{"id":64755,"date":"2018-11-05T17:34:31","date_gmt":"2018-11-05T17:34:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/05\/the-new-bmt-the-air-force-has-added-another-week-to-basic-training\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:12:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:12:23","slug":"the-new-bmt-the-air-force-has-added-another-week-to-basic-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2018\/11\/05\/the-new-bmt-the-air-force-has-added-another-week-to-basic-training\/","title":{"rendered":"The new BMT: The Air Force has added another week to basic training"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Air Force\u2019s Basic Military Training recently expanded from 7.5 weeks<\/a> to 8.5 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BMT changes \u2014 which also include a renewed focus on Air Force history and heroes, increased physical training sessions, and possibly a full weapons qualification program \u2014 are part of the Air Force\u2019s effort to increase the readiness and lethality of the new airmen it produces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Air Education and Training Command officials also hope the updates to BMT will accelerate the pace at which airmen adopt the service\u2019s core values<\/a> and principles \u2014 and think of themselves as airmen first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen Marines graduate, they identify themselves with being a Marine,\u201d said Master Sgt. Robert Kaufman, a military training instructor<\/a> at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas, said. \u201cWhen an airman graduates, they identify themselves with their career field, or they identify themselves with their rank. We want to make sure that when the airmen leave [BMT], they have the mindset that, \u2018I\u2019m an airman, with a capital A.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t