Illustration showing the components of the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM. — AIR FORCE ART

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141018-F-XX999-027

On Feb. 10, 1966, Lackland suffered a small outbreak of Meningococcal (spinal) Meningitis, which proved fatal to one BMT Airman. The Air Force moved quickly to halt a possible epidemic and on February 14 headquarters directed that Amarillo AFB would become an alternative BMT center. The first five flights began training on February 27, and BMT continued at Amarillo AFB through Dec. 11, 1968. Amarillo AFB was closed three weeks later on Dec. 31, 1968.

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At the time barracks at Amarillo AFB had been altered for technical training with remodeled rooms and study areas.

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141018-F-XX999-029

Since the 1940s, housing facilities for Airmen started with “tar paper shacks“ and were later changed to mobilization open bay barracks, or MOBs. It wasn’t until 1967 that BMT underwent one of its largest expansions. Five new 1,000 man recruit housing and training, or RH&T, dormitories opened. The buildings provided living areas, dining halls, classrooms and training areas for entire training squadrons under one roof. It wasn’t until 1976 that the last BMT squadron moved out of the MOBs.

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141018-F-XX999-030

In August 1967, MTIs began wearing the brown ‘Smokey Bear’ hat used by the Army and Marines. Air Force officials approved this distinctive headgear to help improve instructor morale and trainee respect. It wasn’t until 1974, that the current dark blue campaign hat was approved for use.

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141018-F-XX999-031

During the 1970’s, BMT remained at the "minimum essential" length of six weeks. The new curriculum included human relations training and drug abuse education. While Air Force BMT was shorter than that of the other services, Lackland continued to produce high-quality, productive Airmen averaging more than 85,000 Airmen a year.

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141018-F-XX999-032

In April 1974, the WAF Squadron section was abolished and starting in October, women trainees were allowed to participate in the confidence course on a voluntary basis. The course became mandatory for all women Sept. 1, 1975, but they were only required to complete 16 of the 19 obstacles. By 1977, male and female flights began to run the course together.

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BMT also started to integrate the MTI corps in January 1976, assigning nine female volunteers to training squadrons. In June of 1976, Headquarters Air Force completely abolished its WAF directorate, thus eliminating the last command distinction between men and women. In 1978, BMT added M-16 familiarization training and firing to the curriculum for women recruits.

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141018-F-XX999-034

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The 1980s brought forth major expansion and the largest face-lift to BMT. More than 50 MOBs were constructed, opening numerous modern facilities.

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In 1985, the 3702nd BMT Squadron conducted the first bivouac since the 1960s during a three-day holiday weekend with volunteer MTIs and trainees. The bivouac was inspired by Project Warrior with the purpose of exposing trainees to field and combat conditions. The success of the first bivouac led to a second one during a three-day weekend in November. A final one took place in October 1986, before BMT adopted it as an annual volunteer program in 1987. The bivouac and other field activities, such as the gas mask chamber exercise, would later become a field exercise called ‘Warrior Week.’

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In 1988, the Air Force began issuing the battle dress uniform, or BDU, replacing the long-issued green fatigue uniform that had earned recruits the nickname of ‘pickles.’

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One of the biggest changes to BMT wasn’t anything related to the training curriculum, but was something that quickly became embedded in the BMT culture. For the past four decades, graduates of BMT would march in a parade to be recognized for completing BMT only to leave on buses shortly after. August 14, 1989, BMT held its first open graduation ceremony, providing graduates the opportunity to invite their family, friends and loved ones.

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Command Chief Master Sgt. David R. Staton has many years of experience at basic military training. He was there from November 1991 through January 1997 as a senior airman through technical sergeant; July 1998 through February 2002 as a technical sergeant and master sergeant; and February 2008 through January 2010 as a senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant.

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141018-F-XX999-046

BMT experienced another key transformation in October 1999, when Warrior Week was added to the course curriculum. The exercise exposed trainees to the Expeditionary Air Force concept of operations and provided them with a realistic expeditionary experience. Warrior Week also taught them about daily survival skills, basic field hygiene and force protection. Overall Warrior Week was realistic and demanding, echoing the mission of the modern Air Force

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1999 also marks the start of the Airman’s Coin ceremony, where Airmen would receive a challenge coin the day before BMT graduation. The original coin featured an eagle clawing out of the coins surface with the words “Aerospace Power” beneath it. Circling the eagle was the phrase, "awarded on the occasion of becoming an Airman in the world's best Air Force.” On the reverse side of the coin was the Hap Arnold star flanked by a pair of wings. Circling the Hap Arnold star are the Air Force core values: Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.

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