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.

This book is for the teenager or young adult who is interested in enlisting in the United States Army. 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.

The United States Air Force has been around since the early 20th century, shortly after the invention of the airplane, and today’s modern Air Force is fully equipped with the latest technology. For those interested in developing technical or professional skills in an exciting environment, the U.S. Air Force offers a wide range of opportunities. This book examines the process of enlistment and basic training and describes the many careers available in the air force from aviation careers to jobs in health care, engineering, communications, emergency management, and information technology. The last chapter takes a brief look at the services available to those who have served, after they leave the military. Colorful, thrilling photographs provide an insider’s look at life in the U.S. Air Force.

***The Department of Defense cleared this book for publication*** Service in the United States Air Force is an honorable profession. Each member of the US Air Force accomplishes incredible tasks in a very broad variety of functional areas in defense of the nation. This is an enormous responsibility, even for very junior airmen. Col. (Ret.) Marty Z. Khan, EdD, an intelligence officer, was one of those airmen who represented the United States in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, The Republic of Georgia, Germany, Greece, Korea, India, Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkey. Working side-by-side with marines, soldiers, sailors, coastguardsmen, US diplomats, and international officers, Marty worked on geopolitical issues, security cooperation, and intelligence sharing programs. For air force officers, working on geopolitical issues to implement the President’s National Security Objectives in various parts of the world is an incredible opportunity to see how US policy is made and implemented. Colonel Khan’s experiences and his vignettes show what it took to succeed in such a dynamic organization and in dealing with international officers. This book will benefit those who are currently serving in the military and those who have a keen interest in leadership issues military officers face.

Except in a few instances, since World War II no American soldier or sailor has been attacked by enemy air power. Conversely, no enemy soldier orsailor has acted in combat without being attacked or at least threatened by American air power. Aviators have brought the air weapon to bear against enemies while denying them the same prerogative. This is the legacy of the U.S. AirForce, purchased at great cost in both human and material resources.More often than not, aerial pioneers had to fight technological ignorance, bureaucratic opposition, public apathy, and disagreement over purpose.Every step in the evolution of air power led into new and untrodden territory, driven by humanitarian impulses; by the search for higher, faster, and farther flight; or by the conviction that the air way was the best way. Warriors have always coveted the high ground. If technology permitted them to reach it, men, women andan air force held and exploited it-from Thomas Selfridge, first among so many who gave that "last full measure of devotion"; to Women's Airforce Service Pilot Ann Baumgartner, who broke social barriers to become the first Americanwoman to pilot a jet; to Benjamin Davis, who broke racial barriers to become the first African American to command a flying group; to Chuck Yeager, a one-time non-commissioned flight officer who was the first to exceed the speed of sound; to John Levitow, who earned the Medal of Honor by throwing himself over a live flare to save his gunship crew; to John Warden, who began a revolution in air power thought and strategy that was put to spectacular use in the Gulf War.Industrialization has brought total war and air power has brought the means to overfly an enemy's defenses and attack its sources of power directly. Americans have perceived air power from the start as a more efficient means of waging war and as a symbol of the nation's commitment to technology to master challenges, minimize casualties, and defeat adversaries.