How to survive USAF Basic Training

TSAX · 04-21-2011, 00:49

This was interesting, it would've been nice if I had this before I went in.

#1 on the list might be a no brainer but people often need to be reminded of it.

http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-Air-Force-Basic-Training

1 old 0311 · 04-21-2011, 13:23

Good info for young guys enlisting.

Jeepnik · 04-21-2011, 16:58

I truely wish I had known #1. The rest were easy, but failing to follow #1 made life "interesting".

As a side note, one thing I learned is basic, was the if a MSGT asks you who Colonel such and such is (family friend, dated his daughter), NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, reply "nobody". You will find out very fast that an air force Colonel is "somebody".

***Morris*** · 04-22-2011, 10:29

Unfortunately, in this day and age, #1 must be repeated often with the young ones . . .

Oh yeah, in Tips. Had a kid in my flight who had his travel bag filled with two pieces of underwear, a pair of socks and 49 condoms. When the TIs tore into him and then asked him why 49, he smugly responded he had 50 when he started the flight to San Antone but needed one on the way down. Quiet smile. Deafening silence and mutters from the TIs as they stared at him. Guy was a character.

5madman2 · 04-26-2011, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morris

Unfortunately, in this day and age, #1 must be repeated often with the young ones . . .

Oh yeah, in Tips. Had a kid in my flight who had his travel bag filled with two pieces of underwear, a pair of socks and 49 condoms. When the TIs tore into him and then asked him why 49, he smugly responded he had 50 when he started the flight to San Antone but needed one on the way down. Quiet smile. Deafening silence and mutters from the TIs as they stared at him. Guy was a character.

I am sorry, but that is just pi## yer pants funny

BenKeith · 05-14-2011, 21:57

The kid might have had a point, you know why back in the mid 70's they changed from refering to females as WAF's (Women's Air Force) to FEM's (Female Inlisted Members). The females didn't like what the WAF was more closely related to.

Ralff · 05-19-2011, 10:30

Being a generally quiet guy, I had #1 down pat before I even joined. The challenge for me was speaking up when I needed to.

My TI still had to look at my name tag to remember who I was during the last week of BMT. You could say I flew under the radar.

***Morris*** · 05-19-2011, 10:51

For the first three days, I didn't know what my TI looked like. All I knew was that he was shorter because the brim of his hat kept tapping mt throat.

God and goddess bless you TI TSgt. Chester McCracken. You did a fine job with me.

statistic6 · 05-31-2011, 20:03

AF BMT isn't bad. If I was able, I would attend it all over. Looking back, it was a good time.

AFshooter · 06-09-2011, 22:17

My TI had to look at my name tag to know who I was THE VERY LAST DAY OF TRAINING. I counted that as mission accomplished, as my recruiter constantly emphasized Rule #1.

GeorgiaGlocker · 09-16-2011, 13:18

I joined in 1975 and before I left for Lackland my dad told me do not volunteer for anything! The first day our TI asked for volunteers and the first hand that he saw go up became our latrine queen and the rest were his helpers. He had a hard time getting volunteers after that.

JBnTX · 09-18-2011, 11:16

Here's some good advice:
Keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut!

Worked for me.

USAFRock · 02-27-2012, 14:23

good times, actually about to leave in the next couple months for MTI Duty.

308th_sps · 03-16-2012, 08:19

Basic training July-August 1975. 30 days I just don't remember. Went really fast.

308th_sps

PettyOfficer · 03-16-2012, 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBnTX

Here's some good advice:
Keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut!

Worked for me.

Best advice ever... AF boot is even less strenuous than Navy, and the Navy was mostly sitting in classrooms.

During boot: be a wall flower: shut up, don't fall asleep in class, stay in the middle of the pack and you'll be fine.

If your final command after boot/school isn't already known, then in school be a standout, do really well and get to know everybody: you never know who might have a connection or know something you dont, and being at the top of your class will allow you first pick of available follow-on commands.

JasonC8301 · 04-18-2012, 15:33

I smiled a lot in boot camp. But #1 is so true, for any boot camp or basic training. My senior di said after graduation that the smiling threw him off. No matter how bad it got I was always smiling.

meangreenlx50 · 04-18-2012, 19:41

1# Should be that the Air Force has unrealistic goals and objectives, and that working around the systems and making a flawed concept work is rewarded and applauded, but get caught and expose the sham that is in the regs(or the thats the way the Air Force does it, ie everything done, with no errors and unrealistic dead lines) then you are hammered hard for exposing hypocrisy. Seen it, living it. Accept it in the begining and you'll be less crazy for it.

FriscoTx · 04-18-2012, 19:51

I was lucky to be prepared because my Dad had been in the Army for 5 years during WWII and had been a training instructor and combat veteran. He let me know what to expect and how to act in BMT.

PepSas37 · 05-02-2012, 15:49

It's roughly 9 weeks and it's not as easy-going as the Air Force sometimes appears to be. It really is boot camp. Don't get me wrong, it's not the Corps or the Army camps but it still will test you sometimes, especially on the long... long runs.

chemicalburn · 05-02-2012, 21:31

just go and find out

Taphius · 05-03-2012, 00:02

Hardest part for me was not laughing at the the TI's said to the other trainee's.

They are some clever bastards in their insults

Batesmotel · 05-03-2012, 12:02

I thought you AF guys just learned to sit in a desk chair with your feet up.

BTW I love my USAF Brothers. My dad was Navy and took his GI Bill and got an electronics degree. Then worked for Hill AFB until he died. I can't tell you how proud he was of both the Navy and the Air force and the work he did. I went Marines and have great respect for the USAF logistics command. They always got us where we needed to go.