Jerry Schauer's Air Force Basic Training Video (1986)

Jerry Schauer's BMTS video from Lackland AFB, Texas (Nov-Dec 1986) [This was filmed during my time in Basic Training but I do not appear anywhere in the video]

[@davidc196]

I went through BMT in August 1986. All I can say is this video brought back a ton of memories for me. I retired from the USAF / AFRES in 2011 with 25 years in. I wouldn’t change a thing and I’d do it all over again.

[@climeaware4814]

October 1986 for me! Dam you must have cooked in the heat! BMTS 7211 ?

[@doogs2414]

BMT in May of 1988. Spent 7 years in the AF. Best two moves ever made were joining and the getting out.

[@etate4982]

I agree, its an experience very few can or will experience. Retiring is an honor not a privilege.

[@josemoreno3334]

Went there in Aug.10, 1979. Hot, Humid and a lot of yelling. 6 weeks. What fun. Then off to Shepperd AFB to train as a telephone linesmen. I wish i could do that again. 3723 BMTS.

[@ryandickson2224]

I Graduated BMT this past October. Interesting to see what has changed, and what managed to stay the same throughout the years. I went through an Alcatraz squadron building so the dorms all looked almost identical. Only difference I could really point out was that we had slightly different bed frames and our wall lockers had a built-in section for our trainer weapons. I remember my MTIs being a bit louder but I’m sure they only included the more quiet moments in this video lol. I Was talking with a few MTIs shortly after my graduation and apparently things got a lot more uptight for them after that whole mess in 2012, and even more so after Covid… so now they gotta follow a lot more rules when it comes to disciplining trainees. Super neat video!

[@Wooz1ful]

I still have that padlock. It now secures my gun locker.

[@josemoreno3334]

Me too.

[@JoeyP322]

January 14, 1986… had some good times. Wish I kept in touch with some of the guys. I only did my four years at McGuire, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Now my son is in. Couldn’t be prouder.

[@danodamano2581]

I went through in june 86. Did my first 7 years at McGuire.

[@jameslyons6655]

Jan 86. Was at McGuire 86-87 and 88-89.

[@faulltw]

I remember on Jan 21 1986 I was standing underneath the overhang of the 01 waiting to meet our TI and thinking this was the worst mistake I ever made. 21 years later as a First Sergeant I was able to return to that very spot and was thinking this was the best choice I ever made.

[@clemsunderman9149]

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. 3701st Apr-Jun 1983

[@danodamano2581]

That was the moment they got our attention. Do what they say, how they say and when. That was all you really had to do to get by. Some took a while to get it and some never did. I stayed in 31 years.

[@faulltw]

@@danodamano2581 Thank you for your service brother

[@dudeseriously57]

This brings back so many forgotten memories wow lok. I joined in early 88 so we also wore the greens also.

[@geoffpool7476]

That brings back memoires! I entered BMTS on March 3rd 1986. Col Sheets was the base Commander then as well. I remember getting off the bus at 3AM and there it goes. 3704 - We Prepare the Men. Seems just like yesterday. Thanks for Posting!

[@ourjourneytohope]

Hey Jerry, this is MSgt Dave Laton (USAF Ret). I was the project officer on this video. At the time it was developed I was at HQ BMTS. I was responsible to write the student study guide and MTI lesson plans. I have a couple of cameo appearances in the video, once in the BX and once at the confidence course. If you have your study Guide, my name is on it as the Point of contact (POC).

[@faulltw]

Very cool! Thank you for the leading the way.

[@DoctorPhobos]

I was looking for my study guide a while ago. Sad that I lost that document.

[@climeaware4814]

Was Col Sheets the base commander? I dont know what the hell, but a airman from the base came to me in my squadron and asked me to see the BASE COMMANDER. I think he knew my town in Washington and may have fallen in love with it and asked to see m

[@ourjourneytohope]

@@climeaware4814 yes, Col. Sheets was the BMTS commended then. I really enjoyed working for him. He was an avid jogger.

[@climeaware4814]

@@ourjourneytohope I am sure he passed away. He also came into our unit and was in the B bay with two master sargents. One of the Basic trainees had a bad behavior and I was getting really tired of him calling me gay. WTH? anyway, he was late getting back to the bay and he did not have time to fold his clothing and just stuff it in the in the laundy bag. They called him out from the day room "we were all there" and they asked him where his clothing in his locker were. They saw he stuffed all his washed clothing into his laundry bag. Well he started to lie to them..and that is when the SHTF and he got washed back to the previous flight. I said to my self Karma Sucks. About two months latter, I saw him get off the buss at at Sheppard AFB and he had this pissed look on him and never said anything to me LOL

[@slice9778]

Entered basic 11 Sep 87, so I recognized a lot of the film footage. My dorm was near the F-84 static display near the beginning of the video. At the time, I thought BMT was hell, but was able to adapt after a few weeks. Ended up retiring in 2017 as a CMSgt. I had a blessed career!

