The Air Force has various requirements for enlistment, including age, education, physical and intellectual abilities, and residency status. Candidates must pass a professional examination and tests, meet visual acuity and health standards, and complete the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. After basic training, personnel must pass regular fitness tests and meet weight and waist size standards to remain in good standing.
Air Force requirements are certain criteria that a person must meet before he can enlist in this branch of the US military. Requirements can vary based on the type of work a person wants to do when they join the Air Force, but generally include age, education, physical, intellectual, and residency status. An applicant may need to undergo a professional examination and take some tests to certify eligibility. After initial enlistment, individuals generally must meet certain additional Air Force requirements to pass basic training and remain in the military.
The Air Force’s most basic requirements include age, education, and weight. Typically, general enlistment applicants must be at least 17 years of age, but no older than 28, and possess either a high school diploma or a general education diploma (GED). Applicants who wish to join as officers generally need to be at least 17 years old, but no older than 35 years old, and have a four-year college degree. In general, a candidate must also be of a healthy weight, as determined by referring to a special chart issued by the Air Force that lists maximum weights in pounds for heights defined in inches. Candidates who exceed these maximums are generally not allowed to enlist in the Air Force, although they may retry once they lose weight.
Other Air Force physical requirements relate to eyesight and health. Typically, a candidate must meet certain visual acuity requirements, which can vary depending on the job he or she wants to do. People who want to be pilots, for example, have to meet more stringent requirements, usually with vision that’s no worse than 20/70 and can be corrected to near-perfect vision, or 20/20. Applicants must also generally meet certain health standards, which are usually verified during a medical evaluation. Certain medical conditions can prevent people from enlisting in the Air Force, either temporarily or permanently, depending on the situation.
Another Air Force requirement is to successfully complete the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, which tests a person’s intellectual ability in key areas, including verbal, mechanical, and mathematical skills. The minimum overall passing score for high school graduates is 36, while the minimum overall score for a person with a GED is 65. Additional specific minimum scores in certain areas of aptitude, such as electronics or mechanics, may be required depending on the what career a person hopes to pursue.
After a person enlists in the Air Force, he or she will typically attend basic training. At the end of this training, he or she must complete the last of the Air Force requirements: the fitness test. In general, candidates must run 1.5 miles in a given amount of time and do a certain number of push-ups and sit-ups. Exact requirements often vary by gender and age.
In addition to meeting fitness requirements at the end of basic training, most Air Force personnel are required to retake the fitness test on a regular basis. Weight and waist size are also usually checked regularly. Personnel generally must meet established standards in all three areas to remain in good standing with the Air Force, including retaining the option to re-enlist.
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