The Air Force's top enlisted leader said there's a desire to let trainees at the service's boot camp carry real rifles, a change that would mirror long-standing norms for other military branches. Last ...

The top enlisted airman said Air Force recruits should one day carry actual rifles during basic military training. (Ava Leone/U.S. Air Force) The U.S. Air Force eventually wants its aspiring recruits ...

The Air Force hopes its recruits will eventually carry real rifles in boot camp, its top enlisted airman said. It recently restarted issuing practice M4 carbines to recruits for their eight-week ...

Air Force Basic Military Training trainees carry practice weapons at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, on August 2, 2024. (Ava Leone/Air Force) Airmen and guardian recruits are now carrying ...

The Air Force’s newest airmen are spending a lot more time with weapons than their predecessors have for more than a decade. Since the end of July, airmen and guardian trainees have been carrying ...