Interview With An Airman

I decided to conduct this interview with my sister-in-law, Jessica, to give a little insight into BMT/Tech School/Operational life. If you're on any of the FB BMT groups, you've already talked with several people that are operational. I like hearing from multiple people, because everyone has a different experience. Also, she's my sister-in-law, I trust her. She knows me, and knows how I'd probably handle a lot of the situations that arise during the course of my training. I have to say, she's been incredibly patient with me! Before I went to MEPS, I was calling/Skyping/messaging her all of the time. I swear, she must've been ready to kill herself haha! But, without her (and her hubby!) I wouldn't have been anywhere near prepared mentally for MEPS. I Skyped them that night at the hotel, and they just told me to relax, it wouldn't be that bad. She's a wonderful person, and can offer more information for those of you wondering about enlisting, BMT, Tech School, or life as an Airman and a mom/wife. (Shoutout to my super adorable, brains-eating nephew, Misha!! Auntie loves you!) Read away!!!



Q: What's your name and rank? 
Jessica, A1C (Airman First Class/E3)

Tell us a little about yourself (why you joined, etc.)  
I am 23. I live in Japan with my husband who is also active duty and I just had my first son, Misha. I am going to school and I just finished all my credits for my Community College of the Air Force degree. I am also just a few classes away from my Bachelors in accounting. I joined because my husband and I wanted to raise our family in a military lifestyle. Also, I like change.

Q: What is your AFSC?
1P0X1, Aircrew Flight Equipment



Q: RES/ANG/AD?
Active Duty

Q: When did you go through BMT/Tech School? 
Basic: March 8, 2011-May 6, 2011 
Tech: June 9, 2011-August 28, 2011

Q: What was your dorm duty? 
Latrine crew

Q: Compared to the list on this blog, what would you recommend/not recommend packing for BMT? 
Pack make-up, real bra, comfortable underwear, flat iron, good razors, watch, stationery, NO GUM, stamps (lots of them), and definitely shower shoes.

Q: What did you do to prepare yourself for BMT? 
I watched a lot of videos, talked to my sister and cousin who were both in the Air Force.

Q: Did you ever have a 341 pulled? If so, for what? 
Not in basic, but I did in tech school for not stopping my SMU (small marching unit) at a street. I did get in A LOT of trouble in basic for writing letters before they said we could. Don’t do that. =]

Q: What is PT like at BMT? 

It’s a lot of fun. You run three days a week. You run thirty minutes together, then thirty minutes of continuous running/sprints. The other days, you do push-ups, sit-ups, and other calisthenics. 

Q: What was the best thing/experience that happened to you while there? 
The best thing was seeing my husband (he was three weeks ahead of me). Other than that, the O-course was amazing. It was the funnest thing I have experienced in my life. 

Q: What was the worst thing/experience that happened to you while there? 
Getting sick was horrible. Everyone gets sick, but you’re already tired and rundown – it just makes it worse. Also, I didn’t pin my hands while doing a left face and I had to stand in the middle of the squadron by myself and do a left face while everyone walked by and looked at me. Also, my flight forgot about me and another MTI took pity on me and told me to go back to them. 

Q: What is the best advice you could give to any future trainee to survive BMT? 
Do what you’re told. Don’t be annoying. Be quiet. STUDY! Never assume that an MTI is talking to you. If they yell, “Hey You!” walk the other way.

Q: What's operational life like compared to the world of BMT?
It’s way different. Laid back; I bullshit with my boss (MSgt) all the time. NCOs are less scary. I do miss BMT a lot. It would be a lot of fun to go back.


Again, another big thank you to Jess for taking time out to answer these questions! If you guys have any more, feel free to comment, and she'd be happy to help you out! If she forgets to check, I'll remind her ;] Thanks for reading!

Getting Ready To Go? Check Out This Packing List!

So, you're packing for BMT? Did the list your recruiter gave you have a date of several years ago? Well, lucky for you, I have access to people who have been through already, and have given great pointers on what to pack, and what not to pack! (See www.aimhigherin.com for even MORE useful tips on BMT) I created this list for my good friends on the September shippers group on Facebook (USAF BMT September 2012 -- Search it!), and shared it with the October shippers group there, too! (USAF BMT October Shippers 2012) So here we go! (Keep in mind I directly copied and pasted it from there!)

This is just a rough draft, that I mostly just copied from aimhigherin.com! If you see things that should be added/removed, go ahead! Just leave a comment of why you decided to add/remove that item, that way we're not all wondering =] Try to keep this in some sort of order, that way it's easier to understand! **Keep in mind that Erin is Reserves, s

o some of these items may be specific for RES/ANG members, and not AD.**

Paperwork

-Twenty copies of orders/Enlistment Contract (Reserves/ANG item)

-Unit Personnel Records (Reserves/ANG item)

-Social Security Card

-Driver's License/ID/Military ID (Military ID is for Reserves/ANG, AD are issued theirs at BMT)

-Birth Certificate

-High School Diploma

-College Transcripts

-Marriage License

-Glasses Prescription/Contact Lenses Prescription

-Medical Prescriptions (To include Birth Control)

-Dependents' Birth Records 

-JROTC/ROTC Certificates

-Civil Air Patrol Certificates 

-Naturalization Papers

-Alien Card

Clothing

-3 Days of Civilian Clothing (Ex: 2 pairs of jeans, 3 T-Shirts, 3 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of underwear for men, since you are issued yours.)*

-6 pairs of underwear (Females)*

-6 Sports Bras (Females)*

-3 pairs of compression shorts/spandex (Black)

-1 "Regular" Bra in nude or white for Blues (Females)

-Shower Shoes (Plain black flip flops from Wal-Mart, Target, or Old Navy will suffice)

-Running Shoes (Wear these down there, your MTI may let you keep them)

-Watch

 -Cell phone and charger

Toiletries

-Shampoo/Conditioner**

-Body Wash**

-Shaving Cream (Males)**

-Toothpaste**

-Toothbrush (full size)***

-Toothbrush holder

-Tampons/Pads for one cycle (Females)

-Deordant**

-Hairspray (Females)**

-Gel (Females)**

-Razor(s)***

-Q Tips

-Brush/Comb

-Hair Ties/Bobby Pins/Conair Bunmaker(Females; this MUST match your hair color)

*Keep these in neutral colors, just in case (Black, White, Gray, and Nude)

**If you're flying there, these items MUST be 3 oz or less! Buy them in a clear/white color if possible. Aerosol products are also a no-no.

***Non-electric! These MUST be regular, disposable type products.

Keep in mind, pretty much all of these items are optional, and WILL be available to you at the BX/Shopette/Mini-Mall. However, you need to bring at least 3 days worth of these things, because we don't know when our first trip to these places will be. Males MUST bring shaving equipment, as you will be required to shave that first night, and every day thereafter. If you choose to only bring yourself, and nothing else, that's your call. You won't be kicked out. However, I will state again to bring a minimum of three days worth of these things. It'll make your life a bit easier.

Most importantly, do not stress out because you can't find something. I know it's difficult not to stress, but they have the things you need there! The most common stresser is the rectangular toothbrush holder. Just put your toothbrush in a Ziploc bag or buy a cheap, round holder to get you through until you make your first trip to the BX/Mini-Mall. It's important you focus on your PT regiment, and spending time with your loved ones relaxing before you go! Don't sweat the small stuff! =D