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AIR FORCE BASIC MILITARY TRAINING

You'll hear us calling it BMT, "summer camp," and a few other things depending on company. Whatever you call it, get ready for six weeks that will turn you, at the very least, into a well trained and ready Airman. By graduation, you'll meet the fitness requirements that make airmen physically durable in almost any situation.

Basic Military Training is designed to teach you the critical importance of discipline, teamwork and foundational knowledge you'll need to succeed as an airman. It will also prepare you physically as a warrior in the profession of arms. Successful completion earns you the privilege of proudly wearing the blue uniform of the most powerful Air Force in the world.

Prior to reporting for duty, you should begin your training at home. Following a recommended workout schedule, 3-5 times per week for at least the six weeks before you attend BMT will help you get ready for the challenges you’ll face in basic training and beyond.

Basic Military Training will challenge you physically and mentally. You'll learn to follow instructions, help others and work as a team. You will grow with each success, and you'll gain confidence in your ability to achieve all of your dreams and goals.

On your assigned departure date, you will return to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) for a review of your enlistment papers and your physical testing results. You will be sworn into the active-duty Air Force during a special enlistment ceremony.

The Air Force will arrange and pay for your trip to San Antonio, Texas, where you'll be met and transported to Lackland Air Force Base. This is where you will enter Basic Military Training (BMT) and get your first real taste of life as a member of the Air Force.

You will join about 45 other new airmen in a group called a Training Flight. You will meet your Military Training Instructor (MTI) who will take you to your dormitory and help you get settled in. The first few days are spent completing paperwork, receiving equipment and uniforms and gaining a clear understanding of the basic rules everyone follows in the Air Force.

In addition to classroom studies, each Flight will have daily physical conditioning, periods of time for dormitory maintenance, study, personal hygiene and preparation for the upcoming day's events.

You'll find out what it's like to work with great people and realize what it's like to be a part of a team. You'll take pride in what you've accomplished, and the friendships that you've made in the Air Force will last a lifetime.

There will be a lot of yelling, a lot of orders and a lot of chances for you to screw up. Don’t let it get to you!!! There is no possible way you’ll be doing anything “right” for the next few weeks. The first night at BMT will be the worst. More than anything, you’ll be in a state of shock as the finality of your decision to enlist starts to sink in. Hang in there!!! Start to think of this as the first day of the rest of your life. All of the things you thought you knew, everything you always thought you were capable of is soon to become a faint, and funny memory.

The whole purpose of BMT is to break down the walls of individuality. Once that’s done, you’re going to be amazed at the team you’ll be built into, that of the US Air Force.

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There are going to be times where you feel lonely, homesick, exhausted…. You may think no one notices this, but just when you think you can’t take it anymore, when you think no one cares, the least expected thing happens. Your TI will give you a little word of encouragement. This is where the pride in what you belong to begins to develop. These feelings only continue to grow as you complete each week of BMT. When you graduate, you will feel more pride in yourself, the Air Force and your country then you ever felt possible. Oh, and that TI you swore hated you, the one that you might have thought you hated right back will be more proud of you than you could ever fathom. You’ll have a mutual respect for each other that will last forever. Those six weeks may be the longest of your life, but they are also the most valuable. You’ll be able to draw on those experiences for the rest of your life.

When you arrive at Lackland, you will be referred to as "trainee." Your reporting statement will be, "Sir/Ma'am, Trainee XXXXX, reports as ordered." After completion of the 5th week of training, you will be referred to as "Airman." It's a good idea to rehearse your reporting statement before you arrive. You will be assigned to a "flight," a group of 30-60 trainees within a "Squadron." Each flight will have several TI's assigned to guide the trainees through BMT. The first few days (Zero week) will be spent getting haircuts, issuing equipment and clothing, and explaining the basics of dorm life. Most days begin at 0445 (4:45 a.m.) and end at 2100 (9:00 p.m.). You will receive three meals per day.

Week of Training (WOT) 1: Reporting and saluting, Medical and Dental Appointments, GI Bill briefing, ID Cards, Dorm Guard Class, Career Guidance, Individual Drill, Dorm Preparation, and Haircuts. 

WOT 2: Personal Fitness, Dorm Inspection, Personal Appearance, Recognizing Military Insignia, Military Citizenship, Personal Interviews, Human Relations Class, and Flight Drill.

WOT 3: Second Clothing issue, Dorm Inspection, Haircuts, Flight Drill, Air Force History and Organizational Structure, Fitness and Nutrition, Educational Opportunities, Enlisted Force History and Heritage, Environmental Awareness and Resource Protection, Sexual Harassment, and Chain of Command.

WOT 4: Financial Management, Flight Pictures, Flight Drill, Military Citizenship, Career Progression, Enlisted Force Structure, Ethics, Core Values, and Air Force Rank Insignia.

WOT 5: Law of Armed Conflict, Code of Conduct, Security, Confidence Course, Marksmanship training, Field Training Experience.

