MTI's BMT Orientation Briefing

Most jobs start with an orientation. BMT is no different. This briefing covers the policies and procedures that govern your day-to-day life as a trainee — the rules of the road for everything from chow runs to dorm fire drills, plus the documents and personal items you need to keep track of.

Learning to live by these procedures now smooths your transition into Air Force life. Practicing precision in the small stuff makes everything else easier.

Overview

Objective: Demonstrate and connect with members of the Air Force team through Basic Military Training indoctrination.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the roles of the MTI and the trainee while in BMT.
• Identify the basic facts behind the general policies and procedures.
• Safeguard, maintain, and use your military ID, Pay Card, and documents within prescribed standards.
• Recognize and participate in authorized worship services / nondenominational / secular meetings as personally appropriate.
• Identify what you'll need to buy during your initial Exchange visit.
• Differentiate between the two types of pre-packaged meals and when each is used.

Foundational Competencies

• Accountability — Accepts full responsibility for self and team; displays honesty and truthfulness.
• Change Management — The ability to adapt, help others adapt, or implement change to keep unit goals aligned with the desired end state.
• Precision — A concern for order, quality, and accuracy with an underlying drive to reduce uncertainty in the environment.

Summary

• Military Training Instructor Role
• Your Role
• General Policies and Procedures
• Military Identification
• Documents
• Civilian Luggage
• Worship Services / Nondenominational / Secular Meetings
• Pay Card
• Initial Exchange Visit
• Pre-Packaged Meals

Military Training Instructor Role

Your MTI's job is to train, lead, coach, and challenge you every day. Their primary concern is your morale, welfare, and safety as they prepare you for the Air Force — but they can't help you with problems they don't know about.

If you need your MTI's help on anything affecting your safety or well-being, see your MTI right away — or, if needed, escalate up the chain of command (instructor supervisor, first sergeant, Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL), or commander).

Your Role

You're not a passenger. As a trainee, you'll be:

• Held accountable for your actions.
• Placed in stressful situations — physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding.

Millions of Airmen made it through BMT before you, and the way they did it is straightforward: keep a positive outlook, help each other out, and never give up. Teamwork is the essential element — on the job and in conflict around the globe. Air Force members take care of each other and depend on each other.

General Policies and Procedures

Respect for Individuals

Behave respectfully, politely, and professionally at all times — in BMT and across your entire career.

The Air Force conducts itself free from unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment, and provides equal opportunity and treatment for everyone. Your supervisory staff is required to brief you on the DOD's sexual assault policies within 14 days of arrival, and to make clear that the military culture has zero tolerance for sexual assault.

No one has the right to make physical or verbal sexual advances toward you. If they do, take immediate action: run or call for help, and report the incident to your MTI or another authority. (Reference LAFB Visual Aid 90-14, Sexual Assault Poster, on the dorm bulletin board.)

Victim support in AETC

In AETC, victims of sexual harassment or sexual assault in training environments get confidential access to victim support services. You're given the necessary time for recovery and the opportunity to make up missed training — either through special individualized assistance (SIA) or washback / recycle. The exact path depends on how much training was missed, the complexity of the missed material, and other factors, decided by the instructor supervisor with your best interests in mind.

Health and Safety Topics

• Always wear footwear (boots, low quarters, running shoes, or shower shoes). Shower shoes only to and from the shower or while using the latrine after lights out.
• Don't run inside the dormitory.
• Stay out of fan, boiler, and circuit breaker rooms in any building.
• Don't handle stray animals. If one bites you, seek medical treatment immediately.
• Remove contact lenses every night — sleeping in them can cause severe eye damage. Do not sleep with lenses in.
• If you don't have civilian prescription glasses, keep wearing your contacts until you receive your issued glasses.
• Blisters from new footwear can become serious. Report them to your MTI or athletic trainer right away — waiting makes them worse.

Female-related health issues

• Menstrual cycles can shift abnormally during BMT due to stress. Carry sanitary items for unexpected situations.
• Don't pull wet hair too tight — it tightens further as it dries, causing pain and possible skin issues that need medical attention.

