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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I’ve just completed MEPS and feel pretty excited about basic. MEPS was fun, minus the part where we had to wait a whole hour and a half to get sworn in, due to some military bigwig’s sudden visit to the premise. (Ft. Dix’s MEPS station’s tradition is to swear in recruits every hour, on the hour, starting at 12pm and ending at 5pm. We had to wait till 6.) But beside that, it was great. I thought some of the tests were gonna feel awkward, but it was just fine. There’s nothing like the feeling of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a group of people like you and swear in oath to defend the president and our country. It’s a very nice experience that I am grateful and honored to have had the oppertunity to experience.
Now I’m just trying to figure out what basic is gonna be like. I hear they only give us THREE MINUTES to eat? Is that for real? When do we get military pay- during basic or after? I’m going in as an E-3 and was wondering when that kicks in.
Yes, you generally will only have 2 – 5 minutes to eat meals, especially during breakfast. During breakfast they want to get you out as soon as possible because you have an entire day full of appointments, etc and you may be running late. Lunch is a quick break in your day of appointments, and for supper they will sometimes let you have longer to eat, especially towards the end of training.
You will learn to mash all your food together and shovel it into your mouth as fast as you can. You don’t really have time to chew or taste or enjoy it. Just shovel it in so you have enough energy to make it through the day.
You’ll get paid while in basic. During in-processing you’ll either give them your bank account number or sign up for a free checking account on the spot so that you can start getting your checks direct-deposited into your bank. You should start getting paid two or three weeks into basic training.
what is the food like? is it decent, or the disgusting cafeteria food that im expecting it to be?
The food is actually quite good, though just about anything would be good when in a basic training environment and you have only one option.
Still, it is good food. There is a hot bar with cooked food every day, salad bar, fresh fruit, bread and peanut butter/jelly, etc.
You will generally not have time to make a salad or get really picky about what you eat. Most people grab a few things from the hot food bar and then a couple pieces of bread and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches really fast. The peanut butter gives you a lot of energy and stays with you longer than some of the other options.
i just enlisted and am currently waitingon my connector flight to lacland… the food tip was helpful i didnt realize you had so little time to eat. But i was told to NEVER volunteer for anything EXCEPT for chaplain guide. the chaplain guide was a good duty to have. but i was told that dont know if its true or not. guess ill find out…
Good luck in BMT, Adam. Yeah you don’t want to volunteer for anything at BMT. It usually backfires. Even if you volunteer for the “easy” jobs, it may backfire on you depending on how mean your TI wants to be. Plus it doesn’t benefit you at all to volunteer for things at BMT. It doesn’t go on your permanent record and won’t really make a difference in your career. The only thing that will at basic is getting Honor Graduate, which gets you another ribbon to wear. And expert marksman is the other extra ribbon you can get while there when you shoot the M-16.
:Thumbsup:
Excellent site! I’m sending links to my friends right now to spread the WORD.
Joseph Headen
wow, i love this site! One Question…. I’m leaving for basic in Jan and need to know about any questions that anyone can think of to ask him…Thanks
once again… awesome site!
Im turning 27 in november and im planing on joining before my 28th birthday witch i know is the age limit for the AF. I was just wondering if thats not a good thing, would i be treated differently?
also what is the dates of entry to AFBMT? Ive looked all over. Some say january so should i count 8 1/2 weeks after that for the next rotation?
Don, joining the AF at a later age has pros and cons, like anything else. I was 25 when I went through basic training and was the second oldest person in my flight. There was one reservist that was 30 something.
It’s a pro because you have life experience and maturity that will help you see BMT and the AF for what it is. You’ll probably have an easy time doing what you’re told and not trying to rebel or be stupid like the younger guys right out of high school. You’ll also probably appreciate the experience and the military more, as you have probably had a lot of experience in the civilian world and are looking for something more stable and career oriented.
It’s a con because you’re older, so the physical training and sleep deprivation will be harder on you than the 18 year olds unless you’re in great shape already. You will also likely be frustrated with the younger guys. A lot of them are right out of high school and are still looking for someone to rebel against and are still immature. You’ll be frustrated that they get in trouble so much and do stupid things, which gets the whole flight in trouble.
It can also be frustrating later in your career after BMT and Tech School, as you will be an A1C and see people several years younger than you that are higher ranking and probably your supervisor. Even 1st and 2nd Lieutenants and some Captains will be younger than you. This can be really frustrating because in the military you are treated based on your rank, not your age or life experience. As an A1C you’ll be given the menial tasks, will have your work double checked by people higher ranking than you, etc. This can be annoying when you’re being told what to do by a 20 year old right out of school when you possibly already have a family, have had a career, etc.
BMT flights start every week, on Tuesday. There are dozens of flights going through BMT at any given time, so it’s not a matter of waiting 8.5 weeks for the next one to start. They are starting every week.
Thanks for visiting my site! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Wow, your response time is really fast and thank your for being so thorough and right. This site will definitely be my top URL! I will keep in touch.
