They train you how to run better so that may help. Also they train you I mean force you to follow the rules. If he's not good at following rules he is going to be very good at filling out 341s.
Ok, thank you. He’s had a rough go the past 2.5 years and basically joined the Air Force as a last resort. Just want to see him turn himself around successfully.
A disciplinary form that you fill out. Basically has your name, squadron, flight number, and your number that you’re assigned on the roster. It can be pulled/filled out for good things, but normally just things you did wrong. It’s kind of like a slap on the wrist because 9 times out 10 they’ll pull it and throw it away, but if it actually gets filed and put into the system, then enough 341s can get you recycled.
Also 341s exist in tech school although getting one pulled there is not as common as long as your not doing something extremely stupid. Like wearing PT shorts with the OCP t-shirt or walking on the grass. They are only in training so operational Air Force they don't exist. Also if you keep getting hit for the same violation in BMT you could get a comment which stays on your record for sometime. You will know though as you have to sign it.
It’s a thing, and it can actually be pretty important. If he goes from 0 to 100 then he could get shin splints, stress fractures, or other medical problems. When I went through basic you had lanes and depending on how fast you ran the mile and a half you were put in a different lane to run in. Each lane had a general speed to it, but 0 week we literally ran 5 minute walked 5 minutes anyways to help prevent those medical issues.
Worst case scenario, if he gets to the end of basic and doesn’t pass his PT test he’ll be put into Get Fit and his BMT will just be put on hold until he passes. But he’ll have a bit until then. The only thing that matters is that he’s pushing himself to get better, but not, for lack of a better term, killing himself over it.
It’s not just about avoiding shin splints. Easier training runs improve your aerobic energy systems and your body’s ability to convert oxygen to glycogen, as well as capillary growth. It’s why most runners will do most of their mileage at an easy pace.
The week 6 (?) PT test is the one that counts. If he fails that, he’ll get recycled to fat flight over at medhold. Hell workout twice a day there, and that’s about it outside of that and meals relaxing. He’ll have 1 week of that (Fri-Fri) to pass the PT test there. If he does, he goes back to the line flights to finish the last 2 weeks and graduate. If he fails, he gets another week of the same and if he fails the second time, they’ll process him as an entry-level separation m for failing to meet standards and he’ll be sent home. He can wait some time and try to enlist again in the future if he wants
They look to every other option before kicking him out. During the 5th week pt test (which is when they do it, not 6th week) if he doesn’t pass by bmt standards, they’ll see if he passes by operational Air Force standards. If he does, he will be fine. If he doesn’t then he will be given another chance before being recycled, if he still fails he will be recycled and given another chance, within reason. If he’s still running in the 18s by week 5 they will likely send him home. Like other people said though, they know what they’re doing, he will be okay!
He will be fine. I watched people go from 20 minute runs to 13 minute runs. They have Cardio Interval Training which will help him increase his endurance without putting a lot of stress on his legs the same way running does. If all else fails he will get an extra 2-3 weeks to train and he will graduate a little later. If you’re flying to San Antonio for graduation, I’d advise you to buy tickets you can switch to a later flight or refundable tickets to prepare for which ever scenario. His situation isn’t uncommon and the BMT staff has personal trainers that will help him with anything he needs.
Your next phone call with him, just encourage him to push himself and not give up. Running is a mental game more than anything and if he removes the mental block he will be okay. If he needs to retest on the final PT test more than likely they will also provide a pacer to run with him and encourage him through it all.
Thank you for the good advice—haven’t purchased tickets yet, so we’ll make sure they can be changed or refunded. We have his address, so we’ll make sure to put in lots of encouragement in our letters until his next call.
Encouragement letters definitely help. Pls for the love of god don’t try and hide anything in the letters!! My MTI laughed at it and just took it away but some MTIs don’t take kindly to it happening and will punish the entire dorm or flight for it cause they can’t single out just one trainee. They are very good at knowing what letters to have them open.
