Question about the Air Force

In My Humble Opinion
1

I knew someone who enlisted in the Air Force back in 2000. He went to boot camp down in Texas. Throughout boot camp, he sent me letters which were full of anger against the Air Force and feelings of victimization. Pages of whining. At the end of boot camp, enlistees get their assignments. It sounds like the assignments are based on observed behavior and test scores. He was assigned to services and was taught how to cook. My questions:

  1. Are assignments based on test scores or behavior or assessments of what the enlistee can handle?

  2. Does the Air Force abuse and brutalize enlistees at boot camp?

  3. What does it say about an airman when he gets put in services?

  4. Why the hell would someone voluntarily enlist and spend the whole time complaining about the Air Force? (I’m talking almost four years).

2

People are people. They like to whine. The military life is a good one for many, perhaps most people but some cannot (or will not).

Assignments are generally made by the enlistee himself. Usually you have a good idea which school you are going to when you sign up.

Brutalize? Heavens no! Why? I commanded an (Army) basic training company. I would have the stripes of any sergeant who abused a trainee.

If someone is an incurable troublemaker we would just discharge him.

3

Damn good thing he didn’t join the Marines. :stuck_out_tongue:

4

Sounds like he was a whiner.

  1. Jobs are given according to ASVAB scores, and perhaps other tests given to you, as you express interest in certain jobs. For example, based on my ASVAB scores, I was able to qualify for Cryptolinguist, and then based on my interest in that career field, I was given another test, the DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery). I joined with a guaranteed job, which is the way to go. Job assignments are based on test scores and the needs of the air force. I don’t believe that the TI’s have much of a say at all, except to keep you from graduating from Basic Training. There were people in my basic training flight who got some bad jobs that they were mad about…but its a kind of a crap shoot when you join up without a guaranteed job.

  2. The Air Force basic training regimen is about the easiest in all of the branches. Yeah, you’re yelled at…that’s part of the whole deal. You’re rushed around, obeying stupid rules, jerked awake, etc. Its only six weeks long…you play the game and you’re done. Maybe your friend got an asshole TI, I don’t know. But IMO, they’re all assholes, that’s what they’re paid to do.

  3. It says that either he didn’t get the scores on the test that he needed to get, or it says that even if he did get the scores the AF decided that they needed cooks more than they needed whatever he wanted to do.

  4. I would say your friend whined because he liked to whine.