BMT Hydration Schedule

Dehydration is a real risk and can lead to fainting or heat injury. The schedule:

• 18–24 oz. per hour, every hour.
• Do not exceed 12 quarts in one day or 48 oz. in one hour.
• Hydration starts first thing in the morning — especially before morning PT.
• In the DFAC, drink at least two glasses of water, milk, or juice before any other beverage.

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

When you hear a fire alarm or someone yelling "FIRE, FIRE, FIRE," "GAS, GAS, GAS," or "BOMB THREAT, EVACUATE THE DORMITORY," act immediately:

• Put on hard-sole shoes (not shower shoes).
• If undressed, wrap a blanket around yourself.
• Stay silent and evacuate in a single-file line through the nearest exit.
• Use the handrails. Stay on the right side of the stairwell unless two or more flights are evacuating simultaneously, in which case use both sides.
• The first two (or four) people to reach the street automatically post as road guards and remain posted until the entire flight or squadron crosses, then rejoin their flight at the pre-designated area.
• Assemble in flight formation about 500 feet from the building.
• If told to report the emergency, use the closest entrance and report to permanent party personnel at the Charge of Quarters (CQ). Tell them your dormitory number and the type of emergency.

Training Day

The training day in the 737th Training Group runs on a 24-hour clock. Convert by adding 12 to any PM time — so 1:00 PM becomes 1300 hrs ("thirteen hundred hours"), and 10:00 PM becomes 2200 hrs ("twenty-two hundred hours"). For times before 10:00 AM, add a leading zero — 1:00 AM becomes 0100 hrs ("zero one hundred hours"). Minutes work the same as a 12-hour clock: 8:25 AM becomes 0825 hrs ("zero eight twenty-five hours"). Don't use colons between hours and minutes.

Reveille

The training day starts with reveille (also called first call).

• Monday through Friday at the time set by your unit (occasionally earlier for processing details).
• Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays at the unit's set weekend time.

Reveille just signals when to wake up — not the start of the duty day.

Taps

Taps, also called lights out, is when you go to bed. In BMT that's 2100 hrs. No actions are required during the playing of Taps except getting into bed (no standing at attention, no saluting, no stopping movement).

Bulletin Boards

Each dormitory has two bulletin boards with important notices. Read them twice a day. Don't add, remove, or rearrange anything on them.

Dining Facility (DFAC) Procedures

If you have food allergies or special dietary needs (vegetarian, Halal, Kosher, or other), notify an MTI as soon as possible — safety first. Wash your hands before every meal. While waiting to enter the DFAC, study quietly unless directed otherwise by permanent party personnel or student leaders (SL).

Chow Runner Responsibilities

The chow runner provides the initial and follow-on reports for every meal. The flow:

• Initial report. Proceed to the DFAC board, halt at the designated staging location, and confirm no other chow runner is reporting. Move from the staging location to the board with proper facing movements, using short, choppy steps. Center yourself 1–2 paces from the board. Once acknowledged, give the reporting statement and initial report.

  "Sir / Ma'am, Trainee [Last Name] reports as ordered. Sir / Ma'am, Flight ___, Dorm ___ is prepared to enter the Dining Facility from the ___ side."

  When unsure of rank or name, "Sir / Ma'am" is acceptable.

• Control entry. Once cleared, take control of the flight. Ensure there's room in the foyer, place the flight at attention, and direct key personnel to fall out and back in front of the first element to enter:

  "All key personnel fall out, fall in, followed by the ___ Element."

• Follow-on report. Return to the DFAC board, repeating the staging procedure. Center yourself 2 paces from the board. Give the follow-on report:

  "Sir / Ma'am, Trainee [Last Name] reports as ordered. Sir / Ma'am, the first Trainee from Flight ___, Dorm ___ has entered the Dining Facility from the ___ side."

  After receiving direction, repeat the directions to confirm ("Seat them. Yes Sir / Ma'am, thank you Sir / Ma'am").

• Seating procedure. Stand with heels 12 inches apart, the appropriate hand pointing toward the row (palm toward you, fingers fully extended and joined, forearm parallel to the ground). The other arm extends fully behind your back, palm facing away, fingers toward the ground. Seat members back to front, filling one table at a time. Fill all tables before moving to the next row. Assume the position of attention before transitioning between rows or departing your post. Don't forget to gather your belongings before you proceed to the serving line.

