How to Survive Air Force Basic Training

I went to basic training a million years ago. Recently I met some young, Air Force members who weren't there less than a year ago. I wanted to know if the same things were going on as when I went through. They had a lot of stories, experiences and even fun times while they were learning the basics of the Air Force way of life.

From listening to all of what they had to say, and from remembering my experiences in the service, it sounded like Air Force basic training is essentially the same. I sat down and compiled a list of some advice based on my knowledge and their knowledge that should help anyone who is considering joining the Air Force get through basic training easier. This is no complete "how to" guide because then you won't learn all you need to know, but taking these tips from us experienced people will make your 7-week life easier.

1) Get used to drinking water. Drop the sodas now. You're going to drink plenty of water and sports drinks. Get used to it. You'll be drinking it fast, too. Get used to it. In fact, you'll be doing a lot of things fast, but a lot of people still insist on having 5 sodas a day and the body isn't used to switching quickly to a more tasteless, useful beverage.

2) Get in shape the Air Force way. I see this now: guys who lift weights all day but can't run or do proper, measured push-ups. Everyone knows you need to be in shape for the military, but you need to start getting in shape the way they WANT you to be. Bench pressing 400 pounds with a 40" gut isn't going to cut it in today's Air Force. They want you to have measured muscle strength and be able to run a certain distance within certain times with no spare tires in the middle. This isn't the Air Force of long ago when you rode a bike to measure fitness. Start doing a lot of walking, a lot of running, and isometric exercises like push ups and sit ups.