Joint Base San Antonio > News

433rd TRS Reserve MTI STEPS to master sergeant
October 19, 2020 — Former Marine Corps field radio operator Martin Hernandez, now an Air Force Reserve military training instructor at the 433rd Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland was STEP-promoted to master sergeant during an October ceremony at JBSA-Lackland, attended by his MTI teammates and his flight of basic trainees. The 433rd TRS is one of seven squadrons assigned to the 340th Flying Training Group at JBSA-Randolph, and the only all-Reserve MTI squadron in the Air Force. ... MORE

First DRIVE program candidate placed into civil service
September 29, 2020 — Elizabeth Ross, an Oklahoma State University graduate with a degree in zoology and former Airman, was recently hired as an animal caretaker with the Military Working Dog Center, 341st Training Squadron at JBSA-Lackland through the DRIVE Program. ... MORE

AETC teams come together to supply BMT uniforms
September 8, 2020 — With Air Force Basic Military Training coming to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, due to COVID-19, the mission of the base has become to not only train, but create premier warfighters. ... MORE

Airmen with the 81st Logistics Readiness Squadron help basic military training trainees from the 737th Training Wing Detachment 5 try on issued military clothing at the squadron’s warehouse at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, Aug. 26, 2020. The squadron worked with different Air Education and Training Command units to support basic military training at Keesler by providing uniforms for trainees.

Boyd's rite of passage, history as greatest instrument of learning
September 2, 2020 — A respected researcher and writer of history, Gary W. Boyd, the command historian of Air Education and Training Command, has lived through several significant periods of history — all of which he believes has determined our present and shapes our future... MORE

Gary W. Boyd, Air Education and Training Command historian, reads through documents of the formation of Randolph Field July 28, 2020 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. A respected researcher and writer of history, Boyd has lived through several significant periods of history—all of which he believes has determined our present and shapes our future.

Feedback Fridays
August 21, 2020 — If you have a question or concern, please send an email to jbsapublicaffairs@gmail.com using the subject line “Feedback Fridays.” Questions will be further researched and published as information becomes available... MORE

Feedback Fridays is a weekly forum that aims to connect the 502d Air Base Wing with members of the Joint Base San Antonio community. Questions are collected during commander’s calls, town hall meetings and throughout the week.

New commander takes over 433rd Training Squadron
August 11, 2020 — Lt. Col. Anthony Erard assumed command of the 433rd Training Squadron during a ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Aug. 7, officiated by Col. Michael J. Vanzo, 340th Flying Training Group commander... MORE

Reserve squadron, American Airmen march into history
July 20, 2020 — The Air Force Reserve's 433rd Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, marched hundreds of Total Force Air Force trainees into the history books July 16 when those trainees took their Airman's Oath during basic military training graduation and took their place in the long blue line... MORE

Reserve MTI embraces challenges, follows path to dream come true
July 14, 2020 — Tech. Sgt. Sharon Collado is a Reserve military training instructor supervisor at the 433rd Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Unlike many people, she knows that she can do anything she wants to do. She's proved it to herself countless times throughout her 18 year Air Force career, but long before she enlisted, her dad, a career Air Force information manager, told her so... MORE

Band of Brothers: Introducing A1C Hughes, A1C Hughes, and ... A1C Hughes
July 1, 2020 — Three brothers graduated from Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland together May 28. Airman 1st Class Jesus Hughes, 28, Airman 1st Class Nicolas Hughes, 26, and Airman 1st Class Daniel Hughes, 25, went through BMT in the same flight from April 7 to May 28 and thereafter went to technical school in avionics together at Sheppard Air Force Base in northern Texas... MORE

Daniel (left), Jesus (center), and Nicolas (right) Hughes, U.S. Air Force basic training trainees

Air Force’s inaugural ECHO Flight Airmen share their experiences
June 26, 2020 — Ten Airmen were part of the Defense Language Institute English Language Center’s first-ever ECHO Flight beta test, a replica of the U.S. Army ECHO Company program which has been carried out by DLIELC since 1975. ECHO flight’s mission was to provide English-language training and cultural immersion to enable anyone who would like to serve in the Air Force to do so effectively... MORE

U.S. Air Force basic training trainee Alexie Delgado Berrios goes through the Leadership Reaction Course