[@RTSchock]

I remember more hollering and screaming then they show, :)

[@3OCALM1]

Oh, HELL yes! Like rabid wolves.

[@fishsauce1]

they called it a "SHAKE DOWN"

[@northeastslingshot1664]

Waaaay more. 85 here

[@JohnSmith09123]

I hated having to move the new dorms near the end of boot camp... They were better but offered new challenges. The old racks were easier to make, because you were able to get underneath the rack, and pull the sheets. The new racks are on a hardened surface, with lips that go up the side instead of being on springs.

[@nohandleforme....]

I hated basic training at the time, but now I can look back with great memories. I kind of miss those days. It was a special time in my life. Although, the way I remember it, there was a lot more yelling and calling of names when I went through. LOL

[@FlyDog79]

Haha yeah all BMT videos make basic training look like camp. 😂

[@danodamano2581]

I can't say i hated bmt, it was hot and who likes bmt? But it went by quick and i did my best to be invisible. A retired Col. told me before going in, if they can't hit you, whats there to be afraid of? But i did learn how to curse with style though.

[@bobsnyder3309]

SQ 3708 Flew from Miami to San Antonio in Feb of 76. There were 3 of us. When the flight attendant found out we were going to basic they started giving us free drinks. By the time we got off the plane we were pretty well lit up.

[@FlyDog79]

Gotta love the background music! Great video! The only thing I don’t remember are the aircraft static displays outside the dorms. 1998-2022 career.

[@sinlab]

This is awesome. My first day of BMTS was 15 May 1986. This brought me back. LOL.

[@ericallen7112]

Flight 063, left for Chanute AFB on Dec. 8th 1986. TSGT Monis and Sgt Earhart were my TI's. They made me dorm chief after 3 days, the first guy was a bonehead and last only 3 days.

[@bozephus4844]

OH WOW! I was there and graduated while this was being filmed!!! Graduated day before Thanksgiving in '86. SSgt Solis was my TI. 3706BMTS FLT012 !!!

[@Maverickonthemove]

Went through in January-March 99. Remember the experience like it was yesterday. TI’s never wore their blues until the last week of training and graduation. The rest of the time they were in BDU’s. And BDU’s were still jungle camo. I think they use urban “digital” camo now.

[@kurtb8474]

Arrived at the 3707 BMTS, Flight 147 15 August 1983 at 0230. The first MTI I saw was SSgt Roerig. He didn't yell. He didn't make us pick up and set down our luggage. He just told us to go to our dorm and line up by a bunk. No yelling or swearing the whole time. Turns out he was a new TI and we were his first flight. We showered and hit the sack. We even got the sleep in. The next morning, we got the wake-up call. SSgt. Price came over the intercom yelling at us to get up and start reading our student study guides. He came up to the dorm and read us the riot act. I remember all that like it was yesterday.

[@markknudson1955]

3701 BMTS, flight 631 July 23rd, 1982 for me. We had the barracks with the T-38 in front of it. Sgt Hardy met us at 2:00 am, and trust me, this was not his first rodeo, he already knew how to scream.

[@rodneyvoshell9296]

Went through basic in October 1979. I do remember those uniforms but have significantly since then.

[@thomasfleck9984]

Sept-Nov 1985 3702 Flt 185. Hated BMT for the first couple weeks, but who didn't. Thanks for bringing back such fund memories. Would love to see the rest of the video.

[@climeaware4814]

Octber 9th for me ..3711? bmts trying to find my photo ..its publicly online.

[@adcoxrobert3786]

From haircuts to uniform issue to becoming "pickles" to becoming "canned pickles", we were hit with some quick and profound changes in .02 seconds. 3706 BMTS, Flt. 716. Airman Basic "Acorn".

[@toyman81]

I was there from June 1983 until July. Very Hot and Humid, had to drink 2 glasses of water at chow time before we could eat. We had only 10 minutes to eat.

[@DavidJames-it8ne]

3701st 1986 - I can still smell those new uniforms.

[@Mitch-uu4fk]

I went through BMT about a year ago, everything is still the same, except they tore down the old Reid clinic and have a brand new one now.

[@JohnSmith09123]

And the wall lockers look a hell of a lot different, they are training in better dorms now, and get standard issues back packs instead of web belts.

[@99percentirish64]

35 years ago today, I began my Air Force career. 3708th, Honor Flight 555. RIP Msgt. Link.

[@eelyeoj5799]

Brings back memories. I was there in 1990.

[@jonathaneaton]

I was there sep-nov 1986. Where's the rest of the video. My copy was half like this then half with my actual flight during the obstacle course.

