You'll begin your career in the Air Force with Basic Military Training (BMT). You'll work hard and be challenged as you stretch yourself and discover that you're capable of more than you thought possible. And when you're finished, you'll know that you're ready for anything that life can throw at you.
BMT is in San Antonio. You will spend 8½ weeks learning many new things. It starts with zero week. Activities are listed for specific weeks.
Zero Week
- First-week briefing.
- Training group/commander/superintendent briefing
- Clothing, running shoe and equipment issue)
- Dorm and drill basics
- Haircuts
- Coping with BMT
- Health, morale and welfare
- Immunization and blood draw
- Initial Base Exchange (BX) issue
- Initial phone call
- Pay
- Physical training
- Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
- Dorm and basic marching and drill movements
- Health, morale and welfare
- Immunization and blood draw
- Initial Base Exchange (BX) issue
- Initial phone call
- Pay
- Physical training
- Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
- Dorm and Basic Marching and Drill Movements
Week 1
- Reporting and saluting procedures
- Entry control procedures
- Medical and dental appointments
- Fitness and nutrition briefing
- Educational benefits briefing
- ID card issue
- Individual drill
- Flight drill
- Dorm/recruit living area preparation
- Law Of Armed Conflict
- Air Force rank insignia recognition
- Weapon issue and familiarization
- Human relations and cultural sensitivity
- Air Force initial PT assessment
- Airmen's Time Commanders arrival briefing
- Dress appearance
- Physical training
- Immunizations introduction to classroom procedures
- Military entitlements and educational opportunities
- Suicide awareness and prevention
- Chapel guide meeting
Week 2
- Career guidance
- Air Force history
- Air Force organization
- Airmen's time -- flight commander team building "which side"
- Airmen's time -- P2 debriefing
- Airmen's time drill
- Profession of arms
- Chapel guide meeting
- A new beginning
- What Now Airman -- sign the form
- Human relations
- Basic situational awareness
- Open ranks/D&A 1 progress check
- Weapon handling and maintenance
- Professional interpersonal interactions
- Physical training
- Recruit living area
Week 3
- Second clothing issue
- Dress and appearance (service uniform)
- Interview sessions
- 3 Week of Training (WOT) PT appraisal
- Airmen's time
- Airmen's time -- P2 debriefing
- Basic leadership and character
- Chapel guide meeting
- Cyber awareness
- Drill weapons handling and maintenance
- Professional airman resilience
- What Now Airman -- extra duty
- Healthy lifestyle and adapting to the Air Force
- Physical training
- Public relations and the media
- Trafficking in persons awareness
- Warrior role
- Self aid and buddy care
Week 4
- Airmen's time
- Airmen's time -- flight commander team building "copycat"
- Airmen's time -- P2 debriefing
- Base liberty briefing
- Chapel guide meeting
- Haircuts
- Drill consequences
- Real responsibilities of airman
- What Now Airman -- big brother
- Physical training
- Base referral agencies
- Career progression and Air Force quality of life
- Environmental awareness
- Financial readiness
- Joint ethics
- Military citizenship
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Sexual assault prevention and reporting (SAPR)
- Recruit living area appraisal
- Antiterrorism/force protection level 1
Week 5
- Airmen's Time
- Airmen's Time -- FC team building "box score"
- Balance
- My role in mission
- Warrior ethos
- What Now Airman -- relationships
- Military skills development progress check
- Physical training
- Weapons progress check
- Individual portraits and flight photos
- Second boot issue
- Recruit living area progress check
- Combat stress recovery
- Intro to Air Force combatives
- Intro to Code of Conduct
- Joint operations
- Law of armed conflict
- Mental preparation for combat
- Principles in first aid
- Drill
- Drill progress check
Week 6
- Computer-based training/Air Force portal familiarization
- Written test
- Physical Training (PT) evaluation
- Air and Space Expeditionary Force and pre-deployment briefing
- Air Force fitness program
- Airmanship core value briefing
- Airmen's time -- flight commander team building "self assessment"
- Airmen's time hometown news release
- Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear (CBRN) defense
- Drill
- Leadership/followership
- Not everything is gray
- Professional competence
- What Now Airman -- help wanted
- Foundational Expeditionary Skills Training (FEST)
- Open ranks/D&A 2 PC
- Physical training
- Chapel guide meeting
Week 7
- Physical training
- Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training (BEAST)/zone orientation
- Blood donors
- Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM)
- Combatives applications
- Pugil sticks teaching and application
- Creating Leaders, Airmen and Warriors (CLAW) field exercises
- Deployment line processing/ equipment issue
- SERE 2--5 video
- Mission field exercises
- Refresher drills (FEST, first aid, UCC, PAR)
- Zone teardown/remediation training/equipment turn-in
- Drill
Week 8
- Physical training
- Airmen's time
- What Now Airman -- celebration
- Risky business
- Haircuts
- Orders pickup/tech training school briefing
- Commander's departure briefing
- Town pass briefing
- Base liberty
- Open house
- Town pass
- Airman's Run
- Airman's coin and formal retreat ceremony
- Airman's parade
- Graduation
A Typical Day at BMT
| 0445 | Reveille |
| 0500 | Formation |
| 0500-0600 | PC. One day, you run; the next day, you do aerobic exercises. |
| 0600-0615 | Breakfast |
| 0630-0745 | Dorm set-up |
| 0800-1130 | Drilling, classes, record checks, shots, uniform issue, etc. |
| 1130-1230 | Lunch |
| 1300-1700 | Classroom instruction |
| 1700-1800 | Dinner |
| 1900-2045 | Set up the dorm for nighttime |
| 2100 | Lights out |
Zero Week, Initial Uniform and Gear Issue List
Civilian clothing will be worn only for the first couple of days at basic training. Once you are issued clothing and equipment, you are responsible for marking each item for identification and maintaining proper appearance standards. The initial clothing issue includes:
For men and women
- 1 duffel bag
- 1 pair combat boots
- 1 pair running shoes
- 1 pair leather gloves
- 4 battle dress uniform (BDU) trousers
- 4 BDU coats
- 2 BDU caps
- 1 belt
- 1 belt buckle
- 6 briefs*
- 4 pairs cotton socks
- 4 pairs wool socks
- 5 brown T-shirts
- 2 towels
- 2 physical conditioning (PC) T-shirts
- 2 PC shorts
- 1 pair sweatpants
- 1 sweatshirt
*Women are given a one-time cash allotment to buy undergarments.
Week 3 Uniform Issue List
During week 3, you will be issued your service dress uniform and accessories. It is important to wear the uniform properly and maintain a professional appearance and uphold the honor of our nation, our service and yourself. The items you will receive are:
Men's issue
- 1 pair low quarter shoes
- 2 ties
- 1 pair U.S. insignia
- 5 white T-shirts
- 1 flight cap
- 1 belt
- 1 belt buckle
- 3 long-sleeve blue shirts
- 3 short-sleeve blue shirts
- 4 pairs blue pants
- 1 service coat
- 1 lightweight jacket
- 1 all-weather coat
Women's issue
- 1 pair low quarter shoes
- 2 neck tabs
- 1 pair U.S. insignia
- 2 skirts
- 1 garrison cap
- 1 belt
- 1 belt buckle
- 3 long-sleeve blue shirts
- 3 short-sleeve blue shirts
- 2 pair blue slacks
- 1 service coat
- 1 lightweight jacket
- 1 all-weather coat
- 1 black handbag
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