Hi All,
I just happened across this site looking for all bmt and after information I could find. My son just graduated bmt Oct. 29th. and it was an awesome experience. One I will never forget.
My son’s job is Supply and he is in tech school now, Anyone have any info for me? I am not sure where he will be stationed yet but hopping it’s somewhere close by. I live in SC..
I also found another site called bmtgrad.com that helped me alot. I am looking to connect with any other AF moms and will answer and questions I can. This is my 2nd time around. My other son is stationed in Jersey. He is a mechanic for C-17′s.
I look forward to talking or chatting with anyone here.
AFM of 2 Darlene
Hi,
i just ran across this site when i was looking for the responsibility for being a Dorm Chief, because my fiancee just graduated this past weekend. He was the youngest dorm chief out of all 12 flts that were graduating, but i was interested in being the dorm chief when i leave for BMT on March 9th 2010 is there any thing i should study for to get honor graduate, being appointed DC, and anything i can do to get in shape for the PT?
My husband does not want me to join because he said that its like hell and he does not want me to go through it. Not just the PT being hell, but just us being apart for so long and then tech school is what he is worried about for me. He said it was super hard on him, so it will be just as bad or worst for me. Is it a good idea or no?
Hi Helen, thanks for visiting my site.
My site has a section for getting in shape here: http://afbmt.com/before-bmt/physical-training-in-preparation-for-bmt/ Just a few little workout programs that you may find helpful.
I also have info on what to memorize before BMT to give you less to worry about: http://afbmt.com/before-bmt/things-to-memorize-before-bmt/
The academic test you will take at the end of BMT which will determine if you are eligible for honor graduate or not is based on a big book that you will study while you are there and will cover things like self-aid buddy care (first aid), law of armed conflict, customs and courtesies, etc. You’ll study it a lot while at BMT so there is really no reason to try to learn that stuff ahead of time.
Don’t worry about being appointed dorm chief. It will not help you out in your career at all and is just another reason to get yelled at. It’s not something you can prepare for and is chosen on the whim of the MTI. Sometimes they choose the oldest person, sometimes they ask for volunteers, sometimes they choose a person with JROTC experience, sometimes it’s completely random.
As for joining or not, BMT is not really very much fun, but it’s survivable and it’s only eight weeks out of a possibly long and successful career in the military. Tech school is more like a college environment than BMT, but yes you would still be separated. Whether your relationship can handle it is between you and your husband, but the BMT part is definitely survivable, though it is not very pleasant.
Thank you Derek for you fast response, I am thankful for your advise and the links you posted. I will most certainly take advantage of those links, and make it useful. As far as the tech school goes, I was also wondering if we got to choose where it will be at, and if you are married in the military do i get to go where ever my husband is based at?
You don’t choose where to go to tech school, it will vary depending on what your career field ends up being.
There are programs that will try to keep you and your husband together, but depending on your job that could be difficult at times. For instance my job, space operator, has very limited choices of bases. If your husband had a different job with very limited bases and none of your bases lined up, then they probably couldn’t fit you together. A lot of jobs can be stationed almost anywhere, such as a lot of medical jobs, personnel, services, security forces, computer jobs, etc. So you may want to consider that when you pick a job.
Hey Derek, its me Joe.
I need some advice on AFSC.
I just recently passed the Asvab with a
M 49 A 56 G 70 E 61
&
AFQT 63
I was wondering which jobs are in high demand and what all do I qualify for with these scores.
I really wanted something in the medical field but I talked to Ssgt. Harper and MSgt. Born and although they weren’t specific they said I have a lot of options but medical isn’t as open as other fields.
He said I will choose my top 8 and promised I will get one of the 8 but made no guarantee on which one it will be until 6th week in basic.. is this possible?
P.S.
What fields will I qualify for at MEPS & Which are in high demands?
Joe,
I really don’t have info on what jobs are in high demand as far as coming in now. It changes all the time for every career field other than the ones that they always need people for such as TACP, PJ, EOD, SERE, linguists, etc. Medical jobs are usually pretty highly sought after though, so they can be hard to get pretty much all the time.
You’ll put several jobs down on a list at MEPS including an open category, which would mean you can get any job in that category. The recruiter has NO control over what job you get at BMT. If you don’t have a guaranteed job in your contract, in writing, before you leave for basic training, then there are no guarantees. You will put down a list of jobs you want at BMT and will then find out what you got around the sixth week of training. You’ll probably have to put down five jobs or so in your order of preference and then an open category in case they don’t need you for any of the individual jobs you picked.
Here is a little bit of info on how jobs are given out:
This list is out-of-date, but can give you an idea of the kinds of jobs that are in-demand frequently: Keep in mind they may be needing more staff sergeants or master sergeants, not necessarily brand new airmen. But jobs on that chronic critical list are generally in higher demand than other jobs.