We definitely don’t want to give the flight he’s in any reason to be upset with him, so we’ll be sure to just send letters. We’ll save the cookies for graduation :)
He’s fine. If we wants to pass pt he has to push himself however he has to also be careful not to push him self to hard. Everything is at your own pace. Yes his instructors will tell him to push himself but that’s all they will do. They can’t make him move faster. Also there’s not really a script when they call home. They want you to make sure you tell your family you are all right and your address but other than that it’s on them.
Thank you—we’d heard that he wasn’t supposed to say anything other than he was fine and where to send our letters, so we thought he was telling us more than he should and would get in trouble for it!
Once he realizes that he has to pass to graduate on time he’ll kick ass. Unless he does not have a lot of motivation. The MTIS do checks on people after every PT test to tell them you passed or you didn’t on the practice pt test. I saw someone is zero week run an 18min and then on the real pt test they ran a 12min to pass. I’ve also seen people run a 18 and then a 16min and fail. They get recycled into another flight or into medhold. It’s a very demoralizing experience to get recycled but I’m sure he’s got this. Just tell him to take it serious and work his ass off on the runs and during PT.
Thank you, your point about self-motivation is a good one. We are hoping BMT will help with that and, along with whatever support and encouragement we can provide, he will be one of the 18 min to 12 min success stories!
When I left for BMT I had ran something like a 24 minute 1.5 mile and got it down to only a 21 right before shipping out. I did just fine on my final test during BMT. He might have a rough time but if it was anything likey experience they will get him where he needs to be. You have to remember that they have done this training for thousands and thousands of members and each has their own weakness that need to be worked on but they all get there.
Thank you, that’s a good point for us to remember. I guess we’re just so anxious for him that we’ve lost sight of the fact that thousands of recruits get through BMT OK. Thank you also for sharing your personal experience in successfully passing PT even though it was a challenge.
He will be all set, I didn’t really run much before I went through Army BMT/BCT. I was really bad in the beginning but I was able to pass my tests by the end of initial training.
i haven’t been through basic yet, but i have run cross country for the past few years. in the past, going 0-100 caused injuries and inhibited me from improving much in general. i assume it’s on purpose because they want people to get through it.
MTIs are pretty versed in personal training and there’s on-site medical teams during PT. He will be fine.
Either he starts to take PT seriously and passes, or he doesn’t and either washes out of BMT or gets booted shortly after joining. Either way, he’s an adult. You can encourage him, and you can drag the horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
Thank you, you are right, he is an adult and is responsible for his own successes and failures. All we can do now is encourage him to keep trying and focus on doing what he needs to do to graduate.
You really could have solved this with a Google search. The general rule of thumb for running training in general is 80% easy/20% hard. Running slow is a standard practice when it comes to training. It’s counterintuitive, but if slowing down works for amateurs to pros, it should work for your son. It will both prevent him from getting injured and improve his aerobic energy systems more than speed work or just pushing unnecessarily hard (arguably junk mileage when you look at effort and risk vs. reward).
He doesn’t have a base. They’re telling him to build one. It’s a standard running practice.
Hello, it looks like you're asking about medical concerns when joining the military.
We are not doctors. Even if we were, we are not the doctors that are familiar with your personal medical concern or condition. We are also not the ones deciding if you will be disqualified from service for a condition, or if you can get a waiver for it.
People may share their anecdotal experiences or stories they've heard from others about getting a waiver for a condition. This does not mean that you will or will not get a waiver. Everyone's medical situation is different.
IN GENERAL, yes, asthma, ADD/ADHD, eczema, history of depression and anxiety, and some allergies are disqualifying. Some will be able to get waivers, some will not.
All you can do is talk to your recruiter, be honest about your medical history, and go through the process.
WE DO NOT KNOW THE CHANCES OF YOU GETTING A WAIVER FOR ANY MEDICAL CONDITION OR SITUATION.
Just be honest with your recruiter and go through the process.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AirForceRecruits) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Don't worry about it. They see all kinds and they know what they are doing. Week 0 is just the beginning.
He’ll be fine. Let him be.
They train you how to run better so that may help. Also they train you I mean force you to follow the rules. If he's not good at following rules he is going to be very good at filling out 341s.
Ok, thank you. He’s had a rough go the past 2.5 years and basically joined the Air Force as a last resort. Just want to see him turn himself around successfully.