WOT 6: Dorm Inspection, Hometown News Releases, Formal Retreat, Written test, Haircuts, Technical School Briefing, Commanders Departure Town Pass Briefing, Smoking Cessation, Orders Pick-up, and Graduation Parade.

Graduation is a recognition you will earn. It marks the end of your Air Force basic military training and the beginning of your career as a military professional in the World's Greatest Air Force! You will enjoy the pride of accomplishment you've earned through courage, determination, and the will to succeed. You will attend a public ceremony attended by your friends and family as they come together to share in this significant and rewarding event.

 
New Air Force Airmen Battle Uniform Accessories

Academic Training
You'll attend approximately 40 hours of classroom instruction to learn about all aspects of Air Force life.
You'll want to spend any 'available time' studying for your academic test (while waiting for a haircut, in line for clothing issue, or prior to lights out). Your score on the academic test will be one of the factors used in your selection for Honor Graduate.

In the end, you will have gained a better understanding of a wide range of military subjects, and a better understanding of your own abilities. You will also learn the importance of the Air Force's core values that will help guide you as you lay the groundwork for a rewarding career in the US Air Force!  Examples of academic training subjects: Air Force History, Air Force Organization, Financial Management, Lifestyle Fitness, Customs and Courtesies, Human Relations.

After completing BMT, airmen begin technical training in their career field specialties, primarily at five installations: Goodfellow, Lackland, and Sheppard Air Force bases in Texas; Keesler AFB, Miss.; and Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Each base is responsible for a specific portion of formal technical training airmen require to accomplish the Air Force mission. Highly trained instructors conduct technical training in specialties such as aircraft maintenance, civil engineering, medical services, computer systems, security forces, air traffic control, personnel, intelligence, fire fighting, and space and missile operations.

Commissioned officers attend technical training courses for similar career fields at the same locations.

Physical Fitness - Prepare for BMT
Check out the new US Air Force Physical Fitness Standards.

Physical conditioning at BMT can be rigorous if you're not prepared. A physically fit trainee has a greater chance of avoiding injury and graduating on time. Start an exercise program three times a week for 45 minutes a session.  The program should emphasize muscular strength, flexibility and cardio-respiratory endurance. Muscular strength is defined as the maximum amount of force a muscle can produce in a single movement. A training program using free weights is an ideal method to attain muscular strength and endurance.

A well-rounded exercise program also requires stretching before and after any exercise. Five to seven minutes of stretching before and after a workout is a good standard. Stretching should be performed in a slow, controlled manner for 10 to 30 seconds with some tension in the muscle. Avoid bouncing or using jerky movements because this may cause injury. Stretching helps flexibility and prevents common injuries, such as shin splints.

In addition to strength, endurance and stretching, you should be prepared for the cardio-respiratory endurance challenge at BMT. Build your endurance through aerobic exercise of at least 20 minutes three to five times a week using such exercises as cycling, swimming, roller-blading, running and lap swimming.

Succeeding at BMT could be a matter of mental and physical preparation.

Basic Military Training graduation fitness requirements
Your Air Force basic training will involve extensive marching, conditioning classes, and the completion of a challenging obstacle course. Upon graduation, you will not only be able to meet these requirements, you'll be in the best shape of your life.  Check out our section on push ups improvement to prepare for your training.

How hard is the fitness program? It's rigorous and challenging. The program includes 1-hour daily workouts, 6 days a week with additional daily remedial sessions as required. Three days are dedicated to a strength building regimen (pushups, crunches, leg lifts, etc.) and three days reserved for aerobic training (running and sprinting). You need to prepare before you arrive.

How will you be evaluated? The first weekend you arrive, you'll have an initial physical fitness evaluation--on pushups, sit-ups, and a timed 2-mile run. Your weekly progress will be monitored and you'll need to pass your final evaluation in order to progress.

Fitness training will not end with your final evaluation. You'll need to pass a 2 1/2-mile motivational "Airmen's Run" in the final week of training in order to graduate.

Are you motivated?  Check out our new section on Air Force Special Operations.
Some select Air Force career fields such as Tactical Air Controller, Combat Controller, or Pararescueman offer Airmen the unique opportunity to attend highly specialized courses including the elite Army Ranger School and Airborne School.

Air Force Changes BMT Physical Fitness Standards
Teamwork is paramount to all that is taught during BMT and physical fitness is no exception. The most physically fit male and female flights each week receive a "Fitness Excellence" streamer to display on their guidon. Flights are also expected to complete the 2.5-mile Airmen’s Run in flight formation. By the end of basic training, all airmen will have run at least 2.5 miles, a major accomplishment for many who had never even run a mile before entering basic training.

The person who oversees both basic and technical training for the Air Force and has advocated, for over a year, more vigorous fitness training in BMT, applauds the increased physical standards BMT has put in place.

More information on US Air Force Physical Fitness Standards.

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