yourself to the school.
Hi, i’m currently in DEP and should be shipping out in the next few months. I have a question about what will happen after tech school. At my duty station what are the dorms like, will I have a roommate? And how will I move my stuff out to my duty station? I heard movers will help me, is this true? or would I have to move everything myself? Oh and one more thing, when I am allowed to live in an apartment/house, is there furniture/beds already in the apt/house (like a hotel) or are those things I will have to buy and move in?
Tina,
At most bases you will have your own room, but share a bathroom/kitchen/living area with a suite-mate.
The military will pay for professional movers to move all of your stuff for you, including packing and unpacking everything.
When you are allowed to get your own apartment, you can get whatever you want, so if you want a furnished apartment with furniture already in it, you can probably find one. Or you can buy your own furniture if you like and get a regular apartment. It’s up to you!
Hi Derek,
I just found out about 3 days ago that I finally got a job kinda sort of!!!! Yayyyyyy anyways I will be shipping out 1 Nov 2011 Im super excited!!!! So here’s my ? the job that i got is Mechanical Aptitude Area ?Wasn’t really sure about this so I looked it. Did really find anything about but basicly a list of jobs that I could possibly get. So at BMT will I be able to pick from that list of jobs that I found? (depending on if I qualified for them) An if so will it be a high % that I coud get the job that I really want from the list? And at BMT when will I know what exactly is my job?
Thanks A.C.
Andrea,
Mechanical aptitude area is not your job, that’s just one aspect of your score from taking the ASVAB. It does determine what jobs you qualify for, but it doesn’t at all mean you have a job yet.
When you get to BMT you’ll make a list of jobs that you want and based on your list and the needs of the Air Force, they will assign you a job towards the end of training. You’ll know what it is before you graduate.
You’ll have to select five or six jobs, as well as select an open category like Open Electronics or Open General, which means you are guaranteed to get a job in that category, just not a specific job.
Thanks Derek!!!!!
Hello; im considering joining the airforce as an officer with a technical bachelors degree in electronics. But i was wondering when my benefits and pay will start. You see i have a family and a mortgage therefore i cant go even one week without getting paid.
You should get your first check 2 – 3 weeks after you start, depending on when you actually go to basic or officer training school. We get paid on the 1st and 15th of the month.
hi derek i was wondering the time length between enlistment and baasic training?
It just depends on when you enlist, what your job is going to be, what your particular circumstances are, etc. It could be anywhere from a couple months to a year.
Look at the Air National Guard. Its part-time Air Force and you can pretty much choose from the guard bases where you want to be stationed if they have an opening in the job you are looking for. Plus, you can be stationed there as long as you please. It is a pretty good deal for someone who wants to serve their country, stay in one place (not including deployments), and have another job or go to school. It is a good starting point for someone who is trying to see if it is something they want to do full-time!
Wham bam thank you, ma’am, my questions are anseewrd!
hey im considering enlisting in the air force next year. im 21 and currently in a 4 yr college, but i maybe getting kicked out just bc i’ve been having a extremely hard with my final math classes (my last one i took 3x’s before i passed) and its destroyed my GPA and now im on probation. i figure if i do it would be a good opportunity to serve my country, travel, get some money for school, gain good skills and discipline.
My girlfriend and i discussed it and we decided that if i do decide to join, before i do we will get married. so my main question is how does the AF deal with people in this situation? does the spouse of the enlistee stay put during BMT AND tech school, or does the spouse move with said enlistee during tech school? i understand that spouses will not be near the base during BMT, but i would really like to know if being back together during tech school is a reality because of how long it can be.
i really would like to know if i will be able to take care of my girlfriend(or will be wife before i join) while she looks for a job(especially her med bills because she has a super mild form of bi-polar but she has a few meds that she’s required to take daily). Also, she currently is in college as well and if i join she would still like to go to school or at least eventually go back, i have heard of something called military spouse scholarship,but i don’t exactly understand it. if she cant go to school immediately it’s no big deal, she said she’s okay with being a military wife for a while haha.
i know it’s a lot but if anyone can help me with some information on this it would be of great help, and i would truly appreciate it.
