Introduction to Classroom Entry and Exit Procedures

You've been entering and exiting classrooms since kindergarten. The procedures change in BMT — entrances are coordinated as a flight, seating follows a specific pattern, and there are rules for what you do at your desk — but the structure isn't complex once you've done it once. This section walks through how a flight enters a classroom, how the Dorm Chief manages the flight inside, what's allowed during class, what to do during emergencies and breaks, and how to leave when class is over.

The procedures here apply across two BMT classroom types: Recruit Housing & Training (RH&T) facilities and the Dining Classroom Facility (DCF).

Overview

Objective: Identify basic facts about Airmanship fundamentals in the Air Force.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate entrance and departure procedures, plus Dorm Chief procedures.
• Understand general classroom conduct and the process for taking breaks.
• Identify the basic facts of emergency evacuation procedures.
• State your responsibilities for cheating, test compromise, and academic integrity.

Foundational Competencies

• Develops People — Investing in others to maximize their contributions to the mission through feedback and learning opportunities.
• Change Management — Adapts, helps others adapt, or implements change to keep unit goals aligned with the desired end state.

Summary

• Entrance Procedures
• Dorm Chief Procedures
• General Classroom Conduct
• Academic Freedom
• Academic Integrity
• Emergency Evacuation Procedures
• Breaks
• Departure Procedures

Entrance Procedures

Before entering the classroom, the Dorm Chief (DC) must have flight accountability from the MTI. If you have an appointment during the lesson, tell the DC and fall in with your wingman behind the last member in the flight, but in front of the DC.

Don't leave class for Entry Controller duty — it's not an appointment.

RH&T Side-Entrance Classrooms

• Guidon bearers (GOBs) hold the door open so the flight can enter.
• The flight fills each seat from the front to the rear of the classroom and from the wall to the center aisle.
• Flights entering through the front door sit on the side closest to the entrance doors.
• Flights entering through the rear door sit on the side furthest from the entrance doors.
• Members with appointments enter at the end of the flight.
• DCs and GOBs enter last.

RH&T Rear-Entrance Classrooms

• GOBs hold the door open.
• Fill each seat from front to rear, wall to center aisle.
• Members entering through the right entrance door sit on the right side.
• Members entering through the left entrance door sit on the left side.
• Members with appointments enter at the end.
• DCs and GOBs enter last.

Dining Classroom Facility (DCF)

• Flights are brought up to the classroom by the Flight MTI.
• GOBs are at the front of the line and hold the door for the entire flight.
• The classroom is divided in half — one side per flight.
• Each flight enters and fills the room from front to back, center seats to outer seats.
• The first row has only 8 seats (4 per flight); all other rows have 14 seats (7 per flight).
• Members entering through the right entrance door sit on the right side; left door, left side.
• DCs are at the back of the line.
• Members with appointments enter at the end.
• DCs and GOBs enter last.

Additional rules for entry

• Quickly and silently enter the classroom and proceed directly to your chair.
• Place headgear in the correct storage location when entering the building.
• Don't talk during entrance — except to alert fellow members to make corrections.

Backpack and weapon (RH&T)

• Sling your weapon over the back of your chair, horizontally, with the magazine well facing up, buttstock compressed, and muzzle pointed toward the wall.
• Hang your backpack uniformly by the straps on the back of your chair.
• Leave your issued hydration source inside the backpack.

Backpack and weapon (DCF)

• Place your weapon on the desktop furthest from the seat, with the muzzle pointing right and the ejection port facing up.
• Place your backpack under the desk to the right of your seat, laid flat on its back with the carrying handle toward the front of the classroom and the name tag facing up.
• Leave your hydration source inside the backpack.

Outer garments (OCP fleece, lightweight jacket, all-weather coat)

• DCF — Hang neatly over the back of your seat.
• RH&T — Neatly fold and place in the basket (if available) under your seat.
• Don't remove your OCP coat unless the instructor gives specific permission.

Sit at attention until placed at ease

• Feet flat on the floor at a 45° angle, heels together.
• Sit up straight, leaning slightly forward in your seat so your back doesn't touch the seat.
• One hand on your thigh, the other on top of your materials.
• Fingers extended and joined, thumb along the forefinger, hand flat.
• Head and eyes straight forward. Body immobile.

Dorm Chief Procedures

DCs prepare for class the same way as the rest of the flight and sit in the aisle seat of the last occupied row. Their job in class is to keep the flight on track and correct flight members as needed.

Initial reporting (start of class)

After all members are prepared and at attention:

1. The DC marches to the front of the classroom and performs an about face.

2. Marches to the back of the classroom, stopping to inspect each row and make necessary corrections.

3. Executes an about face to face the front.

4. When prompted by the instructor, the DC turns their head toward the instructor and gives the appropriate reporting statement, followed by:

   "Sir / Ma'am, Flight (#) ___ is prepared for instruction."

If the instructor isn't present

• Give the command "Flight (#) ___ AT EASE" and take your seat.
• If the instructor is still not present 10 minutes after the start of class, the DC sends two runners to the tunnel area to report the situation.

When asked for hourly accountability

"Sir / Ma'am, the accountability of Flight (#) ___ is as follows: (#) members assigned, (#) members absent, roster numbers (#) are at (location)."

When providing roster numbers and locations of absent members, group them together by location. Repeat until all absent members have been reported.

General Classroom Conduct

Each academic hour of instruction lasts 50 minutes with a 10-minute break. Take breaks as directed by your instructor.

