Joining the United States Air Force

This book is for the teenager or young adult who is interested in enlisting in the United States Air Force. It will walk him or her through the enlistment and recruit training process: making the decision to join the military, talking to recruiters, getting qualified, preparing for and learning what to expect at basic recruit training.
The goal of the McFarland Joining the Military book series is to help young people who might be curious about serving in the military decide whether military service is right for them, which branch is the best fit, and whether they are qualified for and prepared for military service. Features include lists of books, web links, and videos; a glossary; and an index.

Snow Wildsmith is a former teen librarian now working as a book reviewer and writer. She specializes in comics for teens and children, reviewing for Booklist, Good Comics for Kids, No Flying No Tights, and more. Co-author of The Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids’ Comics, Snow grew up in a military family and now lives in North Carolina.

Snow Wildsmith
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 239
Bibliographic Info: 45 photos, glossary, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4758-9
eISBN: 978-0-7864-9119-3
Imprint: McFarland
Series: Joining the Military

Read This First      1

One: Thinking About Joining the Military      3
1. Things to Consider for Potential Enlistees      5
2. Things to Consider for Parents of Potential Enlistees      24
3. Things to Consider for Spouses of Potential Enlistees      30
4. Military Benefits      34
5. The Branches of the Military      42

Two: General Information About the Air Force      47
6. The History of the Air Force      49
7. Career Opportunities in the Air Force      62

Three: The Enlistment Process      77
8. What Is the Enlistment Process?      79
9. Eligibility Requirements      81
10. Talking to Military Recruiters      87
11. The Qualification Process      99
12. Visiting the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS)      103
13. Taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery      113
14. Joining the Delayed Entry Program      127
15. Preparing for Basic Training      131

Four: Air Force Basic Training      159
16. Overview      161
17. Basic Training Tips      165
18. Leaving for Basic Training      170
19. Zero Week      177
20. Life During Basic Training      184
21. Basic Training—Eight Weeks of Hard Work      196
22. Graduation and Beyond      206

Glossary of Military Terms      211
For More Information      215
Resources      221
Index      227

Booklist Starred Review.
“A wealth of military nonfiction exists for middle-grade readers, most of it geared toward kids with parents in the service. Fewer are the titles aimed at teens considering wearing the stripes themselves, and rarer still are those that are equal to books in the essential new Joining the Military series…the whole set is recommended…there’s little flash to be seen here, just page after page of insight. Authoritative, exhaustive, sober and indispensable”—Booklist; “a good addition”—ARBA; “aims to make sure enlistees make the most informed and beneficial decision for them and their loved ones”—Reference & Research Book News.