Join the Air Force

Lackland Air Force Base conducts the Air Force's only enlisted recruit training program, ensuring orderly transition from civilian to military life. Recruits are trained in the fundamental skills necessary to be successful in an Expeditionary Air Force. This includes basic war skills, military discipline, physical fitness, drill and ceremonies, Air Force core values and a comprehensive range of subjects relating to Air Force life.

More than 7 million young men and women have entered Air Force basic military training since Feb. 4, 1946, when the training mission was moved to Lackland from Harlingen Air Force Base, Texas. Throughout its history, Lackland's BMT program has changed in many ways to meet the operational needs of the Air Force. Yet, recent updates in the curriculum are some of the most significant in its 60-year history, with every aspect of the program overhauled.

On Nov. 7, 2005, BMT changed its curriculum to focus on a new kind of Airman--one who is a 'warrior first.' The goal is to instill a warrior mindset in trainees from day one and better prepare Airmen for the realities of the Expeditionary Air Force.

The changes result from the need to meet current and future operational Air Force requirements. In September 2004, the 20th Basic Military Training Review Committee met at Lackland and recommended significant changes in the focus, curriculum and schedule.

The most significant changes:

1. Air Force basic training now mirrors the Air Expeditionary Force cycle--trainees prepare to deploy, deploy to field exercises, and then reconstitute. The AEF construct is the Air Force's way to organize, train, equip and deploy forces for contingency operations while remaining ready to meet national crises.

2. M-16A2 weapons training--recruits use a trainer rifle identical to the real weapon in every way except its ability to fire an actual round of ammunition--the weapon is issued day one of week one. Unlike the previous M-16 trainer, trainees can tear-down, clean and reassemble the parts. This training immediately connects the trainees with a warrior role, ingrains weapon safety and security and allows the trainee to become comfortable with the weapon prior to the field deployment exercises.

3. Early classroom instruction and application in developing basic war skills is now taught in the early weeks of training. The focus is to communicate war skills as a first priority. Basic Airmanship subjects such as history and Air Force doctrine, previously taught in the first two weeks, have been moved to the fifth and sixth weeks.

4. "Basic Field Security" and "Self Aid and Buddy Care" are now taught in the classroom with application immediately following, prior to trainee deployment to field training. These lessons were previously taught in the field. Now, trainees have more time to practice scenarios in the field and apply the skills learned in the classroom.

5. New classroom subjects in war skills include "Role of the Warrior," "Mental Preparation for Combat," "Basic Self-Defense," "Basic Leadership" and "Combat Recovery."

6. A mock mobility line process has been added--trainees are checked for items and medically screened prior to receiving a deployment briefing which includes operations, intelligence, medical and security briefings. This concept adds realism to the field deployment and exposes trainees to a mobility experience. It reinforces the message "You are either deployed or preparing to deploy."

7. Trainees deploy to a field environment and apply the war skills learned in the classroom--this experience prepares the trainees for realities of the Expeditionary Air Force. The 'field training,' previously called 'Warrior Week,' was moved up from the fifth week of training to the fourth.

8. Daily evening "Airman's Time" mentoring sessions--instructors relate daily training events to warrior and Airmanship qualities and values required of all Airmen.

In February 2006, Air Force leaders made the decision to lengthen BMT to an eight and one-half week course from the current six and one half week program. Extending BMT will produce more lethal and adaptable Airmen that have the basic war fighting skills and the confidence to use those skills to defeat any current or future adversary.

When implemented on November 1, 2008, the two additional weeks of training will be used to enhance and reinforce BMT's current war skills training. It will include an intense four-day Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training exercise called BEAST which will replicate the sights, sounds and emotions Airmen will experience in the deployed environment. The single difference in the eight and one-half week program and new program BMT implemented on November 7 is that all war-skills training will be accomplished prior to the deployment exercise. The Air Force will also return subject content that was deferred or reduced due to time constraints in foundational subjects such as Air Force history, organization, Sexual Assault Prevention & Reporting and Suicide Prevention. Another tangible benefit of increasing the time in BMT is that training learned in earlier phases of BMT will be reinforced in later weeks of training. All of the changes better prepare warrior-Airmen for success in the 21st Century.

(Source: U.S. Air Force - Information on this page deemed reliable but not guaranteed as information may change. See U.S. Air Force recruiter for latest information.)