Total force basic trainees part of Air Force Reserve history
June 26, 2020 — Several hundred Total Force Air Force enlisted basic military trainees assigned to the 433rd Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, are making history as the first class to enter training in the fully operational, all-Reserve military training squadron. The 433rd TRS, one of seven squadrons assigned to the 340th Flying Training Group at JBSA-Randolph, is the only all-Reserve military training instructor squadron in the Air Force... MORE

SECDEF visits BMT, sees how citizens become Airmen during COVID-19
June 17, 2020 — U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper visited U.S. Air Force basic military training cadre and recruits at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, as well as members of the Air Force Recruiting Service, for a first-hand look at how the service transforms citizens into American Airmen June 16... MORE

Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Snow, 323rd Training Squadron military training instructor, briefs U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper during his tour of the 323rd Training Squadron's Airman Training Complex June 16, 2020, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Esper met with AETC leaders to see firsthand how Basic Military Training is fighting through COVID-19 with health protection measures in place and adapting operations to current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidance. The visit also allowed him to witness how a citizen becomes an Airman during COVID-19.

Airman Heritage Museum welcomes BMT trainees
June 15, 2020 — The U.S. Air Force Heritage Museum at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland began welcoming basic military training flights on June 1. The purpose of the visit is to familiarize trainees with the historical roots of the Air Force and what it means to earn the title Airman... MORE

Photo of basic military training trainees at exhibits the Airman Heritage Museum.

Feasibility of secondary Air Force BMT location proven; COVID-19 surge operations begin June 2
May 26, 2020 — Air Force officials announced that, beginning June 2, the service will continue to hold basic military training at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, as a secondary location until the end of COVID-19 surge operations. The decision to stand up initial operating capability under 37th Training Wing comes after a successful proof of concept trial run... MORE

Air Force English language beta test advances despite COVID-19
May 18, 2020 — The 37th Training Wing began a beta test in March for an Air Force version of the Defense Language Institute English Language Center Army Echo Company program which has been in existence since 1975... MORE

Air Force Echo Flight trainees attend their distance learning classes in the 737th Training Support Squadron learning lab, although separated physically from their classmates to due to COVID-19.

First Airmen graduate BMT proof of concept at Keesler Air Force Base
May 18, 2020 — Due to safety concerns stemming from COVID-19, the Air Force sent new recruits to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, to demonstrate a proof of concept to generate the force at multiple locations during contingencies... MORE

Military training instructors lead graduating Airmen onto the drill pad during the basic military training graduation ceremony at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, May 15, 2020. Nearly 60 Airmen from the 37th Training Wing Detachment 5 completed the six-week basic military training course. Due to safety concerns stemming from COVID-19, the Air Force sent new recruits to Keesler to demonstrate a proof of concept to generate the force at multiple locations during contingencies. The flight was the first to graduate BMT at Keesler since 1968. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

Volunteers serve food to new BMT recruits
May 17, 2020 — Meals Operating on Wheels began serving food to Basic Military Training trainees at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland March 30 to feed Airmen who are quarantined in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic... MORE

CSAF visits BMT, thanks JBSA team for ‘fighting through’ COVID-19 response
May 8, 2020 — U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, along with Chief Master Sgt. Manny Pineiro, the service’s first sergeant special duty manager, visited Joint Base San Antonio May 7, seeing first-hand how basic military training has adapted operations to fight through the COVID-19 environment. ... MORE

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein (right) and Chief Master Sgt. Manny Pineiro (center), the service's first sergeant special duty manager, talks with an Airman after basic military training graduation May 7, 2020, at Joint San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

#RiseUp Mental Health, Resiliency at JBSA
May 4, 2020 — Members of the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center Mental Health Clinic and 737th Training Group Military Training Consult Service mental health team spent My 4 motivating others with words of encouragement for base personnel and community members as part of a mental health and resiliency effort during the COVID-19 pandemic at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland... MORE

USECAF, CMSAF visit AETC to see adjusted training operations in response to COVID-19
April 23, 2020 — While performing duties as Under Secretary of the Air Force, Shon Manasco, along with Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright, visited with Airmen at multiple training locations at Joint Base San Antonio and at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, April 22, 2020. The purpose of the visit was to see first-hand how Air Education and Training Command has adjusted operations to mitigate and minimize COVID-19 impacts to the basic, technical and flying training pipelines, all of which have been deemed mission essential... MORE

Airmen briefing visitors outside a building