Spend some time looking at jobs here: Each job has a section stating what the ASVAB requirements are for that field, which will let you know what you are qualified for, barring any medical or other qualifications that may disqualify you.
Hey Dereck,
Just wanted to make a quick post on how great your sight is. I’m 22 and have my heart set on joining the AF. Your sight has already answered a ton of my questions. I’m sure I will be back on very frequently to ask more. Thanks and keep up the great sight.
Hi Frank, thanks for the comment. Glad you found the site helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Hey! I just came accross your site while I’m trying to prepare for BMT. I swore in last week and am waiting on the job drop! Hopefully something will come my way and I can leave ASAP!!!!
Thanks for the site it has great info!
Thanks Cassy, glad you enjoyed the site, good luck in BMT!
Hey. I am enlisting into the air force in March and am thinking about my career path. I really want to go into the medical field but don’t really know what are the best jobs in medical field. Please fill me in. Thanks.
Hi Jaci,
I can’t really say what would be the best for you, since I don’t work in the medical field in the AF personally and also because I don’t know what your interests are and what you’d like out of your career.
I’d check out this list of medical jobs and see what interests you. You can read the job description and see what it’s like. You can also take the AFSC code (for example 4E0X1) and search for that in Google for each job that interests you and you’ll probably find some more information and perhaps personal experiences about that particular job in the Air Force.
You can check out all the other jobs in the Air Force as well at this link:
Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!
i am currently reviewing for an ASVAB test at the end of this month. i saw a site regarding ASVAB test results. is it true that the most significant subjects are mechanical, administrative, general, and electronics. i’m still undecided if i shuold take the medical field (i have a medical background) or electronics. is this true? or do i need to study on other subjects to make my average score higher even if it’s not my priority subjects?
Nick,
Your score is divided up into the MAGE sections, which will qualify you for different jobs. The main subjects you want to study for on the ASVAB are the math and reading comprehension, etc. The things like physics and the pattern matching and stuff like that don’t have as big of an effect on your score as the core areas.
I would recommend studying everything you can. The higher your score the better your chances of getting the job you want and the more options you’ll have. Don’t just focus on one area to match the job you have in mind. You might not be able to get that job and will need all the options you can get.
Hey Derek, it’s the former Mike R from the first post (proudly now A1C Ross, hooyah!) and just wanted to thank you for your advice, it was tremendous help through basic!
Coming straight out of basic (and now tech school) I’d like yo post a few tips for anyone heading in BMT’s direction.
Food:
It ROCKS. You have a roatating selection to choose from every day, although by about the 4th week you will notice it’s all the same. My personal favorites were pancakes with peanut butter thrown on it and some syrrup, oj and milk, eggs (sometimes omletes shaped like a taco), for lunch, pretty much everything, dinner, chicken, sometimes they had round cheese pizzas, stir fry, just to name a few.
Sleep:
You have a strict lights out at 9 (2100) and wake up at 4:45 (0445). Reville and lights on instantly, accompanied by your MTI screaming at you will help you wake up. Good alarm clock : ) During lights out time it’s usually best to write letters, because let’s face it, you are never guranteed letter time till close to the end of bmt. Just don’t get caught please or bad things happen. Plus I don’t recommend it becuase you will value your sleep, but I thought it was a good idea to tell everyone just in case you want to write home.
Pt:
PT is awesome. I was in the 326th and they are one of the HARDEST squadrons to be put in, (watch out for SMSgt Hendrix! Shell eat your soul haha) but you will have the awesomest PT workouts of your life. PRACTICE NOW OR BE RECYCLED. I had a guy in my flight get recycled and it hurt the whole flight because we failed him as a teammate. And guess what? Being recycled means extra time in basic! Yay!
The outside world:
You will have mail and MAYBE one phonecall. My flight had a hard tine being away from family, so if you see someone taking things too hard, help a brother out and cheer him up, and if it’s hard for you, express it! To help someone in need, talk about memories with their loved ones/significant others, relate to them with your experiences, then try to divert the subject to something fun, like talking about the ladies or playing MW2 and how you have the most achievements and you are on the top ten players list or something. Befriend your dorm chief fast; they turn into mini mti’s. Me and my dorm chief were best friends (miss you Amn Ahbol!).
Some last tidbits:
If you get sick, I don’t care how scared of your MTI you are, you need to tell them and get help. Small colds become pneumonia, blisters become infected, shin splints become stress fractures, ect. I am not trying to scare you with this, but I almost died in bmt right after graduation because I was too focused on helping my flight and learning to become and Airman. I developed DOUBLE pneumonia and stayed at the 319th for a week after graduation before being sent to my tech school (Keesler). Listen, I know you love our country and your family, and it’s hard to not give 110% because of it, but if you go down in training then what good where you? My advice: keep yourself healthy and fit. It’s the only way to protect our country.
Thanks again to Derek, he helped me prepare for all of this!