Josh,
Bummer about your GPA. Can you change to another degree that requires less math and finish it? If you are at all close to finishing your degree that may be a good idea. You’d have a chance of becoming an officer rather than enlisting. But if you have a really poor GPA that probably wouldn’t be an option either.
I’d also really think seriously about getting married before you join, if that’s the only reason you’d get married. I’ve seen a lot of guys get married right before they come in or even to someone they met in tech school, mostly so they can live off base and get more money by getting Basic Allowance for Housing. These types of relationships rarely last very long. If you and your girlfriend are serious about it regardless, then that’s another thing.
The spouse will only get to go with you to tech school if the tech school is over 6 months long. Most aren’t. She can move with you if you pay for it, but I would not recommend that. She can come visit you at tech school once you go up in the phases a bit, but again that would be something you’d have to pay for. Plus someone could end up getting everyone in trouble and you’d have privileges taken away and then waste a ticket, again that wouldn’t be very good.
There are scholarships available for spouses from several different agencies. You can also give her your GI Bill if you like and if you serve long enough, which would give her a full ride to school.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Josh, if you enlist, your gf(or wife-to-be) will stay where she is during BMT. during Tech, she will only be allowed to move with you if your tech school is longer then, I believe, 28 weeks. If you get married before BMT I’m not sure if she will receive the medical benefits that most spouses receive. I don’t think she will until you graduate, earning your title of Airman. MyCAA is the program most spouses use for their schooling and it is much like FAFSA with the exception of, she must create a “program” for her schooling, and it has to be approved by MyCAA. also, only certain schooling fields are accepted. I don’t know off the top of my head what the website is, but she can check there to see if her career of choice is an accepted schooling field.
Hope this helps some, and if you do enlist, congratulations sir, for honoring your country. ps: I recommend doing a 6yr enlistment. Mostly because I believe 28 days after you begin tech you will gain rank of A1C(unless you have enough valid college credits to earn it in BMT)
The spouse would be covered by Tricare from the beginning, he wouldn’t have to wait until graduation.
Also, I need to write a full post about this to the site, but I would not recommend a 6 year enlistment. A few reasons:
There are very few enlistment bonuses to join the Air Force. The ones that do exist are not very big, less than $6,000 at least when I came in.
If he already has some college experience he may be able to enlist as an A1C anyway, or at least an Airman (E-2). If he came in as an E-2 it would only be 10 months until he was an A1C.
Two years is a long time if he or his wife ends up hating the military.
Enlisting for four years lets you re-enlist sooner, and the re-enlistment bonuses are much larger, up to $90,000 for some career fields.
Enlisting for four lets you retrain into another career field sooner, if you don’t like the job you start out with.
I’ll eventually write a full post with all the details but those are a few bullet points to think about.
yes it does thank you. if you know anything else about life military for military wives in general that would be great too. (from personal experience or from information from friends) anything and everything can help me and my girlfriend right now. Thanks again!
Josh, I’ve posted this elsewhere on this site under another comment, but it applies to your question as well.
To this I’ll add that you really can’t appreciate the medical benefits until you really need them. My son had a genetic disorder that turned into liver cancer. He just got a liver transplant a week ago. We’ve only had to pay a couple hundred dollars for co-pays on his medicine through the entire process, but the total bills for everything is almost a million dollars by now. It is such a relief to know you have good insurance available that won’t charge you tons of co-pays. There is enough stress in those types of situations without worrying about finances as well.
Below is what I have written before about life for the spouse. Please ask any other questions you may have.
It can be difficult for family, and a lot of it depends on your job, or your husbands job rather. For instance I am a space operator working on satellites, my job very very rarely ever deploys. I went to Iraq in 2009 for four months as a volunteer assignment, but I didn’t have to take it. Other jobs, like cops, personnelists, etc are deployed every 6 months for 6 months at a time, so the wife and family are left on their own for basically half the time that the person is in the military.
