Enlisted
To enlist in the USAF, certain basic requirements must be met. An applicant must be: between the ages of 17 and 39; be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident; and have a high school diploma or GED with at least 15 college credits.
After being accepted, recruits must go through Basic Military Training (BMT). This consists of an 8.5 week period. Recruits start Week Zero with screenings, hair cuts, flight assignments, uniform issues, duty assignments, and more. Throughout the training period, the USAF strives to challenge recruits mentally and physically while also teaching about the history of the USAF. Recruits are taught how to assemble weapons; correctly march and wear uniforms; and become ideal servicemen before graduation. They are challenged through runs and long marches; obstacle courses; survival courses; and drills; while also being trained to be able to mentally deal with the hardships of the battlefield. Enlisted servicemen can become officers if they remain in the Force long enough. These are the ranks they climb before reaching that point: Airman Airman 1st Class Senior Airman Staff Sergeant Technical Sergeant Master Sergeant Master Sergeant w/ Diamond Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant w/ Diamond Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant w/ Diamond Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force |
Officer
There are multiple ways to become an officer in the Air Force. Some of the easiest include attending Air Force Academy or a college or university in the U.S. that offers Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) for the USAF. Enlisted servicemen can also be promoted to the rank of officer. Officers in the USAF take on much more challenging jobs than those of Enlisted servicemen. They include: flying aircraft, both manned and unmanned; mission support; logistics; operations; and technical operations. Officers may often be given control of a flight of enlisted servicemen to assist in their duties.
Their ranks include: Second Lieutenant First Lieutenant Captain Major Lieutenant Colonel Colonel Brigadier General (One Star) Major General (Two Star) Lieutenant General (Three Star) General (Four Star) General of the Air Force (Five Star) |