Today, job seekers are discovering that employment often calls for specialization. The technically qualified specialist is given preference. Young people who enter the air force find that training begins on the premise that they have a solid high school background. Their first stop is the air training command.
This command handles the technical specialist training. It consists of a basic military training school, officer training school, and technical training centers. These centers conduct technical courses for first-term airmen, using a system that is known as the criterion-reference system.
As an example of how it works, an airman, in just eleven weeks, becomes a jet engine mechanic capable of walking into a jet engine repair shop and, with a minimum of supervision, beginning productive work, the ideal goal of any career educational program. With proper guidance and encouragement from the instructor, air force students literally teach themselves. They must, however, understand and be able to apply the principles they learn. Many of the courses are self-paced, which allows the students to progress at their own rates, through a specific course of required skills.
Based on your examination results when you apply for enlistment, details about your abilities and your aptitudes are entered into the Promis computer. This enables the electronic machine to send back a list of skills for which there are openings. From this list you choose the skill you want before you enter training. If there are no immediate openings, you may enter the delayed enlistment program, which permits you to enlist and wait up to twelve months for an opening. You may also enlist under a four-or six-year training program which guarantees you a specific skill or career area.
Minimum age for enlisting is eighteen (seventeen with parental consent) and the maximum age twenty-seven. High school graduates are preferred, but lack of a high school diploma will not disbar you necessarily from qualifying for the air force. Discuss your educational background with the recruiter.
BASIC TRAINING
Basic training, which takes six weeks, is explained in the air force booklet "Basic Training" to give you an idea of what life in the air force will be at first. The following excerpt, used by permission, gives a good overview of the program.
Divided into four parts: In-Processing, Military Training, Academic Training, and Evaluation (Yours And Theirs). They all blend into one another from one week to the next. Physical conditioning begins slow, but you'll be jogging a mile in eight minutes before you leave. And you'll do some other simple exercises and drill, and you'll trim down and harden up and feel better. Proud. Two hours of PT a day does that for you.
There's a chapel that holds contemporary services and rap sessions during basic training. It's way out. Attendance is voluntary of course, but everyone goes. Better you discover that for yourself.
And you'll familiarize yourself with a rifle, run a confidence course, and take a test over the things you've learned in the classroom; things like air force history, customs, courtesies, first aid, and human relations. You won't have any trouble with it.
Your last week will slip up on you. And you'll be asked to evaluate your training and, if you have some good suggestions, changes will result. Honest. Then you'll hit the parade field one more time for a final review. It's over. You've made it. You shake hands with your squadron commander and your TI. Your orders for school or that first duty assignment are waiting for you. You know where you're going by now.... You're part of a modern service geared for a modern man. You know what you're doing and a whole lot more about yourself. That's what basic is all about.
AIR FORCE PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS*
To airman (E-2) airman basic must have six months time in grade and be recommended by commander.
To airman 1st class (E-3) airman must have 10 months time in grade and commander recommendation.
To senior airman (E-4) must have 36 months time in service and 20 months time in grade or 28 months time in grade.
To staff sergeant (E-5), technical sergeant (E-6), and master sergeant (E-7) based on time in grade/time in-service requirements and points. Performance reports, decorations, job knowledge, and air force knowledge tests also earn points towards promotion. Compete against others in their grade and job skill.
To senior and chief master sergeant (E-8/E-9) virtually the same as E-5 and above. Also must meet a selection board based on whole-person concept.
Audiovisual
Duties and responsibilities: operates aerial and ground cameras, motion picture, and other photographic equipment; processes photographs and film, edits motion pictures, performs photographic instrumentation functions, and operates airborne, field, and precision processing laboratories.
Qualifications: considerable dexterity on small precision equipment, excellent eyesight. Mathematics, physics, and chemistry desirable.
Examples of civilian jobs: camera operator, darkroom technician, film editor, aerial commercial photographer, photograph finisher, sound mixer, and motion picture operator.
Computer Systems Operations
Duties and responsibilities: collects, processes, records, prepares, and submits data for various automated systems; analyzes, designs, programs, and operates computer systems.
Qualifications: business arithmetic, algebra, and geometry desirable.
Examples of civilian jobs: card-type converter or computer operator, data typist, data processing control clerk, high-speed printer operator, programmer.
Medical
Duties and responsibilities: operates medical facilities, works with professional medical staff as they provide care and treatment. May specialize in such medical services as nuclear medicine, cardiopulmonary techniques, physical and occupational therapy, orthotic appliances, medical laboratory, veterinary and medical administrative services.
Qualifications: knowledge of first aid, ability to help professional medical personnel; knowledge of anatomy, biology. High school algebra and chemistry desirable in most specialties and mandatory requirement for others.
Examples of civilian jobs: X-ray and medical record technician, medical laboratory and pharmacist assistant, respiratory therapy technician, and surgical technologist.
Other Career Skills
A few of the skills-picked at random from the long list, which could be available to you include the following:
Administrative Aptitude Area: Administration specialist, air passenger specialist, inventory management specialist, passenger and household goods specialist, printer systems operator, radio operator.
Electronic Aptitude Area: Air traffic control radar repairman, aircraft control and warning specialist, auto tracking radar specialist, avionic navigation systems specialist, electrician, instrumentation mechanic, missile electronic equipment specialist, telecommunications systems equipment specialist, telephone equipment-installer specialist.
General Aptitude Area: Aero-medical specialist, air traffic control operator, computer operator, cook, dental laboratory specialist, environmental health specialist, law enforcement specialist, motion picture camera specialist, pharmacy specialist, security specialist, telecommunications operations specialist, weather specialist, veterinary specialist.
Mechanical Aptitude Area: Aircraft maintenance specialist, cargo specialist, carpenter, electrical power production specialist, helicopter mechanic, missile pneudraulic repairman, refrigeration and air conditioning specialist, vehicle body mechanic.