Even my job is difficult at times because most missions require being operational 24/7, meaning that the people performing the job have to work all hours of the day. When I was on an operational crew I worked 2 day shifts, 2 swing shifts, and 2 night shifts, then I was off for 3.5 days. So you have no weekends, finding childcare is hard if the wife works because you’re always on or off on random days. Before that I worked 13 hour shifts with 4 day shifts (6am to 7pm) then 4 off, then 4 night shifts, 4 off, etc. For those four days of work you basically can’t do anything but go to work, maybe have supper or breakfast with the family, then go to sleep and get up to work again. It’s a very difficult schedule.
You also have to realize that the mission and Air Force comes first most of the time, so expect missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, baby births, etc. Again, this depends on your job and luck of the draw. Some jobs in the Air Force are 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday – Friday. I was in Iraq for my own birthday, valentine’s day, etc. A friend of mine that I was there with has already gone back to Qatar this time, for a year. Luckily he was able to be there for the birth of his daughter, but he had to deploy 2 weeks later for a year so he will miss most of her first year of life.
There’s a saying that the hardest job in the military is that of the military spouse, and it is true in some ways. If you have kids now, you can expect to be raising them on your own some of the time.
Again it’s really heavily dependent on the job. I don’t want to scare you that you’ll never see your husband again if he joins, some people are in the full 20 years or more and never deploy once. Others are gone half the time.
There are a lot of good things about the AF as well. For one the insurance is free and good. My son has some health problems and we haven’t paid a dime for any of his care other than a very small co-pay for some medication. His last hospital stay was $18,000 just for the room, not including all of the specialized tests and doctors and everything. It’s such a relief to not have to worry about that cost. Even with a lot of civilian insurance the co-pay would have been significant for that fee. The military also has a lot of support for families, lots of activities on base, counseling if you need it, and a lot of the families stick together and support each other pretty well. We live on base right now, so it’s really safe and we go out for walks all the time and there are playgrounds everywhere for our son.
I think my wife would say that overall it’s a positive lifestyle and the sacrifices have been worth the benefits. There are bad days where we’d both like for me to quit if I could so we could just go home, but they pass. However, if I was deployed for half of the 4 years I’ve been in, I imagine she would have a different opinion about staying in.
“hurry up and wait” <— our favorite motto for the military lol have her read "Married To The Military" and "The Complete Idiots Guide to Being A Military Spouse" both are available at barnes and noble. They both contain info from TriCare, to PCS'ing(moving), acronyms, info on deployments etc. I have both and they've helped so much. As for personal experience, I've learned that just because you were a certain shift doesn't mean you'll be getting out on time, that some military wives act like they are still in HS (drama, clique-y, gossipy little things) and that the military loves to take it's sweet time on everything and finance will more then likely jack up your pay at one point or another LOL
even with the difficulties of it all. are you happy with the military life style?
Absolutely. I enjoy because not only do I have the opportunity to experience new countries and their cultures, but I have a chance to travel to places I might not had had the ability to beforehand…so yes. I love it
Derek,
Great site. Very informative. I was hoping you could provide honest advice on my current situation…
I’m 24. I graduated from a four year college in 2010. I double majored in business and communications finishing with cumulative GPA around 2.5 (not great). For the past year I’ve worked for a marketing firm and I’m ready to be done with it. I fully understand what I’m giving up here and confident i can handle most anything moving forward.
My first thought was to apply as an officer but I realize the low acceptance rate could hurt my chances. Either way i’m willing to join as enlisted.
With that said, what sort of benefits should i be pressing for when i visit my local recruiter?
- loan repayment?
- signing bonus?
- What is the highest possible rank/rate i can begin at?
Based on my research and personal skill i have created a decent size list of job interests, beginning with Security Forces…any suggestions on job placement?
The ASVAB score will ultimately determine my fate i’m sure but any honest advice and suggestions would change my world. Thanks.
- Colin
Thanks, glad you like my site.
Yes with a non-technical degree and low GPA you’d probably have a hard time getting in as an officer right now. Worth a shot maybe, but I wouldn’t expect much.
For loan repayment you’d be looking at CLRP, which the AF will pay up to $10,000 of your school loans back. That info may be outdated though. The recruiter can tell you about any current programs they are offering (they don’t have to offer any). Be sure to ask if you lose GI Bill eligibility if you take the loan repayment option. You could use the GI Bill to get your masters when you get out, or if you stay in 10 years you could give it to your spouse or child. Very valuable and worth a lot more than $10,000.