Late arrivals

If you arrive late:

• Don't knock or ask permission to enter.
• RH&T — quietly enter the rear door and sit in the last occupied row, closest to the wall.
• DCF — quietly enter the door and sit in the last occupied row, closest to the center.
• Check the dry erase board for the lesson, or quietly ask your wingman.

Appointments during class

If you have an appointment during the lesson:

• Sit in the last occupied row of chairs with your wingman.
• Ensure the DC knows the location of your appointment and who your wingman is before the start of class.
• Leave early enough to make it on time.
• Don't disrupt class to inform the instructor of your departure.

Do

• Raise your hand for the instructor to call on you when you have a question, answer, or comment.
• When called on, give the proper reporting statement.
• If you start to feel fatigued, take your study materials and backpack (containing your hydration source) to the back of the classroom.
  • Don't pace, lean against the wall, or set your study materials down.
  • When you feel you can stay awake, sit in the last occupied row. Don't return to your original seat until placed on break.
• Drink 18–24 oz of water every hour.

Don't

• Talk during class, except to the instructor.
• Write on, scratch, or damage any classroom equipment. Willful damage to government property is a violation of Article 108 of the UCMJ.
• Prop your feet up on any part of the desk in front of you.
• Touch any computer components unless instructed to do so (DCF).
• Place your issued hydration source on the desks.
• Leave the classroom without your wingman, your backpack (containing your hydration source), and appropriate uniform attire (outer garment, utility coat, headgear, as applicable).

Academic Freedom

Academic Freedom in BMT includes:

• Freedom to discuss within a classroom (physical or virtual) any material or ideas relevant to the course — including controversial, unusual, or unpopular topics — within the confines of the UCMJ and applicable DoD and Air Force Instructions.
• Freedom to seek changes in academic and institutional policies without fear of reprisal.
• Responsibility to pursue excellence, intellectual honesty, and objectivity.
• Responsibility to encourage faculty, students, and colleagues to engage in critical thinking, free discussion, publication, and inquiry on relevant subjects.

Academic Integrity

Honesty, trust, fairness, and respect are the foundation of academic integrity. The USAF prohibits cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and other violations of academic integrity. These violations are not tolerated.

Before each written evaluation, your WSMS instructors will brief you that you are prohibited from soliciting, disclosing, receiving, or obtaining any test information before, during, or after testing.

Don't violate, attempt to violate, or solicit others to violate these (or any other) Air Force policies. Immediately report anyone who does to your WSMS instructor and / or chain of command.

Failure to follow these instructions is a violation of Air Force regulations and a crime under Article 92 of the UCMJ — and it shows a total breach of character and integrity, putting you at risk of punitive action and / or elimination from the Air Force.

Sharing BMT study materials

Study materials or notes created in a group setting with all trainees participating can be shared with the trainees in that group who actively participated and contributed.

Further distribution beyond the group is not authorized. That prohibition includes:

• Other week groups
• Graduated Airmen
• People who have not attended BMT

Collective study efforts

Collective studying and group learning is a valid AETC technique encouraged by the BMT experience and the wingman concept:

• Academic Monitors encourage group norming for AF standards.
• BMT's assessments and progress checks in a group environment frequently allow others to learn when they aren't being assessed themselves.
• However, when notes leave the immediate learning cohort and are transferred to a person or group that did not participate in the learning event, that violates Collective Study Efforts.

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

If there's an actual emergency (fire, gas leak, bomb threat):

• Leave your belongings behind.
• Quickly evacuate the classroom in an orderly fashion through the door you entered.
• Assemble in flight formation at your squadron's designated assembly point or the nearest assembly point — about 500 feet from the building.
• If the emergency is in your classroom, the first member out the door must report the location, the need for evacuation, and the nature of the emergency to permanent party personnel in the tunnel area (not to another flight member).

Breaks

The instructor will call the flight to "ATTENTION" and command "DISMISSED." Follow your squadron's established break procedures for latrine use and water.

• DCF — march to the right of the hallway in single file with your backpack (containing hydration source).
• RH&T — march in detail / element with your backpack.
• The DC and element leaders are responsible for the flight's conduct during all breaks.
• Members may take breaks in the classroom.
• If you exit the classroom, don't talk or loiter in the hallways, stairwells, or latrines.

Returning from break (DC procedure)

• Wear your OCP coat (unless the WSMS instructor directs otherwise).

• Begin returning procedures at the front of the classroom facing the flight.

• Tell your flight to standby, warning them to prepare for instruction.

• Call the flight to attention with "Flight, TENCH HUT."

• March to the back of the classroom, stopping to inspect each row and make corrections.

• Execute an about face to face the front.

• When prompted by the instructor, give the appropriate reporting statement followed by:

  "Sir / Ma'am, Flight (#) is prepared for instruction."

Departure Procedures

When the instructor indicates class is over:

1. Put desktops down (RH&T).
2. Put back on any items you took off at the beginning of class.
3. Stand and face the center aisle with your hat in your hand.
4. The instructor will call the flight(s) to "ATTENTION" and command "DISMISSED."
5. Exit through the door you entered, in reverse order.
6. The DC is the first member out the door.
7. The member exiting after the DC and the guide must hold the door for the entire flight.
8. The DC chooses a spot for the flight to form up in column formation.
9. If class is over for the day, the DC sizes the flight, places it "AT EASE," and waits for the MTI.
10. Don't talk during any of these procedures unless alerting fellow members to make corrections.

Summary

Following procedures correctly is part of what makes the Air Force work. Many parts of your job will require things to be done a specific way. This section covered the basic rules and procedures for a class setting at BMT. Adhering to them lets your flight focus on the information you need to know to pass the End of Course Test.