Important Note: The Air Force has made changes to basic training, effective in November, 2005. There will be more emphasis on weapons training, and "Warrior Week" moves from week 5 to week 4. For details, see this article.
The Air Force only has one location for enlisted basic training: the 737th Training Group, at Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas. Each year, over 35,000 new recruits go through Basic Training at Lackland. Officially, Air Force Basic Military Training (AFBMT) is six weeks long. However, like most things in the military, what is "official," and what actually happens are two different things. BMT is actually about 6 1/2 weeks long, because most people arrive at Lackland on Tuesdays, and from Tuesday to the first Sunday after arrival is considered "Zero Week," and is officially for in-processing actions (however, from the recruit's perspective, if there is a big, ugly mean guy yelling in your ear, it doesn't much matter if it's "officially" training, or not).
IMPORTANT NOTE: In addition to this article, you may wish to enroll in our FREE 21-Day Preparing for Air Force Basic Training "e-course."
More likely than not, you'll make your way to Lackland by flying commercially to San Antonio. You may be flying by yourself, or you might be part of a group traveling together from your local Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). (See related article, The Second MEPS Experience).
Getting Ready
Your journey should start in advance to getting on the plane, however. First, your recruiter should have given you an official list of what you are allowed to take with you to Basic. If it ain't on the list, don't take it. Don't even try to think that "this item," or "that thing" will be the exception. That list has been around for a lot of years, and there are no "exceptions." One of the first things you'll experience at Lackland is a complete search of your personal possessions. Anything not approved will be confiscated and stored until after graduation.
While the good folks at Lackland Air Force Base have prepared this "official list" of items you'll need at Basic Training, any good recruiter will tell you that one of the first things you should do with this list is lose it. Air Force "Training Instructors" (or T.I.s) at basic training love it when everyone in their flight looks the same; acts the same; talks the same; owns the same stuff. Coversely, they hate it when someone tries to be "different" from the herd. A day or two after arrival, you'll be taken to the "Troop Mall," which is a small BX (Base Exchange) dedicated to basic training recruits. The Troop Mall has absolutely everything (for the most part) you'll need to purchase for basic training, and you'll find that your T.I. likes you a whole lot better if your stuff looks just like everyone else's stuff. Additionally, the lighter you pack, the better you'll like it (I'll expain why later in this article).
Here's what I recommend you bring with you:
Paperwork
- College transcripts, Civil Air Patrol Certificates, and any JROTC Certificates. Actually, you won't need these at basic training, but you'll want them with you during your final trip to MEPS, because college credits and/or JROTC can give you advanced enlistment rank.
- Driver's license. You won't be driving while at Air Force Basic Training, but some Air Force jobs require a driver's license. If you can't prove that you have one, you will not be eligible for consideration for any of those AFSCs (jobs).
- Alien Card and/or Naturalization Certificates (if applicable).
- Marriage License and any birth certificates for your dependents. These are required to start your housing allowance, and to obtain/complete the necessary application for dependent ID Cards.
- Social Security Card.
- Enlistment Contract. This will be provided to you at MEPS after you take the final active duty oath (except Guard/Reserve, who do not take a "final oath."
- Banking Information. You'll need the name of your bank, the bank routing number, and the account number. If you bring a blank check or blank deposit slip, this will have the required information on it. This is required because the military requires your pay to be "direct-deposited" in a bank account. You'll also want to bring an ATM card for the account, so that you will have easy access to your money.
- Important Paperwork Relating to Any Prescriptions. You will not be allowed to continue to take any prescription medication that you may bring with you (this is because there is no way to tell if you've substituted a prescription for an illegal narcotic). However, your prescription will be examined by a military doctor after arrival, and -- if necessary -- you will be re-issued the medication from the military pharmacy. Ladies, this applies to birth control pills as well. You may continue to take birth control pills during basic, but your prescription will be re-issued by the military pharmacy.
