Forum: Air Force Life

Good Evening,

I trust everyone has had a good Christmas/Holiday and has enjoyed there New Year Celebrations. I just have a few more questions I’d like to throw out to those who are willing to aid advice and knowledge about. A few of the questions are still pertaining to BMT, but if anyone can help answer the questions about after BMT (Tech School/AIT and what helped you get through it?) I would appreciate it.

1. How do people get recycled from one Flight to another, what is a major cause of this happening, and how far back does one get dropped or does it depend on the reasoning?

2. Jobs/Duties I should/shouldn’t volunteer for if given the chance/opportunity?

3. After graduation I have 2 days off base, 1 on base (three off base if I make Honor?). After I say goodbye to my parents and anyone else who comes down for graduation I get on a plane for AIT/Tech School, correct?

4. Who all is at tech school? More specifically only the people going for the same type of AFSC or are the locations made up of all different AFSCs?

5. What are the Tech School facilities like? College equivalents with Military Presence? Gym/Swimming Pool/Workout Facilities I would assume?

6. What can I bring with me to Tech School? I don’t think I will be bringing my TV/Xbox 360 because there I want to be 100% focused (whether or not these items are allowed won’t really matter to me.)

7. Is Tech School mostly classroom/all classroom or will there be some on the Job/Field Training?

8. Is there PT at Tech School?

9. Will I be permitted to have a computer (I would assume so based on it’s school?), should I have my parents bring that down to me at Lackland/or should I have it shipped to AIT location once I know where it will be?

10. How much gear will I end up having after BTM to carry and take with me to Tech School (uniforms, clothing, packs, etc.)?

11. I am only issued a weapon when being deployed correct (unless my job requires it?).
12. Would you recommend staying single (obviously a personal decision) till I get my first duty station and even some after that? No Dear John letters for me, thank you.

13. Will I be permitted to have an occasional drink while at Tech School? I’m not one to party and if I have a drink it’s with a meal and yes I am of legal age to drink (22) if not its nothing detrimental to me.

There might be a few more questions I might have after this, you guys have been a huge help in answering my questions and I really appreciate it, hopefully someday I can lend as much advice to new recruits as you are to me. Have a good day.

Respectfully,

Rob

F-16.net Sponsor

First off, never call Tech School "AIT" where anyone in the AF is within an earshot. We haven't been the Army since Sept. of '47. You WILL get laughed at.

Secondly, when you graduate Basic, don't be "THAT GUY" who gets the tattoo of your BMT squadron, flight, and grad date, or even worse, a tattoo of the Air Force Boomerang. Those are like, Liberace, Elton John, and George Michael COMBINED Gay!

Having said that, here's some answers to your questions:

rob2323 wrote:

1. How do people get recycled...?

Being a disgusting fatbody who can't pass the PT test, being a sickly panty waist, or being a miserable pudknocker who p!$$es off his TI. There is a time machine in your BMT Section Supervisor's office, and it does work. Ask the stupidass that recycled into, and later, out of my flight. Oh wait, that's right. I think he earned an all expenses paid vacation to Miramar, so you won't be able to ask him. Never mind.

rob2323 wrote:

2. Jobs/Duties I should/shouldn’t volunteer for if given the chance/opportunity?

Security Forces, Services, Special Forces, CE

rob2323 wrote:

3. After graduation...

I made Honor Grad, and yes, as soon as graduation was over, and we toured my dorm, I had 3 days of off base liberty. Here's the deal, though: You have to go back to the dorm each night. IIRC, we had to be there NLT 1700 each night. Sunday night, you go back to the dorm, pack your stuff, and get ready to go. Some leave late that night, and then everybody is gone by about 0600 Monday morning.

rob2323 wrote:

4. Who all is at tech school...?

Depends on where you go to tech school. My first tech school was at Sheppard, which is comprised of a myriad tech schools. My second tech school (the main portion, anyway) was at Altus, which only had Basic Loadmaster, and Basic Boom Operator Courses. Those schools are now at Lackland-Medina Annex.

rob2323 wrote:

5. What are the Tech School facilities like...?

Again, depends on where you go. Tech School bases are typically the armpits of the Air Force. There will be a base gym, and pool, etc. But don't expect Gold's Gym for a workout facility, or the Hyatt Regency for a dorm.

rob2323 wrote:

6. What can I bring with me to Tech School...?

Honestly, don't plan on brining much at all with you to tech school. You won't have the space on the bus or plane you take to get there. If you want something, buy it at the BX, or have your family send it to you once you get there. You can have a tv, game system, etc. Just know that the toolbag that they give you for a roommate (always happens) will likely have all of that too.

rob2323 wrote:

7. Is Tech School mostly classroom/all classroom or will there be some on the Job/Field Training?

There is hands on training, but it varies by AFSC.

rob2323 wrote:

8. Is there PT at Tech School?

Yes, but it's much more laid back than BMT. It's between BMT's style, and the active duty style (which is quite embarrassing, to say the least).

rob2323 wrote:

9. Will I be permitted to have a computer...?

Yes, but again, have it sent to your tech school base. You won't need a computer for school. However, you'll probably want to have it for internet.

rob2323 wrote:

10. How much gear will I end up having...?

Enough to cram your issue duffel bag full, plus your bag that you brought with you to BMT.

rob2323 wrote:

11. I am only issued a weapon when being deployed correct

We are not the Marine Corps...You'll see. Laughing

rob2323 wrote:

12. Would you recommend staying single

What I won't recommend are the very idiotic "Tech School Romances". You'll meet those two very useless wastes of oxygen. You'll also meet the toolbag who gets married on BMT graduation day. Don't be that guy!

rob2323 wrote:

13. Will I be permitted to have an occasional drink while at Tech School?

The magic word for you is "Phase 2". IIRC, about 2 weeks after starting tech school, if you've kept your nose clean, you should get phased up, and you'll be allowed to drink.

