Air Force seeks female MTIs

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda Currier
  • 37th Training Wing Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  Staff Sgt. Lynn Barron came to Air Force basic military training in 1995 carrying one bag and one mental image of a basic military training instructor: a big, loud, gruff man with a "Smokey the Bear" hat.

When Barron first encountered her MTI, the person she met was not quite who she was expecting.

He turned out to be a she.

"My image of a TI was very similar to what most people envision, just like in the movies, an enormous, loud, machine-like man with a bad temper and a big hat, someone to be scared of," said Barron, now a military training instructor herself. "When I saw that my TI was a female, I thought, 'Wow, what a strong woman.' She quickly taught me to have pride in my country and myself. She is definitely one of the reasons that I was inspired to pursue MTI duty."

Today, more and more women are crossing into the blue, and as the number of female airmen grows, so does the Air Force's need for female MTIs.

Military training instructors teach basic trainees how to become airmen, and the Air Force would like basic trainees to have more female instructors to look up to.

"It is important for female trainees to have female role models around," said Staff. Sgt. Lila Gaitan, an MTI and a single mom. "Once I saw my TI, I felt that I could do anything. Just seeing her, a female in an MTI position, made me have so much respect for her. I wanted to emulate her."

Today, 25 percent of Air Force basic trainees are female, yet women make up only 13 percent of the MTI corps.

"We're working to increase our percentage of female MTIs from 13 to 19 percent by October," said Col. Sharon Dunbar, commander of Air Force basic military training. "We'd like top performers to return to their roots to help cultivate the future combat capability of our Air Force."

All enlisted airmen attend basic training at Lackland. Consequently, basic military training instructors also get their training here. Once airmen are selected as MTI candidates, they travel to the MTI School at Lackland to attend a 14-week training course.

During the first seven weeks of training, MTI candidates learn techniques for teaching trainees how to live basic-training-style. They learn how to do everything that they will expect their trainees to do: make a bed the military way, polish combat boots and execute drill movements.

"We also have to be able to complete the tasks as quickly as we expect our trainees to, if not faster," Barron said.

In the second half of MTI training, students are assigned to a basic training squadron where they work alongside a seasoned instructor and guide a basic military training flight of 40 to 60 trainees through their six-and-a-half weeks of basic training.

Every Friday morning at Lackland, airmen who have completed basic training march in a graduation parade in front of thousands of their parents, relatives and friends.

MTI school students receive their campaign hats the morning their flights graduate from basic training, just before the parade ceremony begins. Then the students take their final steps toward becoming MTIs by marching their flights through the parade.

"Every time you march your troops through parade, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and the pride inside of you is unbelievable," Gaitan said. "Seeing how far they have come in six short weeks, and knowing that I had something to do with it, is one of the greatest feelings."

MTIs train as many as 500 basic trainees annually and supervise up to 60 airmen at a time.

"Being an MTI is a demanding job that sometimes means working long hours, but is a duty that is well worth its rewards," said Chief Master Sgt. Billy Blackburn, an MTI and superintendent of Air Force basic military training.

MTIs serve a three-year controlled tour here. They also receive $350 per month of special-duty pay, $375 beginning in October, and an annual supplemental clothing allowance. However, some MTIs say the most rewarding thing about their job is watching their troops make the transformation from civilian to airman.

"The true benefit of the job is the job," said Gaitan. "I can honestly say that I can't think of any Air Force job that's better than this one."

Razor-sharp senior airmen and above who are interested in MTI duty can find information on how to apply by visiting www.lackland.af.mil/737web/org.cfm?content=MTI_duty. Those interested may also call Lackland's MTI recruiting team for information at DSN 473-1016 or commercial (210) 671-1016. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)