Congrats on making it through BMT, Mike! I think you’re the first person that has let me know they made it through that I know has read my site or has emailed me for advice. Did you find the info on my site pretty accurate and helpful while you were there? Anything I should change or add?
Some good info in your post. Except every squadron says they are the “hardest”.
Glad you made it through, and good luck in tech school!
woo hoo!!! graduated basic march 5 and at keesler!
It’s possible to rock at pt, no matter your size! don’t let it hinder you, i’m 5 ft and am a warhawk and the 4th overall female who graduated bmt, I got to run in front of everyone proudly behind the AF flag, it’s worth it to try and try hard!!
The moral is to help your wing man, regardless if they didn’t ask for it….. people notice.
okay, the food at basic really does rock!! you won’t have a bm for he first 2 weeks or so, but don’t worry, everyone in my flight reached the conclusion that the syrup is a laxative. The all around favorite breakfast combination is french toast and peanut butter, everyone we talked to ( the most common discussion topic in basic is food btw) said they loved it too.
in the cafeteria for the 320 ( THE strictest) is if you have someone sit down next to you, get the piss up! Or you will have 4 TIs screaming at you in 5 sec, no kidding. Desserts did not happen, don’t even let soeone tell you in the 320 that it’s okay, no it’s not. The only time we got dessert was when we did KP duty. which starts the 3rd week and you’re up from 245 to 2100 on your feet working, it’s worth is though, you get to hang out and talk with friends. and eat, and have a lot of time to eat.
PT is IMPORTANT!! you have to try, 7 females got put into the 319th in their 7th week because they didn’t pass their final eval. They’re still there.
Your TI is there for you, they don’t get anything if you fail, ours went through all sorts of heck trying to get us to succeed. He even switched places with a different instructor so we could graduate and learn something. because he realized he was not prepared for us (we were a very poor flight) but because we got a new instructor we got PT excellence which we didn’t think we’d get excellence anything! ESPECIALLY if you are sick tell your TI! they want to know! we had 5 go to fever flight because they didn’t tell him they were sick, and if you don’t tell anyone you’re putting your sisters (or brothers) at risk too! Why would you go and do that? It’s serious and bad, one of our element leaders was forced to go to sick call in her 8th week and she had a 103 degree fever and strep, it took her 2 days to recover from something she had for almost 2 weeks. Risking her graduating with her flight! it’s NOT worth it!!
REMEMBER THIS BMTG BASIC MILITARY TRAINING GUIDE!!!! it tells you how to fold everything you get! how to organize everything, if you want to impress your TI take initiative and show him you care enough to at least read it!
I will say that our new TI was pretty good to us, VERY VERY strict but also incredibly fair. He called me a “selfish a-hole” which was hard for me to hear at the time, but he was 100% right, I would finish my stuff fast (and correctly) and bs around in my locker….after he talked with me I realized “why not help others with their stuff, consequently I learned I can roll socks like nobody’s business and was declared the sock roller for the flight. No one failed a locker exam because of their socks
As my last little bit, I can say that for chow ( I was on KP detail every time as a Milk Monitor so I was in the eating area the WHOLE time so I can say this!) the 320 is the strictest, as soon as the first row fills up you’d best get up before the 2nd row sits down. The 324, I’ll never forget this, had 3 rows filled!!! and no one was yelling…..omg…….I was floored! 3 rows and the TIs didn’t care!? for everyone else they got up to 2 rows and the TIs would start at them but no where else did I witness ONLY one row sit, eat and get up BEFORE the 2nd row sat down like ours did… a lot of people lost weight, 1 female was sent to the 319 because she lost 18 lbs and ended up weighing 98 lbs. under her minimum weight… not good, look out for yourself and your wingman!
Derek,
Are the current info that you have for the PT requirements the same for BMT right now? Once I found your site, I saw that and started to change my workout to work toward the Warhawk Award. I asked my recruiter if he knew if those were the current requirements, but he said that he didn’t know if that happened. Then I emailed the 737 help desk and they just told me to go to the bmt website. So, are the PT requirements those that were in your Study guide? And if there is any new graduate from BMT can confirm that so I can share that with the rest of the Trainees at Dep Call. If so I really need to get running faster then first thought. I don’t leave until the end of June.
Thanks~
I am not 100% sure on that, no. I haven’t heard that they have changed, and the most current info should be on the official BMT web site or the Air Force site or something. If you find out that they have changed let me know and I’ll update the site.
Derek,
your info for PT requirements differs from the ones on the bmt website. I was just wondering if those were the requirements when you were at BMT. I’ve been training to get my mile and half down to 8:55, I want to try to get the extra day off base at graduation. Push ups, sit ups and pull ups are good, it is just the running part.
Thanks~
Yes they were correct when I was at BMT, but that was three years ago. If the official BMT web site still says that then I assume they haven’t changed. The PT requirements for after BMT have changed, but I don’t think they’ve changed the graduating requirements.
Hi, I leave for BMT June 8. Pretty scared but excited to finally start my life.