What are you planning to do in the AF?

At the moment I'm "guaranteed" a job in Electronics, most likely working with Avionic Systems hopefully, but what I would actually like to do eventually is Visual Imagery. But once again TC thanks for posting thoughts/advice.

P.S. I think I'll keep the rest of the questions to PMs unless you don't mind. I just think so of these questions are rather useful and when my Recruitor has DEP call (shes very informal about it and we discuss things openly) I'll pass along so of my findings to the other Recruits. No sense letting this advice go unused. Thanks once again bro.

Rob

rob2323 wrote:

At the moment I'm "guaranteed" a job in Electronics, most likely working with Avionic Systems hopefully, but what I would actually like to do eventually is Visual Imagery. But once again TC thanks for posting thoughts/advice.

P.S. I think I'll keep the rest of the questions to PMs unless you don't mind. I just think so of these questions are rather useful and when my Recruitor has DEP call (shes very informal about it and we discuss things openly) I'll pass along so of my findings to the other Recruits. No sense letting this advice go unused. Thanks once again bro.

Rob

Ah..going to PM's is not needed. Other guy's might find the info useful aswell. Don't worry about it, ask away!

Rob 2323,

TC gave you some very good advice. Although it has been nearly 13 yrs since I was in basic/tech school and a lot has changed I will try to offer you some good advice that I am sure still holds true. The 2 pieces of advice I have for everyone going to basic is first make sure you are physically in shape. Simply not being overweight is not good enough. While the majority of people improve their fitness in basic, if you are not already in shape don't go until you are! Your recruiter should be able to telll you what the current requirements for the PT test at basic are and when you arrive at basic you should already be at least very close to meeting those.

Secondly, your experiences at basic/tech school will be largely derived from your attitude. Yes, you will get yelled at, and you will be made to feel like pond scum, and you will probably be questioning yourself after the first 2 minutes. This will be the toughest part, keep a positive attitude and don't take things personal. The TI's at basic simply have a job to do, don't take it personal, you will only make this worse on yourself. Once you are at tech school, keep that positive attitude and don't let the little bit of freedom they give you go to your head. Learning your job is the #1 priority, take advantage of your instructors to learn as much about your job as possible.

TC is right, avoid tech school romances at all costs, you will have plenty of time for that once you get to your first duty station. Unless they have done away with it, the tech schools have a rope program (student leader program), if you want to get involved in that, that's fine. It is a personal decision, but once again do not let that interfere with you learning your job. If you are a rope do not brag about being one when you arrive at your first duty station, nobody will care. They will probably see you as a braggy a$$ kisser.

Please keep posting your questions in the forum, many of us in this forum have been there and can offer you some good advice.

Great thread, and good luck Rob!

Just RELAX, if you worry too much about being 'prepared', you won't be. Make sure you're ready physically, but don't go overboard, it's not that difficult, and it would be even worse showing up 'burned-out'.

Basic training is a game, it's tough at first because you don't know any of the rules or what you can be penalized for (and you will be) but keep your ears open, your mouth closed and learn and you'll be fine. Be a sponge, soak up everything, the useful stuff you'll use again, the other stuff will be gone by the time you get to your first base.

Think of it this way, everyone who has ever been in the Air Force before has made it through, so why won't you?

Mike

Squirrel and Mike are right. It IS a game, and once you learn how to play it, you're golden. Part of playing the game is your attitude. Know that it is about 60 days, you're there, and there's nothing you can do about it, but make the best of it. Seeing that you've cared enough to ask about the process, and what you need to do to prepare, indicates to me that you're going to be one of the good ones. It's those who don't ask questions, and think they know it all that end up getting burned.

Don't worry about being "recycled" That was the major thing I was worried about cause I had 7 people outta my family that already had plane tickets for my graduation and I did not want to disappoint them.

You'd be surprised at some of the guys that actually graduate. you thought they would have been goners the first or second week.

If I can give you any advice though, pass your PT test. I saw a few girls first hand in my sister flight get recycled for not passing. I failed my sit-ups on my final test but the next day I somehow found the motivation to pass the minimum by 10.

Hint: You can always use the airman's count as long as you don't get caught!

Its Been Almost 6 years since I was at BMT and it has changed a bit. Like everyone else has already said, keep a positive attitude and be as physically fit as you can and you'll be fine. The biggest advice I can give ya is once you get to Tech School do let the freedoms goto your head and do slack off on your PT. I was at Sheppard and just about everyone did the "Sheppard Shuffle". I know I did and I paid for it when I got to my first base. Just keep your nose clean and your head up and you'll do fine. Good luck with it all.

Josh

Just don't be the guy we had in our flight who pissed himself in his civilian clothes the very fist time a TI got in his face. We were on the top floor of the BMT dorms, and the TI was so mad that he threw everything this guy had out the fire escape door, including his mattress and sheet set. Believe it or not that guy made it through just fine.

Forum: Air Force Life

After BMT?