Signing bonus is based on the job you get. Most of them are for high risk jobs like pararescue and explosive ordinance disposal. I think security forces has a $2,000 bonus if you sign-up for six years, but that could be outdated info. The recruiter can tell you about any jobs with an enlistment bonus right now. It changes all the time. Read my most recent post about signing up for four vs six years though. In your case I would definitely not sign up for six.
You will join as an A1C (E-3). Unfortunately that’s the only thing your degree will get you. It won’t help you get promoted any faster or anything. But you can apply for officer training school after already being enlisted as well and try to be an officer later.
If you want security forces you will probably get it. Not many people want that job and they always need people. They have very low ASVAB requirements, if you can get into the Air Force you can get into security forces. What makes you want to do security forces?
Hello Derek,
Firstly, I’d like to say this a wonderful site, man.
I’m 19 years old, going to a community college close to home. No girlfriend, and no friends enlisting with me. So that eliminates questions for those things. I still have quite a few, though.
After this upcoming semester, I will have 44 college semester hours. I believe I need 45 to start at E-3.
Will having 44 credits hours at E-2 help me get to E-3 faster? My thought is no…but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Are there certain times of the year that AFBMT takes place? Like a summer session, and winter session?
I think I’ve seen an answer to this next question already, but didn’t fully understand. Let’s say I hate the job that I’m assigned, or I’m really trying hard at it…but I’m just awful.
Am I stuck with it until I have the option to re-enlist?
One of the jobs that I’m interested in is being an Air Traffic Controller. Does the Air Force need Controllers? Outside the military, I know many airports are becoming severely understaffed. Also, my dad is an ATC…will that increase my chances of getting that job?
I like to play tennis and racquetball. I’m assuming most AFBs have tennis courts, but what about racquetball?
I’ve only fired a gun once in my life, and I liked it. Do most AFBs have shooting ranges? And are they offered at discounts to airmen?
I am fairly sure that I have more questions to ask, but this is all that I’ve got off of the top of my head.
Thanks,
David
Glad you like the site David.
44 credits will unfortunately not help you get E-3 faster. Once you’re in, you just start on the regular timeline so it’ll be 10 months until you are E-3, unless you sign for six years, which I would not recommend. I came in as an E-2 and signed for four years as well.
BMT takes place all year round. New flights start every week or every couple of weeks. About 36,000 new recruits go through BMT every year, so they are pushing all year round to get that many through.
If you make it through tech school and don’t like your job, then you can apply to retrain when your window opens up. For a four year enlistee that is at about your three year mark. For a six year, it’s about five years into it. Another reason to enlist for four! If you don’t like your job while you’re in tech school and don’t pass tech school, then you could either be reclassed into a different job, which more than likely will be a cop, or you’ll be kicked out altogether.
I’m not sure if the AF needs ATCs right now. Your recruiter can answer that. It is a hard tech school with a very high washout rate. You can make a lot in the civilian world though, as your dad can probably tell you.
Most AFBs will have all kinds of sports facilities. Vandenberg, the base I’m currently at has tennis and racquetball courts, an outdoor roller hockey rink, a skate park, two gyms, a swimming pool, multiple football and baseball fields, volleyball courts, running track, mountain biking trails, etc etc. My previous base, Buckley in Denver had tennis and racquetball courts as well. Most bases will have plenty of activities like that.
Yes most AFBs have shooting ranges. I don’t know about costs or anything if you want to fire your own gun. I assume it is relatively cheap. You’ll fire 100 shots in basic training, and then probably never fire a gun again until you deploy, though perhaps more often depending on your job. We aren’t like the marines, we aren’t all riflemen so a lot of us will never touch a weapon again.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi, I’m A1C Shrontz and my current MOS is Air Traffic Controller
ATC has to enlist for 6 years first. After the initial six years is up then you can re-enlist for 4
Hey Derek,
First of all i wanted to thank you and say congrats on this awesome site!