• Relieving another chow runner. Stand behind them, place them at attention, and dismiss them: "Chow runner, ATTENTION. Dismissed."

Water Monitor and Flight Safety Representative

• Water Monitors enter the DFAC with key personnel, follow squadron procedures for backpack placement (if applicable), put on a head covering before going behind the serving line, and wash hands before handling dishes or utensils. Once the last flight member is through the line (or when relieved), they gather their belongings and proceed through the line themselves.

• Flight Safety Representatives break ranks when directed by the chow runner and post outside the DFAC entryway. They take control of the flight and place them at ease. As foyer space opens up, they direct each element leader to lead their element in. Once all elements are inside, they fall in at the rear of the last element.

Serving Line and Seating

• Enter the DFAC in elements. Place your OCP patrol cap in your right cargo pocket and form a line at attention along the wall.
• A SL may supervise members practicing their salute in front of the mirror before the line — quick, with proper contact points, and performed with snap and precision. Don't let it impede dining.
• In line, stand at attention with head and eyes straight forward. You may only talk to DFAC personnel, MTIs, and SLs — be polite and courteous. The dorm chief (DC) monitors the flight from a position in the foyer and provides oversight.
• At the serving line, place your tray on the steel runner and put both hands on top of your tray. Keep head and eyes straight as you side-step down the line. No facing movements while carrying items.
• Drink at least two glasses of water, milk, or juice at every meal (a third is optional). You're encouraged to drink milk daily (or a milk substitute if lactose intolerant) for calcium.
• After the serving line, look for the seater who'll direct you to a seat. The DC sits at the table closest to the serving-line exit and makes corrections as needed.

At Your Table

• Set your tray on the table. If you're wearing the Extreme Cold/Wet Weather (ECWW) jacket or lightweight blue jacket, remove it and drape it on the back of your chair. (Removing the lightweight blues jacket is optional.) All-weather coats are folded in half lengthwise and draped over the chair back.
• After grounding your tray and securing your gear, stand at attention for 3 seconds as a moment of silence to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Then sit and start your meal.
• Returning to the line for more food or drinks: don't stand or walk while chewing or drinking, don't carry more than one item per hand, and exit / re-enter the row of tables from the appropriate end.
• When finished: gather your belongings and take only your tray to the clipper (dishwasher area), unless you're assisting a physically impaired wingman (e.g., on crutches).
• If a glass breaks: don't pick it up. Only DFAC detail members clean it.
• Place tray in the clipper window; remove utensils and put them in the bin (if available). Exit using appropriate drill movements. Wait in the hallway for your wingman before leaving the DFAC area.

Mail Call

Your MTI conducts mail call Monday through Friday through the 6th week of training (WOT). Use the sample address format posted on the dormitory bulletin board.

• Read and write letters only after duty hours during your free time, as determined by your MTI.
• Don't take other members' mail to the mailbox.
• Registered, certified, or insured mail: instructions will be given at pickup.
• If you receive food, offensive materials, or unauthorized items (including electronic devices) in the mail, notify an MTI immediately.

Patio Breaks

You'll get a mandatory 45-minute initial patio break in line with the weekly activity schedule. Patio breaks are for personal motivation through peer or family contact (letter reading and writing, conversations, phone calls when available) and to enjoy a snack or soda. Use discretion with snack food and sugary drinks — too much can mean an upset stomach or nausea.

Additional patio breaks happen at MTI discretion. Access is earned (e.g., everyone passes first dorm progress check, or no one received a 341 for substandard performance) and given by permission. Your instructors or supervisors decide when. More on this in the Patio Break Briefing section.

Military Identification

Your military ID identifies you as a member of the armed forces and gives you privileges like medical care and access to the commissary and Exchange. It is illegal to lend, reproduce, or alter your card.

• Once issued, store the ID in your ID card holder and wear it around your neck unless otherwise directed.
• If you lose it, report it to your MTI immediately.
• Losing your military ID before shipping to your follow-on assignment may prevent you from leaving BMT on schedule.

Documents

The items below may be carried on your person — and may be kept in a zip-top plastic bag to keep them dry.

AETC Form 341 — Excellence / Discrepancy Report

The "341" is used to document your performance throughout BMT — either outstanding or substandard. Any permanent party personnel may take a 341 from you.