I just thought of a random question while reading through this and other sites.
What do you sleep in while in basic? you PT gear? seems like you wouldn’t want that to get wrinkled in your sleep. guys could sleep in boxers but do girls sleep in underwear?
Yes you sleep in your PT gear. You have only a couple minutes to get ready in the morning so already having it on is a good idea. You can take your shirt off and stuff while you sleep if you’re more comfortable, but you need to be able to get up and get dressed in just a couple minutes, so everything has to be handy.
My bf just left to BMT on May 4th. He is in squadron 323..
what can anyone tell me about this squadron, the MTI etc.. any thing to help me feel better about this would be great.
There really isn’t much difference between squadrons. And I obviously don’t know all the TIs there so I can’t tell you much about that either. Most people’s experiences will be pretty similar though.
I have been looking at going into the Air Force as a Combat Controller. I’ve heard a few things that I’m not quite sure are true. Such as, If I go in as a Combat Controller and decide to do something else after I join, am I still entitled to the 17k bonus, or say I switched to Security Forces, would I get the 2k that they’re entitled to? I’ve heard the Combat Controller is hardcore(that’s what I’m expecting and hoping for) and most of the people washout….the people that “washout” is it because they can’t complete the training? or is it that they think it’s too hard and they give up?…
Michael,
If you joined as a combat controller, then you would get whatever enlistment bonus that job is currently entitled to, most likely after you completed the training successfully. A recruiter should be able to give you all the details on that. Be aware also that there is a RE-enlistment bonus for a lot of career fields. It is currently extremely high for all of the combat-oriented jobs like combat controller. Depending on how long you decide to re-enlist for, you could receive up to $90,000 in a re-enlistment bonus. They give you half up front, then the rest divided over your re-enlistment anniversary dates. If you re-enlist in a combat zone, the entire bonus is tax free. Of course by the time you re-enlist the bonus could have changed and could be higher or lower than it is now, but for the combat-oriented jobs, it is almost always really high.
Yes combat controller is one of the more “hardcore” AF jobs I suppose. Meaning you do more than sit at a desk and click a mouse like most of us. I would imagine people washout both for quitting and just not being able to complete the training. If you search for the AFSC code for combat controllers on Google you should be able to find some other people’s input about the job and information about the training, etc.
Hey Derek, I’ve been looking all over your site reading almost everything. I’m 22 years old and back when i got out of highschool i looked into the army. Me and a buddy was going to join together but i changed my mind for whatever reason and said that if i went in i would join the Air Force. So 3 years later a couple younger friends where about half way threw with highschool and started talking about joining the military. I though to my self “if they join the air force i might look into it with him”. They ended up going into the marines. My one friends older brother whos also my friend is now talking about joining the marines and his girlfriend(another friend lol) inlisted and is leaving in a couple weeks for boot camp. Once again i’m thinking about joining the air force. I guess i just cant figure out if i really should. I dont know if its right for me. And i’m not really sure how to figure this out. Like i said i’ve been reading almost everything on your site and i’m really thinking about it. I just thought maybe if i posted this you could give me some advice and maybe help me know what to do either way it goes. I have yet to talk to a recruiter because once i know that i want to talk to one i want to e-mail my cousin who was a Master Sgt in the air force and see what he has to say. But i figure i’ll being it up with him once im pretty sure about my choice.
Thanks
Herschel,
Hard to recommend what to do without really knowing you. I don’t like to try to push people into the military. I’ve worked with a lot of people that have been pushed in or joined on a whim and they end up hating it and they are miserable and make everyone around them miserable. I wouldn’t recommend joining just because you’re bored or because all your friends have joined the military, though. It’s a harder life than the civilian world in a lot of ways, even in the Air Force. In other ways it’s easier. The Air Force is definitely the most “corporate” and the most like the civilian world. You don’t have people screaming at you every day (after BMT) and most of the actual military stuff is kind of laughed off.
If you have specific questions about military life that would help you in your decision, feel free to let me know. Other than that, it’s hard to recommend for you to join or not without knowing what your goals or concerns are, etc.
thank you Derek for replying. i’m sorry i cant get the reply thing to work my internet is messing up. But yeah i can understand not being able to really help me because you dont know me. I guess a big part of joining would be the schooling and the job. Jobs are hard to come by now days lol.
I guess i can ask this much. What kind of job would you suggest for someone thats is good on computers. i’m not amazing at coding or anything but i’m pretty much into computers and such.
Well the military is definitely good for school. You’ll get $4,500 a year for school, as well as the post 9/11 GI Bill, which is about $80,000 in school benefits and can be passed on to your spouse or children if you ever have any. You also get college credits for completing Air Force training, and after taking a few general classes will get an associate’s degree from the Community College of the Air Force in your career field.
For computer jobs you’d want to look at the 3D career fields, which you can see . There are programming jobs, networking, computer security, etc. Also some of the involve computers.