Ive learned alot with all of the questions and answeres VERY HELPFUL!!!
I just have a question about the ASVAB..i know its an all around test of knowlegde but could you give me some advice as to what i should study up on?
I would recommend buying a study guide or getting one at the library. You need to brush up on english grammar, math, etc but also some other things like tools and simple physics that you may not think about. A study guide will also get you used to the type of questions they ask on the ASVAB, the multiple choice format, etc.
Hey Derek,
This is a very informative site! I have been researching things about the Air Force, and this is by far one of the most informative.
Here’s my question?
I’m 18 and i just graduated in May, i went to M.E.P.S and i signed my reserve contract. I’m however going to be active duty i am just waiting for them to give me a job and a DoD. So im currently in DEP. I tried looking up how you change ranks, and i can’t find anything Enlisting as a E-1 after BMT how would you change rank? And i talked to the liason at MEPS about 6 year enlistment would you say that would be a good choice?
Hi Tanya, I actually wrote a very long article on whether to enlist for four or six years, and it also describes how you will advance in rank and when. Let me know if you have any other questions that it doesn’t answer: http://afbmt.com/before-bmt/should-i-enlist-in-the-air-force-for-four-or-six-years/
(date of departure)
Thank- You that was very informative! though enlisting 6 years and going in as an E-1 so 20 weeks after bmt i would be an E-2?
i want to be in histopathology.
my recruiter said not to pick all medical jobs cause they are rarely open. so if they do not find a job on my list that is open they would send me to basic with being in the general aptitude….. so can you explain that? my recruiter tried but it seems that you can give a little more detail then my recruiter… (not that i have a bad recruiter hes just fantastic just a little goofy is all)
Most people will have to list 5 jobs they want and then an open category. If they can’t get you a job that you picked, then they will get you a job in the category that you picked. The four categories you can select are here:
So if you want a medical job, you could put all 5 medical jobs down. If they can’t get you any of those, you could put the general category down, which contains all of the medical jobs. You then may still get a medical job, but you could also get something like public affairs, in-flight refueling, firefighter, services, security forces, etc. It’s kind of a catch-all category, so you’d have a much better chance of getting something you don’t want than something you do. For instance they always need cops, so they’d probably be more likely to make you a cop than one of the rare medical slots.
Not saying you’ll be a cop for sure if you put general down, but that’s just one of the options you could end up with.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Hey Derek
Thanks for all the helpful info on this site! I feel much more comfortable going through DEP and BMT now that I know what to expect.
I haven’t gone through MEPS yet and I’m wondering if you have any general tips for my specific situation.
I have 23 college credits (I’ll start out as an E-2?) and am really interested in furthering my education during my time in the Air Force. Maybe become an officer someday? How does someone do that?
I scored an 85 on the ASVAB. Is that going to disqualify me for certain jobs?
Thanks again for this website. It really has eased my mind.
Glad you found the site helpful.
Yes you’ll be an E-2.
Once you complete your bachelors degree you can apply for OTS (officer training school). They look at your type of degree, GPA, yearly performance reports from your time as an enlisted AF member, recommendation letters from commanders, etc. If you are accepted then you’d leave active service as an enlisted person, go to OTS for 3 months, graduate as a 2nd lieutenant and then go to your tech school to learn your new job before starting over as an officer. If you are prior enlisted you get paid more as an officer as well because they count your time as enlisted, which is nice.
There are also several commissioning programs available to enlisted members such as AECP which is where you leave active service and they pay you as a Staff Sergeant (E-5) to do nothing but go to school and complete your degree, then you become an officer. It’s highly competitive obviously and only available for certain degrees like nursing, engineering, language, foreign studies, etc but it’s an amazing program.
Or you can just use the $4,500 a year that the AF gives you to complete your degree, then apply for OTS. That’s what I did. I finished my bachelors last month after being in for almost five years. I won’t apply for OTS for another couple of years though because I got a re-enlistment bonus, and if I were to leave for OTS before half of that enlistment is up, I’d have to give back my bonus, which would be bad.
An 85 is a good score, that should qualify you for most jobs. There may be a couple you won’t qualify for, but not many.