PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Preparing trainees for Air Force basic military training is the primary goal of the 302nd Airlift Wing’s Development and Training Flight. Trainees participate in physical training, learn military structure, customs and courtesies and Air Force history. So, when the trainees get to basic training, the academics are familiar and they are in top physical condition.
One BMT honor graduate who was a trainee in the 302nd D&TF said the program prepared him well for basic training.
“Having an introduction to discipline and how things work in basic training was helpful,” said Airman Marshal Goff, 302nd Logistic Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance apprentice. “I already had knowledge about Air Force history, a common access card, and I was up to speed on military customs… it was a lot of the little things put together that helped me in basic training.”
According to Tech. Sgt. Joshua Winn, 302nd AW D&TF program manager, this approach is more engaging and he can see the difference when they come back as Reserve Citizen Airmen to the 302nd AW. The Airmen who went through D&TF come into a unit training assembly with a lot of motivation, he said.
“I am just like a head coach calling the plays,” Winn said. “It is an honor when I see the graduates in the Wing and they remind me of something I said or did that impacted them.”
During this fiscal year so far, trainees with the 302 AW‘s D&TF have produced the highest number of BMT honor graduates in the Air Force Reserve Command.
The Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon is awarded to graduates who have achieved at least 90 percent on the physical fitness test and written examinations, and have never fail a graded inspection during basic training.
“This fiscal year so far we have had seven BMT honor graduates,” said Winn.
Winn has been running the D&TF since March 2018. He applied a different mindset to the program by focusing less on marching drill and more on academics and physical training.
“I take out course material from their BMT book, tell them about it, and then go find the experts to teach them,” said Winn. “Sometimes we do marching drills, but they will learn a lot of that in BMT. The program I implement is knowledge based and includes what trainees need to know for BMT.”
In addition to the BMT honor graduate ribbon, several trainees have received other awards.
“We also have a lot of individuals graduating BMT as Warhawks, which means top physical fitness standard and some are even coming back as honor graduates from technical school,” said Winn. “It is just really amazing.”
Winn said he hopes his approach to running the D&TF program will continue after he leaves.
“I want the next program manager to continue using my approach to the program because it seems to be working well so far,” said Winn.