• Carry at least two properly filled-out 341s at all times. Plastic zip-top bag is fine.
• In the OCP uniform, keep them in your left cargo pocket.
• In service dress, any pocket works.

To fill out a 341, use a blue or black pen and NEATLY print in the appropriate boxes — no punctuation:

1. Your flight roster number in the upper right-hand corner. Add a G prefix for Guard or R for Reserve (e.g., G21, R21).
2. Your name in the LAST NAME – FIRST NAME – MIDDLE INITIAL block. After your middle initial include JR, SR, II, III, etc., if applicable.
3. GRADE: print E1.
4. ORGANIZATION: print your squadron (e.g., 331 TRS).
5. CLASS / FLIGHT: print your flight number (e.g., FLT 127, or FLT B127 for band flights).
6. If a 341 is being used (not just identifying you), an MTI fills in the rest of the blocks.

Money List

Your money list helps you recover lost or stolen money by tracking the serial numbers of any bills and blank money orders you have. Maintain two identical money lists (subject to inspection):

• One in your security drawer.
• One on you at all times — same plastic zip-top bag as your 341s if you like, even if you have no money.

Use a blue or black pen and print neatly without punctuation:

1. First line: LAST NAME – FIRST NAME – MIDDLE INITIAL (with JR, SR, II, III, etc., if applicable).
2. Second line: squadron (e.g., 331 TRS).
3. Third line: flight number (e.g., FLT 127).
4. List serial number(s) and denomination(s) of each bill and blank money order in descending order below the flight number.

When you update the list, draw a single line through the serial number of any bill no longer in your possession. Add new bills as you acquire them. Re-do the entire list if it gets messy.

Other carriable documents (if applicable)

• 59 MDW Form 154, Temporary Duty Restriction
• Shaving waiver
• One copy of Guard / Reserve orders
• AETC Form 50, Appointment Slip

Civilian Luggage

The civilian luggage room stores your excess personal hygiene items, medication, civilian clothes, and personal items. The squadron commander may designate a more secure location for some items.

Maintain a complete inventory of all high-value personal belongings on a piece of paper — make, model, serial number, and a physical description. Store the inventory in your security drawer.

Do NOT lock up the following items in civilian luggage (they may be needed during processing appointments):

• Civilian eyeglasses, contact lenses with case, and prescription(s)
• Driver's license
• Social Security Number (SSN) card
• Marriage license and / or dependents' birth records
• JROTC, ROTC, or Civil Air Patrol certificates
• Enlistment contract
• College transcripts
• All other important paperwork

Civilian Luggage Tag

Attach a properly completed luggage tag to each piece of luggage and any loose item you're storing. Use a blue or black pen, neatly printed, no punctuation:

1. First line: LAST NAME – FIRST NAME – MIDDLE INITIAL (with JR, SR, II, III, etc., if applicable).
2. Second line: your laundry mark (e.g., B1234).
3. Reverse side: indicate how many items you're storing —
   • 1 piece of luggage → "1 of 1"
   • 2 pieces → "1 of 2" on the first tag, "2 of 2" on the second
   • 3+ pieces → continue the pattern

Worship Services / Nondenominational / Secular Meetings

The U.S. Constitution guarantees your right to worship or not to worship. Air Force policy is clear: zero tolerance for discrimination based on religious preference or beliefs. You may participate in the service of your choice — and you will not be coerced to attend any service.

If you choose not to participate, there are no repercussions.

What you can attend

• One service per week.
• One religious education class / nondenominational / secular meeting per week.
• Religious observances like Passover or Ash Wednesday — but not daily services (e.g., daily mass or daily prayer calls).
• Service roles as a chapel guide, choir member, or instrumentalist if your training schedule permits.

See the chapel schedule posted in the dormitory for current times and locations.

During your first weekend, senior SLs or escorts march you to the service of your choice. Coordinate with your MTI ahead of time. Don't visit other areas while attending services — march directly to the service and directly back.

Pay Card

You're issued a Pay Card during BMT. Treat it like cash — it has no PIN to protect it. Your only protection is to keep it secure in your security drawer or have it on your person at all times.