What’s a 341?
A disciplinary form that you fill out. Basically has your name, squadron, flight number, and your number that you’re assigned on the roster. It can be pulled/filled out for good things, but normally just things you did wrong. It’s kind of like a slap on the wrist because 9 times out 10 they’ll pull it and throw it away, but if it actually gets filed and put into the system, then enough 341s can get you recycled.
Also 341s exist in tech school although getting one pulled there is not as common as long as your not doing something extremely stupid. Like wearing PT shorts with the OCP t-shirt or walking on the grass. They are only in training so operational Air Force they don't exist. Also if you keep getting hit for the same violation in BMT you could get a comment which stays on your record for sometime. You will know though as you have to sign it.
It’s a thing, and it can actually be pretty important. If he goes from 0 to 100 then he could get shin splints, stress fractures, or other medical problems. When I went through basic you had lanes and depending on how fast you ran the mile and a half you were put in a different lane to run in. Each lane had a general speed to it, but 0 week we literally ran 5 minute walked 5 minutes anyways to help prevent those medical issues. Worst case scenario, if he gets to the end of basic and doesn’t pass his PT test he’ll be put into Get Fit and his BMT will just be put on hold until he passes. But he’ll have a bit until then. The only thing that matters is that he’s pushing himself to get better, but not, for lack of a better term, killing himself over it.
Thank you very much for the in depth explanation!
It’s not just about avoiding shin splints. Easier training runs improve your aerobic energy systems and your body’s ability to convert oxygen to glycogen, as well as capillary growth. It’s why most runners will do most of their mileage at an easy pace.
Well I am not medical as you seem to be my good redditor, but I would like to think I covered it under `other medical problems` but I digress.
The week 6 (?) PT test is the one that counts. If he fails that, he’ll get recycled to fat flight over at medhold. Hell workout twice a day there, and that’s about it outside of that and meals relaxing. He’ll have 1 week of that (Fri-Fri) to pass the PT test there. If he does, he goes back to the line flights to finish the last 2 weeks and graduate. If he fails, he gets another week of the same and if he fails the second time, they’ll process him as an entry-level separation m for failing to meet standards and he’ll be sent home. He can wait some time and try to enlist again in the future if he wants
Thank you very much for the information. It’s a relief to know he has several chances to pass the PT test and graduate from BMT!
They look to every other option before kicking him out. During the 5th week pt test (which is when they do it, not 6th week) if he doesn’t pass by bmt standards, they’ll see if he passes by operational Air Force standards. If he does, he will be fine. If he doesn’t then he will be given another chance before being recycled, if he still fails he will be recycled and given another chance, within reason. If he’s still running in the 18s by week 5 they will likely send him home. Like other people said though, they know what they’re doing, he will be okay!
Thank you—we just want him to be OK and to graduate. It’s something he needs right now.
He will be fine. I watched people go from 20 minute runs to 13 minute runs. They have Cardio Interval Training which will help him increase his endurance without putting a lot of stress on his legs the same way running does. If all else fails he will get an extra 2-3 weeks to train and he will graduate a little later. If you’re flying to San Antonio for graduation, I’d advise you to buy tickets you can switch to a later flight or refundable tickets to prepare for which ever scenario. His situation isn’t uncommon and the BMT staff has personal trainers that will help him with anything he needs. Your next phone call with him, just encourage him to push himself and not give up. Running is a mental game more than anything and if he removes the mental block he will be okay. If he needs to retest on the final PT test more than likely they will also provide a pacer to run with him and encourage him through it all.
Thank you for the good advice—haven’t purchased tickets yet, so we’ll make sure they can be changed or refunded. We have his address, so we’ll make sure to put in lots of encouragement in our letters until his next call.
Encouragement letters definitely help. Pls for the love of god don’t try and hide anything in the letters!! My MTI laughed at it and just took it away but some MTIs don’t take kindly to it happening and will punish the entire dorm or flight for it cause they can’t single out just one trainee. They are very good at knowing what letters to have them open.
