1_Air Force.pdf

AIR FORCE The US military protects the country and its citizens. The air force is the military branch responsible for air defense. It was officially created in 1947. Prior to that, pilots were part of the US Army. The headquarters of the U.S. Air Force is in Arlington, Virginia. Their...

AIR FORCE The US military protects the country and its citizens. The air force is the military branch responsible for air defense. It was officially created in 1947. Prior to that, pilots were part of the US Army. The headquarters of the U.S. Air Force is in Arlington, Virginia. Their motto is, “Aim High… Fly-Fight-Win.” Airman is the job title for most men and women who work in the air force. There are US Air Force bases all around the world. People in the air force live and work on bases. Most of the more than 300,000 men and women that serve in the air force have jobs on the ground, while others fly the planes. All share the common purpose to protect the United States from enemy threats in the air. TRAINING People who enlist in the U.S. Air Force must complete basic training. Most complete basic military training (BMT) at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Trainees spend eight and a half weeks learning the rules all airmen must follow. New arrivals are divided into groups called flights. Each flight has around 45 members and is led by a military training instructor, or MTI. Trainees are assigned to dormitories where they sleep and receive their uniforms. Each day begins at 4:45 a.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m. during BMT. Trainees learn first aid, rifle, and combat skills. They train to become physically fit and spend hours practicing drills such as marching together and saluting. BEAST week is the most difficult part of basic training. BEAST stands for Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training. Trainees live as if they are in war during this week. They use all the skills they have learned to protect their camp. Trainees must pass a fitness test during their final weeks. This includes a timed run, push-ups, and sit-ups. Trainees also take two written exams on their knowledge of the air force. Those who pass are set to graduate, while those who fail may need to repeat part of basic training. After trainees complete their basic training, they graduate as airmen. They are each awarded the Airman’s Coin to symbolize their transformation from trainees to airmen. JOBS After graduating, an airman is ready to train for job in the air force. The type of job an airman chooses depends on his or her interests and abilities. There are nearly 200 different jobs available to airmen. Some of these include airplane mechanics or weather analysts. Some are air traffic controllers who guide aircraft as they land and off. Airmen do not fly planes. They lend support to ©Teaching to the Middle the pilots and the aircraft instead. After choosing a job, most airmen are trained at one of five air force bases around the country. This training can last anywhere from a few weeks to a full year, depending on the job. PILOTS Air force pilots do not start out as trainees at Lackland. Instead, many begin their careers at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. It is a four-year military college. Students enter as cadets and graduate as officers. Cadets go through basic military training, just like trainees. They learn combat skills and study air force history and values. Only officers are allowed to become air force pilots. Cadets take many military and science courses at the academy. They learn to fly simple planes such as motor gliders and the Cessna T-41. Cadets who pass their flying tests go on to advanced flight instruction after graduating from the academy. Another way to become an air force officer is by joining the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). This is a military program offered at many colleges. ROTC students receive air force training and flight instruction while getting a college degree. They graduate as officers who can become pilots. Another way to become a pilot is through Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. College graduates take a tough 12-week training course. They are taught flying, combat, and leadership skills. They graduate as officers who can then train to become air force pilots. Only about 4 percent of people in the air force are pilots. EQUIPMENT Airmen need gear to do their jobs safely. Many airmen wear ear protection while working. Jet pilots wear G suits, or anti-gravity suits, to keep their blood moving in their bodies when flying fast. This keeps them from fainting while flying. Air force jet pilots also wear masks that help them breathe while they fly. The Air Force has many amazing machines. Some fighter jets can fly faster than the speed of sound, more than 768 miles (1,236 km) per hour. Fighter planes attack targets. The F-22 Raptor has stealth technology that helps it hides from enemy radar. The B-2 Spirit and other bombers attack targets on the ground. They drop bombs from high in the sky. Spy planes gather intelligence, or information about an enemy. The MQ-9 Reaper is a remote-controlled drone that can spy on or attack enemies. The U-2 spy plane flies 70,000 feet (21,335 meters), making it too high for radar to find it. Transports are planes used to move equipment. One type of transport is the C-5 Galaxy. It can carry tanks and helicopters. It opens at both ends so it can be loaded and unloaded on either end. The HH-60 Pave Hawk is a large helicopter that transports cargo and troops. Tankers refuel other aircraft in the air. MISSIONS The air force performs many missions. It bombs enemy bases and attacks enemy aircraft. The air force also delivers supplies to those in need. Supplies are often parachuted out of airplanes. The air force also gathers information. Spy planes take ©Teaching to the Middle pictures of enemy territory. Pilots watch for enemy troops and weapons. Members of the air force also perform search-and-rescue mission to find people who are lost or in trouble. The air force helps during natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes. This is just one of the many ways airmen serve the people of the United States.