I didn’t know about the associates degree part so thats something new i need to figure in =) and the computer security or 3D career sounds pretty interesting, i cant look into the links right now because my internets messed up but tomorrow first thing thats what i’ll do =) Do you know how often people in the computer field get deployed? And with the GI Bill can i pass that on to kids i have on down the road? lol
The deployment rate for any career field depends on a whole lot of things, it’s difficult to say how much any one field gets deployed, except for maybe the cops which are deployed every 6 months for 6 months at a time. There are combat comm squadrons though that get deployed a lot or are on a deployment-ready status at all times, meaning they could get about 24 hour notice to be deployed somewhere. Some satellite communication jobs are like that as well. Sometimes a deployment will come down and people can volunteer for it or decline it as well. In my career field, space systems operations, deployments are few and far between, so some people are begging to go (for extra money or just the experience) and others will turn it down because they have a family, etc. In some other jobs it’s not optional and you just get sent over there.
If you were still in the military when you had your kids then yes you could pass the GI Bill onto them. I don’t think you can get out of the military and then have kids and then pass it to them though, because they wouldn’t be your military dependents at that point, since you are already out.
Great site! I just swore in last week and currently waiting for a job. I had a 93 AFQT and selected 4 intel jobs. I was curious as to what your AFSC is, and if you could give me a little feedback as to what to expect doing an intelligence job.
Thanks,
Chris
again, great site!
Hi Chris, good job on the ASVAB, that score will open a lot of job options for you. My AFSC is 1C651, Space Systems Operations. Basically doing missile warning, commanding satellites, launching rockets, etc. Intel is a very varied career field. I work with 1N0′s at my current job. They basically brief us on threats and other things of interest to my job. They are also deployed a lot, on a 1:1 rotation, meaning that they are home 6 months, then deployed somewhere for 6 months. Other intel jobs involve being a linguist or monitoring the enemy with different types of communications equipment, etc. I don’t do the job myself so I don’t know a ton about it, plus most of it is classified.
Derek
Hey Derek, One of my friends had a question when i was talking to him about the Air Force. He is thinking about joining with me but we have yet to get the chance to talk to a recruiter. He was wondering if he would even be able to join the air force seeing as he was in the army. He heard somewhere that they wouldn’t let people from the army in but i wasn’t sure how true that is. I dont see how they would have a problem with it but i figured i would post on here and ask you.
Thanks,
Herschel
I don’t know what the current policy is, but when I came in three years ago, they weren’t taking prior service people from any branch including the Air Force. Not sure what it is now, the recruiter should be able to tell you easily.
Hey Derek,
I’ve been reading through your site and was hoping you could possibly help clear something up for me. I have mild asthma, nothing too bad, but it gets worse in winter when I’m stuck inside and with my allergies. During the periods where I’m working out often (mostly summer) I have little to no issues with my asthma, as long as I stay active.
Now, I’ve been looking to join the AF, and I told my recruiter about my asthma. He said, as long as you can go through BMT without needing it you’ll be fine. Here’s the issue I’m facing: based on everything I read, in order to get through MEPs without being DQed, I have to lie about my condition, but that would lead to a possible fraudulent enlistment charge if I have an attack. But my recruiter made it sound as if I don’t have to lie, and I can get in anyway.
I’m not going to lie to MEPs in any case, because that leads to too many possible issues down the road… like being charged with a felony, which I’m not about to do.
The AF is my dream, I want nothing more that to join, but I don’t know what’s going to happen because of my issue. Please let me know, thank you.
Kate
Kate,
That is a question for the doc at MEPS unfortunately. I’m obviously not a doctor and don’t know your medical history so I can’t say if your asthma will be a problem or not. Definitely don’t lie at MEPS or at any point in your enlistment or career, as that can lead to problems that you mentioned, plus not being able to obtain a security clearance, etc. Hopefully it won’t be an issue and you’ll get in. Good luck!
Derek
GET A WAIVER!
At my MEPS, a recruit enlisted with Asthma, and never told the medical staff. He was removed in 6th WOT and charged with fraudulent enlistment, after they did a thorough seach of his background.
The waiver can be passed as long as the doctors see you medically fit, and that waiver will protect you throughout your military career
Hi,
So i stumbled about your site looking for information, which by the way this is very helpful. But on that note I do have questions for you that I hope you can answer. I am 17 and will be graduating high school in 2011. I do have a blood disorder but that doesn’t limit me to any type of activity, baisically I do EVERYTHING everyone else does, just my blood counts come in lower, is there any way that will disqualify me?
My second question is that I went to a therapy/counsiling thing when my family went through a tough time, nothing big, nothing tramatic, and no depression what so ever. Is this necessary to tell the recruiter when I go to see them?
My third question is, I’m still considering the idea of going to college for four years. Is this a bad idea? I know about ROTC and I’m looking into that, but I was just wondering if I went to college and got a 4 year degree would that benefit me in any way?
