Joint Base San Antonio > News

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

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

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

#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

BEAR Base lends a paw to Joint Base San Antonio camp
April 14, 2020 — With a quick gesture from the gloved hand of a cloth, face-covered Airmen on the ramp, the air brakes squeal and hiss as the growls grow to a roar. A hint of diesel drifts on the breeze as the flatbed trucks march forward -- another truck is loaded, and more construction and maintenance supplies roll out to help the U.S. Air Force’s cubs – the Airmen at Basic Military Training in San Antonio. ... MORE

Newlyweds graduate Basic Military Training together
April 11, 2020 — Due to safety precautions established in response to COVID-19 family members have not been able attend the graduation of their loved one from Basic Military Training for a number of weeks. That didn’t stop one couple from seeing each other at their BMT graduation March 26... MORE

Agile recruiting methods required to get future Airmen to basic training
April 10, 2020 — Travel restrictions, cancelled flights and social distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic aren’t getting in the way of the Air Force Recruiting Service’s mission. As the world is telling people to stay at home, the Air Force is finding new and diverse ways to ship applicants to Basic Military Training... MORE

BMT proof of concept begins at Keesler Air Force Base
April 9, 2020 — Sixty trainees arrived to the proof of concept Basic Military Training detachment at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, April 7, marking a historic moment for the Air Force’s training program... MORE

BMT adapts during COVID-19: adds masks, shortens pipeline
April 9, 2020 — To prioritize safety and continue providing ready Airmen to fuel tomorrow’s Air Force, BMT is moving to a 7.5-week training pipeline. The 7.5-week training program is one of many measures implemented at BMT to limit the spread of COVID-19... MORE

Update: Air Force BMT Graduation and Schedule
April 7, 2020 — To fully maximize training effectiveness and space utilization to mitigate COVID-19, the U.S. Air Force Basic Military Training will accelerate BMT from eight and half weeks to seven weeks of training... MORE

Op Blue Hero: 97th AMW transports BMT grads to Keesler for technical training
March 31, 2020 — A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew assigned to the 58th Airlift Squadron at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, supported the transport of the Air Force’s newest Basic Military Training graduates from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to their technical training school at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, March 20, 2020... MORE

FAQ: COVID-19 impacts to BMT and technical training (UPDATED)
March 31, 2020 — These frequently asked questions act as a resource for anyone who has questions or concerns about themselves or a loved one that is part of the 37th Training Wing, including basic military training at the 737th Training Group and technical training at the 37th Training Group... MORE

BMT Airmen transported by airlift to Sheppard, other training bases
March 28, 2020 — COVID-19 can’t stop the military. It can try, but national security is 24/7 and basic military training, along with technical training at Sheppard Air Force Base and other training installations, continues on its mission to provide trained Airmen to protect and defend the country. ... MORE

BMT safety mitigation efforts protect trainers, pipeline
March 27, 2020 — To help slow the spread of COVID-19 while accomplishing the mission of turning civilians into mission-ready Airmen, U.S. Air Force Basic Military Training here has implemented layers of protective measures to mitigate transmission risk of the virus within the BMT pipeline. Specific mitigation measures that have been implemented across BMT include implementation of a 14-day restriction of movement upon arrival, as well as social distancing, symptom monitoring, and increased sanitation... MORE

Air Force BMT adjusts schedules, locations to sustain mission readiness
March 27, 2020 — In order to ensure the health and safety of trainees and instructors and to preserve dorm capacity, new recruits will be brought in based on a four-week repeating cycle that includes stringent restricted movement guidelines, dedicated time for deep cleaning between rotations, resetting the instructor cadre and the testing of an alternate BMT location at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. ... MORE

Air Force basic trainee tests positive for COVID-19
March 26, 2020 — Air Force officials announced, March 25, a trainee in the Air Force’s basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland has tested positive for COVID-19... MORE

FAQ: COVID-19 impacts to BMT and Technical Training
March 24, 2020 — The COVID-19 pandemic is a dynamic and rapidly evolving situation. The Gateway Wing wants to make sure our internal family and external community all have access to factual and up-to-date information. These frequently asked questions act as a resource for anyone who has questions or concerns about themselves or a loved one that is part of the 37th Training Wing team, including Basic Military Training at the 737th Training Group and technical training at the 37th Training Group. To help lessen confusion key terms are defined below. ... MORE