• The card has a preset value that's deducted from your initial pay.
• Its purpose is to give you access to funds while waiting for your initial pay deposit, which can take up to 30 days.
• Secure the card in your security drawer when you return to the dorm.
• If you lose it, notify an MTI immediately (safety first).

Where the Pay Card works

• Mini-mall (including the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center shoppette)
• Clipper Cuts and Exchange Hair Salon
• Religious services
• Squadron dry cleaners
• Military clothing sales

Before departing JBSA-Lackland, you must cash out your Pay Card at one of:

• Bank of America
• Air Force Federal Credit Union

The card is not accepted at AAFES stores or vendors at other bases.

Initial Exchange Visit

You'll need the mandatory items listed below during your initial Exchange visit. The items in your issued backpack are paid for with your Pay Card when directed by the MTI team (e.g., lock and flashlight). It's not mandatory to buy items on the optional list or items you already have.

Don't purchase:

• Aerosol products
• Any cleaning products for the dormitory
• Any over-the-counter medication, including nutritional supplements, mineral preparations, or vitamins

If you receive any of these in the mail, report it to your MTI immediately.

Special items

• Males who wear boxer shorts during PT and PACER FORGE must wear an athletic supporter.
• Females are encouraged to wear a sports bra during PT and PACER FORGE.
• Spandex shorts under PT running shorts are allowed (consistent with MAFI 36-2903 guidance). Talk to your MTI before purchasing.

Issued backpack contents

Mandatory items

Mini-mall run optional items

Notes:

1. Members who wear glasses or contacts are required to buy eyeglass straps.
2. If you're allergic to the issued laundry detergent and it's unopened, return it for a refund and buy another brand at your own expense.
3. Don't buy over-the-counter medication unless prescribed or cleared by a military medical doctor.
4. You'll receive 1 water bottle and 1 wearable hydration source as your hydration kit.

Pre-Packaged Meals

You'll use one of two pre-packaged meals at various points during BMT:

• Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) — intended for the deployed environment.
• Tailored Operational Training Meal (TOTM) — used as an alternative operational training meal. TOTMs are not MREs and aren't designed to replace them. They're a training tool to help units get familiar with how to prepare, use, consume, and dispose of pre-packaged meals used in deployed environments.

Both meals are completely self-contained. Each contains a main entrée, wet-pack fruit, a beverage base, a flameless heater, a dining kit, and other components — designed to give you the right nutrients and energy to stay fit during training and deployment.

Eating

• Sanitize your hands before preparing and consuming the meal.
• When mixing water with the beverage powder, use the beverage bag (if provided) — not your hydration source. Sugars and other components in the powder cause bacteria growth in your hydration source, and that water might be needed to flush wounds or eyes in an emergency. Some powders also contain caffeine, which is a diuretic and works against proper hydration.
• To open the main package, find the peak at the top center of the removable seal, grasp each side, and pull.
• Recommended order: prepare the main entrée first with the flameless heater, and consume the rest of your meal while it heats.

Safety and Disposal

The flameless heater and its byproducts are not for human consumption. Safety points:

• Vapors from an activated heater contain hydrogen — a flammable gas. Do not place an open flame near these vapors.
• When 10 or more heaters are used inside a shelter, open a door or window.
• Hot water from the flameless heater can burn skin and cause serious thermal burns. Never carry an activated heater in your uniform pocket.
• Use caution when discarding the heater — bag and water inside may still be hot.
• Do NOT drink the water remaining in the heater bag, or use it in food. It is toxic.
• If you don't use your flameless heater, you must discharge it before disposal — unused heaters are a significant fire risk in trash receptacles. To discharge, activate it, then set it aside to cool.
• After eating, throw away all trash (candy, gum, sugar packs) and any uneaten items. Don't save anything for later.
• Sweep the area to ensure no trash or food has been left on the ground.

Allergies

For food allergies and dietary preferences (vegetarian, Kosher, other), refer to the common food allergies listed in the Nutrition Principles section when selecting an MRE — and inform your MTI of your specific needs as soon as possible.

Summary

In most organizations, an orientation sets people up for success. This section covered the policies and procedures that govern your day-to-day in BMT, plus the roles you and your MTI play. Following these guidelines smooths your transition to a successful Air Force career.