My final question would be if I enlist into the Air Force without any ROTC training, is it possible to become an officer?
I hope you can answer my questions because the Air Force has been my dream since I’ve been 7 years old. Thank you.
Anna,
I can’t really answer your medical questions. You’ll just have to talk to the recruiter and the doctor at MEPS and they’ll let you know if the conditions you listed will be a problem. You should definitely tell the recruiter about your counseling. I had some simple marriage counseling and stuff before going in and it’s not a big deal as long as you’re honest about it. They are mostly looking for things that could make you dangerous, require medication, etc.
College is never a bad idea, but it will not really help you as an enlisted person in the Air Force. If you finished your college degree first, you would definitely want to come in as an officer for higher pay and benefits, etc. If you enlist then you get $4,500 a year toward your degree, plus your GI Bill which is about $80,000 for school. If you finish your degree as an enlisted person then you can apply to become an officer. There are also really good programs like AECP (Google it) that basically pay you as a staff sergeant full time with full benefits, just to go to school and become an officer afterwards.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
I actually have another question. When I was younger I was told I had flat feet. But my feet aren’t entirely flat and i have some sort of arch. Will that disqualify me?
Again I really can’t answer medical questions. I’m not a doctor and not familiar with all of the medical requirements for getting into the military, etc. I think severe flat feet can disqualify you, but it’s part of the initial physical exam to look at your feet as well as the rest of your body, so they will let you know if it will disqualify you. It is possible to get waivers for some medical conditions that would disqualify you normally, but again the recruiter and MEPS doc will be able to answer all of your medical questions better than I can.
Hello Derek, I am leaving for BMT in a week and I was wondering how my 2nd MEPS experience will go. I know that I won’t have to take the ASVAB again or anything like that. But will I have to do all the flexibility tests again? I had a little trouble with the duck walk the first time I went and I would hate for that to mess me up right before I have to leave. Thanks.
No you won’t have to do all the flexibility tests again. It’s mostly more paperwork, I think a quick medical exam (nothing like the first one), and then you swear in again and then head to the airport. It’s a lot of waiting around at MEPS and doing nothing. “Hurry up and wait” as they say. But you can expect to do a ton of that during your entire military career, so get used to it. It’s just the way the military works unfortunately.
Ah okay. Well I suppose more paperwork is necessary, but that is good to know the physical will go by quicker. I appreciate the quick response, and the entire site you have put together. It has really helped me these past months as a member in the DEP. I am very excited and honored I will begin serving soon. Thanks again.
No problem, good luck in basic.
when going to basic in the winter are u still issued shorts and do you get to use shorts instead of those heavy sweats?? or do you still have to wear the pants for pt
Yes you’ll still be issued shorts, but you’ll have to wear what the MTI tells you to each day. Everyone wears the same thing.
I’m shipping for BMT on Nov 23rd. I’m getting that excited/nervous feeling. Your sight has been a huge help, but I have one question. What happens Christmas day during training? Do we get longer patio breaks? Reason being is would love to have a long convo with the wife that day just to make me feel better. Thanks
I wasn’t there over Christmas so I can’t say for sure, but you might get a patio break or a special meal or something. It would be up to your MTI. No one else will be working that day though, so you wouldn’t be doing any type of processing or anything else at least. That doesn’t mean your MTI won’t come up with something creative for you to do though.
Its texas …how cold could it possibly get..isn’t it a melting pot there
@Dan
When my brother went through National Guard BMT he came back a week before Christmas and finished basic right after that. I don’t know that it’ll be the same for you since it’s a different service. It’ll probably also depend on what week of your training Christmas falls on. I’d talk with your recruiter to find out for sure.
@Derek
Thank you for this great site. I’d had problems finding accounts of Air Force BMT after the recent changes. You’ve given me a lot of good info and tips that make me feel more comfortable for when I enter basic. I still have a while, I’m a senior in college planning to join after I graduate next summer, but it’s nice to know what I’m in for.
By the way, I noticed earlier comments about the fitness standards. I was looking them up earlier at and it looks like they’ve changed. For men, 1.5 Mile: 11:57, 9:30, 8:55; Push-Ups: 45, 55, 65; Sit-Ups: 50, 60, 70; Pull-Ups: 0, 5, 10. For women, 1.5 Mile: 14:21, 12:00, 10:55; Push-Ups: 27, 32, 40; Sit-Ups: 50, 55, 60; Pull-Ups: 0, 2, 5. They have better looking table in a .pdf on the site that you can check out. Hope this is helpful.
Hello, Sir.
I Enlisted in the Air Force and my ship date is January 11th. Im a bit nervous about basic training but I just want to know if there were any pointers you could give me about basic and how to stay strong?
Well this entire web site is about pointers during basic. And it always helped me to think that millions had made it through before me, and it’s only 8 weeks of a potentially long career.
