What new Air Force recruits go through in boot camp

We got an inside look at the United States Air Force’s 7.5-week basic military training, or BMT, program. Insider spent five days at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, observing different squadrons at various stages of training. Trainees are instructed in marksmanship, drill, and battlefield first aid. The program culminates in week six with an event known as BEAST (Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training). During BEAST week, trainees live in a simulated combat environment and are tested in various field training exercises and scenarios. We talked to trainees and members of Air Force leadership about the lessons taught in Air Force BMT, along with the humorous nickname bestowed on the Air Force by members of other branches: “Chair Force.”