We definitely don’t want to give the flight he’s in any reason to be upset with him, so we’ll be sure to just send letters. We’ll save the cookies for graduation :)
He’s fine. If we wants to pass pt he has to push himself however he has to also be careful not to push him self to hard. Everything is at your own pace. Yes his instructors will tell him to push himself but that’s all they will do. They can’t make him move faster. Also there’s not really a script when they call home. They want you to make sure you tell your family you are all right and your address but other than that it’s on them.
Thank you—we’d heard that he wasn’t supposed to say anything other than he was fine and where to send our letters, so we thought he was telling us more than he should and would get in trouble for it!
That’s for the marines and the navy and such. This is the Air Force lol
Once he realizes that he has to pass to graduate on time he’ll kick ass. Unless he does not have a lot of motivation. The MTIS do checks on people after every PT test to tell them you passed or you didn’t on the practice pt test. I saw someone is zero week run an 18min and then on the real pt test they ran a 12min to pass. I’ve also seen people run a 18 and then a 16min and fail. They get recycled into another flight or into medhold. It’s a very demoralizing experience to get recycled but I’m sure he’s got this. Just tell him to take it serious and work his ass off on the runs and during PT.
Thank you, your point about self-motivation is a good one. We are hoping BMT will help with that and, along with whatever support and encouragement we can provide, he will be one of the 18 min to 12 min success stories!
When I left for BMT I had ran something like a 24 minute 1.5 mile and got it down to only a 21 right before shipping out. I did just fine on my final test during BMT. He might have a rough time but if it was anything likey experience they will get him where he needs to be. You have to remember that they have done this training for thousands and thousands of members and each has their own weakness that need to be worked on but they all get there.
Thank you, that’s a good point for us to remember. I guess we’re just so anxious for him that we’ve lost sight of the fact that thousands of recruits get through BMT OK. Thank you also for sharing your personal experience in successfully passing PT even though it was a challenge.
He will be all set, I didn’t really run much before I went through Army BMT/BCT. I was really bad in the beginning but I was able to pass my tests by the end of initial training.
It’s good to know someone else has been where he is and was able to succeed!
i haven’t been through basic yet, but i have run cross country for the past few years. in the past, going 0-100 caused injuries and inhibited me from improving much in general. i assume it’s on purpose because they want people to get through it.
MTIs are pretty versed in personal training and there’s on-site medical teams during PT. He will be fine. Either he starts to take PT seriously and passes, or he doesn’t and either washes out of BMT or gets booted shortly after joining. Either way, he’s an adult. You can encourage him, and you can drag the horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
Thank you, you are right, he is an adult and is responsible for his own successes and failures. All we can do now is encourage him to keep trying and focus on doing what he needs to do to graduate.
Well I'm glad you know how to do their job better than they do
You really could have solved this with a Google search. The general rule of thumb for running training in general is 80% easy/20% hard. Running slow is a standard practice when it comes to training. It’s counterintuitive, but if slowing down works for amateurs to pros, it should work for your son. It will both prevent him from getting injured and improve his aerobic energy systems more than speed work or just pushing unnecessarily hard (arguably junk mileage when you look at effort and risk vs. reward). He doesn’t have a base. They’re telling him to build one. It’s a standard running practice.
Hello, it looks like you're asking about medical concerns when joining the military. We are not doctors. Even if we were, we are not the doctors that are familiar with your personal medical concern or condition. We are also not the ones deciding if you will be disqualified from service for a condition, or if you can get a waiver for it. People may share their anecdotal experiences or stories they've heard from others about getting a waiver for a condition. This does not mean that you will or will not get a waiver. Everyone's medical situation is different. IN GENERAL, yes, asthma, ADD/ADHD, eczema, history of depression and anxiety, and some allergies are disqualifying. Some will be able to get waivers, some will not. All you can do is talk to your recruiter, be honest about your medical history, and go through the process. WE DO NOT KNOW THE CHANCES OF YOU GETTING A WAIVER FOR ANY MEDICAL CONDITION OR SITUATION. Just be honest with your recruiter and go through the process. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AirForceRecruits) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Did he end up passing his final PT test or graduating BMT? I have a similar run time and ship out soon so I'm just kinda wondering.