Mental Preparation for Air Force Basic Training

When many students graduate, or even those men and women many years past graduation, consider joining the Air Force. They already know that basic training will be a challenge. Supposedly, Air Force basic training is expected to be a breeze considering how challenging the Marines and Army basic training seem to be. The Air Force has adapted to our current times, however, and has increased the level of difficulty in the basic training program to accommodate future Airman to harsher environments and higher incidences of enemy encounter during a deployment.

Air Force basic training is not the joke it once was believed to be.

For those who are joining the Air Force, it is important to be physically fit. You already know that. But an extremely important preparation one must take is to be mentally fit. Those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts have a high chance of not doing well during Air Force basic training due to the extreme mental trauma that is wrought by the drill sergeant. During Air Force basic training, it is guaranteed that everyone will get sick. If one person has pink eye, everyone has pink eye. And to be treated by a clinician is a laugh, at most. The clinicians are not known for their kindness or even concern. So you must be ready to tough out a sickness on your own and not expect empathy from anyone. Expect to become ill, and do not seek out any sign of understanding, because you will find none.

Many unfair practices do happen during Air Force basic training. Though they are not supposed to, the drill sergeants will humiliate you. They will curse at you. They will threaten your life as a scare tactic. They may even spit on you. And honestly, there is nothing you can do about this. You are supposed to report these kind of events to a certain contact, but this is not possible due to many reasons. First, your free time is severely limited. It is close to nothing. You are closely monitored at all times. And if someone finds out you are trying to report an 'unfair' event, someone will notify your drill sergeant. Someone will, you can count on this. Expect a lack of fairness and justice. There is no justice or fairness in the Air Force basic training. Expect for your life to be threatened and expect many, many colorful expressions of disgust and hate, and the bitter smell of someone else's spittle in your face.

One of the only redeeming events during Air Force basic training is receiving mail. Drill sergeants know this, and use this in a way a person would dangle a carrot in front of a donkey for hours on end. They can withhold mail from you. They even read mail aloud when it comes in a post card form, and can use this as a form of humiliation. The mental torture one endures when you know you have mail but can no access it is horrible. It can be depression to the point of tears, and that is exactly what the drill sergeants want. So expect to be baited in such a way. And do not even think for a minute that you will have time to read a long letter. You won't. Your 'free' time before bed is time when you will be frantically trying to get your things together and boots shined for the next day.

During Air Force basic training, there is a lot of learning going on. The idea is to break you down to build you up. Part of the breaking down process is repetitiveness. Let's say you have fixed your bed in the exact manner that is required. Let's say that you have arranged your gear in your assigned locker in the precise way that was asked. If the drill sergeant finds one thing, any tiny thing, wrong, he/she will wreck everything and destroy the work you put into your project, and make you do this over again. It will either infuriate you, or depress you. They will be looking for anger or tears, and they may be ready to insult you. Expect for them to wreak havoc over a tiny flaw in projects you have completed.

Do not think you can trust your room mates during Air Force basic training. You will be roomed with a diverse set of people from all over the states. You may become acquaintances and friends. But in Air Force basic training, this camaraderie will mean nothing when the times comes to decide between you and receiving a punishment. Telling a room mate a secret can result in that room mate telling another Airman and resulting in severe punishment to you. Revealing any personal information that can humiliate you is a bad idea. It's not a good idea to be a hermit and enclose yourself to everyone. You'll become an enemy and sore thumb to the room mates. It is a good idea to introduce yourself, practice teamwork and help others out. But do not become too close to the room mates because the friendship will mean nothing if it means getting their rears out of trouble, or gaining 'brownie points' with the drill sergeant. After Air Force basic training, the stress and high tension will subside, leaving more room for friendship and personal trust.

During Air Force basic training, you will be expected to memorize a very large amount of information. You must expect to be bombarded with facts, names, years, numbers, and information of all kinds. You will be expected to memorize it and spout it off when randomly asked. It is a good idea to make flash cards of Air Force knowledge that you can find online doing a Google search to prepare you for the questions you will be asked. Knowing this knowledge, such as Air Force ranks and chain of commands, can give you a huge advantage in that you do not have to worry as much about giving a wrong answer or being forced to memorize information during a traumatic state.

Know that during Air Force basic training, lunch is a whole new monster. You will not have time to eat. You will not be able to eat in any kind of peace. There will be higher ranked authorities who eat with you, and they will and do ask questions of Air Force knowledge to future Airmen very randomly. If they do not like how you are talking, answering, walking or if you simply annoy them, they could easily just spill your food tray from your hands and you may go through the day without eating. Eating is not a time for relaxation in any way. And this itself could be a form of mental anguish, as a drill sergeant may drink a Coca Cola in front of you just to spite you, since you won't be allowed such a luxury during Air Force basic training.

Air Force basic training involves a huge breach of privacy. You will be showering with others, dressing and undressing in front of others. It can be extremely uncomfortable if you are not used to such a practice.

There are many suicides that occur during Air Force basic training. Some people simply can not handle the immense mental torture that is suffered. Some people become severely ill or physically incapable of going on. There have been runs that have resulted in split shins as the runner was forced to push forward. Many Air Force basic training trainees who are mentally or physically incapable of going on end up in a 'special' building that is supposed to be a recovery/discharge building. That whole place is another mental torture in itself, as there are people in a near lunatic stage who are being sent home, but not soon enough.

Expect to fail in basic training. The drill sergeants want you to fail so that you may learn from your mistakes. Expect to be yelled at. It will happen. When you fail, do not feel as if it is personal. You are not a human with feelings to them. You are just another number, another body that fills a bed. It's hard not to take things personally, but try to keep in mind that this person does not know you and only wants you to succeed in the end. If you look bad, the drill sergeant looks bad, and this is what he is trying to avoid.

And of course, you will experience extreme homesickness. You may cry, even if you're a man. These feelings of longing may become terribly deep and depressing. Be prepared to expect this. Church is very important when you're in the Air Force basic training. It's important because it gives you an hour to yourself to reflect on life and your beliefs...even If you're not religious. It will give you a sense of hope and renewal to prepare for the anguish of the coming week.

Many people graduate Air Force basic training. Yes, it's extremely hard...more mentally than physically, but it's something that can be done. Many people jump into Air Force basic training, knowing none of these things. And when reality strikes, it strikes hard. So it's better to go in knowing than not, because if you know what you're getting yourself into, the slap to the face won't sting as hard since you were prepared for it.

Before entering the Air Force basic training, I would advise that you read the Ultimate Basic Training book. It is a completely honest series of interactive learning which mentally and physically prepares you for Air Force basic training. You can obtain a copy through http://www.ultimatebasictraining.com/

This article is not meant to scare you away from making a choice that could progress your personal life. This is meant to inform you of the realities of Air Force basic training. When you enter a battle, armed and ready, you will have a higher chance of success than if you go in bare and naked. Good luck, and as always, Aim High.