When it comes to the Air Force, there are so many different job roles to choose from.
Some of these jobs may be more hands on and dangerous than others, but knowing about these different sectors can help you to decide what you want to do.
Something that might have crossed your mind is whether you have to jump out of a plane during basic training.
If you are thinking of joining the Air Force, then it is understandable that you would have lots of questions about what it might entail, and we aim to answer some of these questions here in this article.
Hopefully, this will help to give you an idea of some of the things that you can expect from the Air Force and the different jobs that go into making it work. We are also going to look at some of the safest and most dangerous jobs in the Air Force.
Do You Have to Jump Out of a Plane in Basic Training?
No, you do not have to jump out of a plane in Air Force Basic Training. In fact, there are no United States military services that require their basic trainees to jump from a plane.
Essentially, there is no reason to jump out of a plane during basic training.
There are some things that you will have to learn about for safety reasons, but actually jumping out of a plane is not one of them.
However, if you were going to go into a more specialized field, then this type of training could well include jumping out of a plane.
It all depends on what you are training to do within the Air Force.
What Jobs in the Air Force Jump Out of Planes?
There are lots of different jobs in the air force, but not all of them will involve jumping out of a plane. Here are the Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs) that either require you to become airborne certified or that you have an option to apply for the school.
- 1T0X1 - Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE)
- 1Z1X1 - Pararescue
- 1Z2X1 - Combat Control
- 1Z3X1 - Tactical Air Control Party
- 1Z4X1 - Special Reconnaissance
To join any of the Air Force jobs that will require you to jump out of a plane, you will initially need to go through the Army Airborne School, which can be tough. For those will go on the become Free Fall certified, you will go through the Army's Military Free Fall School at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ.
Parachutist Badge
Military Freefall Parachutist Badge
What is the Most Dangerous Job in the Air Force?
The most dangerous job in the US Air Force is split between Pararescue and Combat Control. Closely behind these two are Tactical Air Control Party and Special Reconnaissance and the Explosive Ordinance Disposal AFSCs.
These AFSCs are dangerous because they are operational in nature. This means that they will be in direct contact with enemy forces. Furthermore, the pipelines (initial training) and reoccurring training for these jobs can be very dangerous.
Many of the people that apply for these jobs do not make it to the end of the training program because of how rigorous the training is. Think long and hard before enlisting in one of these fields.
What Are the Safest Jobs in the Air Force?
Believe it or not, but most jobs in the Air Force are safe! This is because nearly all jobs in the Air Force are support oriented.
The Air Force is unique in that Officers fly the aircraft that are use in combat. This means that most enlisted jobs support the airpower mission.
The exception to this are the more operational AFSCs listed above.