I have a question about weight limits…I was told you had to be 10 lbs under your max weight for your height and 10 lbs over your minimum weight. If your close to being 10 lbs under your max, lets say about 8 or 7 lbs, can that disqualify you since it’s not 10 lbs?
That may be a local policy that your recruiter has, just to make sure that you make weight. If you are only 2 pounds under, your weight could easily fluctuate the morning of you shipping out and then you’d be sent home. But it wouldn’t make much sense for there to be a maximum weight, and then they say you have to be 10 under that. They’d just lower the max by 10. Probably just a local policy.
Okay thanks for the information. I ship out Dec 14 and didnt have a worry until my last EAD briefing when they made a deal about 2lbs. I run everyday and work out so I really am not worried, just curious if it was a strict policy or not. I love your website…it’s very easy to navigate and love the feedback from everyone else!
Can I get a guaranteed job if I’m in the reserves? I want to be a boom operator at McConnell AFB in Wichita. I live very close, so wouldn’t they have to give me that job? Is there anyway to guarantee it? Thanks!
I’m not very familiar with the reserves so I can’t say for sure. I doubt it though. The military isn’t really “required” to do anything. They may give you a job on that base, but there are plenty of other jobs you could get besides boom operator. That’s definitely a question to ask a recruiter.
I graduated BMT in September. Thanks for the site, it gave me some good info. To all those who are about to go. It is not too bad, just stay focused and motivated and you will get through with no problem.
Congrats on making it through, Jacob! I’m glad you found the site useful. Good luck in tech school and at your first base.
I have a bit of a sticky question, was hoping you could enlighten me. My boyfriend is going into basic training this upcoming week and he’s run into a few complications regarding getting his credits from college counted. Our university lists courses on a scale that doesn’t begin with 100 level courses. For example, freshman composition is a 001 and General Chemistry is 003. His recruiter told him that because they weren’t listed as 100 level classes, they couldn’t count towards his rank. Is there nothing that can be done about this? His transcript is clearly filled with 100 level or above classes (he completed 2 years as a full time student) but because of the number they’re not being counted. Or will they be able to fix that once he gets to Texas?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Are you sure these are not remedial classes? Some colleges have remedial math and english classes that don’t actually count for college credit. The school also may not be properly accredited which could be why they don’t use the standard numbering system. If the recruiter says they won’t work then there probably isn’t much you can do about it right now. It could be that once he gets to basic training he could talk to the personnel people there and see about getting it fixed, or even when he gets to his tech school or first base. There isn’t a lot of opportunity during basic training to deal with a problem like that, may have to wait until tech school or first base so you have more time and freedom to handle a single problem outside of the mass-inprocessing.
I’d just ask the recruiter exactly why they don’t count, if it’s just because of the numbering system, or if it’s because they are remedial classes or if the school isn’t accredited. I’d call the school and see why they don’t use the standard numbering system and if there is a way they could do another transcript with the proper numbering system.
They’re not remedial classes, and the school is accredited. Thats just the way they list the courses, Im a third year student about to finish my degree program and my schedule still shows courses with the third number being the number that changes. He has 60+ credits, he was a bio major so there isn’t really any way all of them (if any) could be remedial. Its just the way the school lists the courses. The recruiter has said that even though its clear that they are at least 100 level classes, because of the numbering system they cant count them. He goes to his final MEPS day today with his transcript, I guess we’ll see how it pans out.
Hi Derek! Love your site! Its the best site I’ve been on and I’ve been researching for a whole entire year!!!! OK so I have a few ?’s and I’m desperately seeking answers. I’m 25 yrs old and I will be graduating in May with a BA in Psy. I was looking to join the AF as an Officer but seeing as its highly competitive I’m considering just enlisting. My ? to you is what do I need to do to get my the ball rolling? I’ve completed my app supplied all the needed documents to my recruiter but I haven’t heard anything back from her! Should I find another recruiter? And will I have to go through that whole process again? Also will my scores from the ASVAB be any good I took it in Feb 2010 if i want to enlist upon my graduation In May 2011? i hope you can give me some answers to these ?’s
Have you tried to talk to a recruiter about being an officer? It is highly competitive right now and they’ve just let a bunch of officers go, but that doesn’t mean you have no chance of getting it. They are always looking for technical degrees though, so a psychology degree may be difficult to get in with.
If you enlisted you’d at least go in as an E-3 and get promoted a little faster, and you’d have a chance to apply to OTS (officer training school) later in your career as well.
Call your recruiter or go by to see her and see what is holding up the process. See if she needs anything else from you to get things moving, ask if there’s anything you can do to help. She may be dealing with a couple dozen recruits at once and just hasn’t gotten to you yet.
I think ASVAB scores are good for 2 years, because a lot of people take it in their junior year of high school.
Just contact your recruiter though and see if she needs any info from you or if you can do something to help. Some recruiters are lazy, unfortunately, and you may need to stay on her about it.
Thanks Derek for the info!!!! I will be giving my recruiter a call ASAP!!!