[@troymitchel4790]

Give me a 341 son! Does anyone remember that phrase being yelled out? BMTS 3702

[@markpro4813]

I went through AF basic training a few years before this video and when we got our hair cuts the barbers would sheer the black guys so their afros would come off in one piece and then do a Indian war cry.

[@markvacval600]

I was there Oct. 1986. My BMTS 3706. SSGT Virgil was our TI. I went to Chanute AFB for tech school in DEC, I was from Chicago so I would go home almost every weekend. I graduated tech school in May. Then went to Davis Monthan AFB Tucson Az. I was an A.G.E. Mech. 42331

[@b.entranceperium]

Went in May 2003. A lot of things were different even back then. The TI's seemed a hell of a lot meaner when I went in.

[@wheelmanjh4067]

Went through in November of 03 and my TI scared the crap out of me, dude could yell so loudly. Funny thing is, the superintendent of our squadron would come in and terrorize our flight and when I got to my first duty station overseas, I ran into her at the bx. Almost pee’d myself. She ended up being really nice but I still never forgot her mean side, flipping mattresses and tossing stuff all over the dorm. Good times.

[@carolinagirl1967]

The look on all the faces"MY HAIR!"🥺

[@kenreed2148]

Starting at the 2:20 mark, that is Flight 168 from the 3708 squadron. training began on Jan. 29th, 1986 and graduated March 13, 1986. Tsgt Harry Colbert's first flight as a MTI.

[@ericallen7112]

The heading says Nov-Dec 1986?

[@joshuaclemens8117]

That's me in the Purdue Jacket. I remember the door guard would not open the door when we went upstairs.

[@cappythumper514]

I never thought I could pick up and put down a bag so fast. ~*~ 1983

[@marioguerreroii8509]

3701 bmt June-Aug 1986 Smsgt retired

[@bradabbott4892]

Bmt has changed since I enlisted in 1970 the one thing that will never change is attention to details

[@eddiea3251]

I went through in Feb 1992. 3643 FLt 167. Ssgt Corpus was our TI and Tsgt Hockenberry was our brother flights TI.

[@jmiller9033]

Went through in 86 No TI was called Sir!

[@DoctorPhobos]

I went through in 86 as well, and everyone was sir or ma’am.

[@geraldwilson681]

June 1988 to September 1988 3701st. Air Force proud.🇺🇸💪

[@dalecoleman5254]

Hey Jerry!

[@NAMOR2033]

Wow, brings backs a lot of memories. lol

[@danstone6195]

This was filmed right after I left Basic...I was a PA and only did 2 weeks. I saw the film crew there when I was at SP/LE school and visiting a friend of mine that was still there...MEMORIES

[@bozephus4844]

dan stone do you remember what flight or squadron you were in?

[@robertspencer703]

Why was the airforce still issuing Vietnam Era Olive green uniforms in the 80s when the other branches was issuing BDU woodland Uniforms

[@michaelshaffer8451]

@@robertspencer703 I went through in the summer of ‘87 and only the TIs were wearing BDUs. I believe it was sometime in ‘88 before they switched the recruits over to BDUs. All I know is that we were told to have a minimum of 3 sets of BDUs ready to wear by the time that we got to our first base. My first assignment was Rhein-Main in Germany. I thought I had my shit together and showed up to the training NCO wearing the wrong command patch underneath my right breast pocket. He just closed his eyes, shook his head and handed me 3 correct command patches, 3 unit patches and ordered me to double time over to the alterations suite in the BX complex before they closed that day and hustle back afterwards. All of the bases in Europe fell under the USAFE Command, except Rhein-Main... we were the only overseas MAC base.

[@danstone6195]

@@bozephus4844 Yes...3704 Flt 494

[@OldChief3854]

I was a PA also. Airmen look at me like you have 6 eyes and a unicorn horn when I talk about it and tell them I only did 2 weeks of basic training. I'm a CMSgt now.

[@russellbogrett605]

I was a civilian barber at Lackland from 1977 till 1985. Good times shaving those shaggy mops.

[@gulfwarveteran3832]

You can tell the camera's were on there's no screaming and yelling 3708 February,1986

[@gonefishing9225]

Sq 3701 flt 115. jan to mar 1986. What memories. My TI were tsgt Cruz and sgt Hairston. I remember them doing the good cop/bad cop games with us. One gives us base leave and the other takes it away. Lol.

[@kenreed2148]

The guy at 3:30 was in flight 168, 3708 squadron.

[@valseyer4486]

That is so cool, was it hard like it is now to enlist back then?

[@michaelrapcavage8854]

Went through it on 06 September 1979 3709 BMTS Flt 299

[@CHARLESA-km5gz]

@ 10:14 Doing the shoe laces wrong !!! First row the lace goes in from the top, not the bottom out--- 2/20/86 3707 bmts flt 242-- Still have that black bag they issued for the training manual

[@Roy-uk4tv]

I went through basic in January 1986

[@martenkruger2094]

Got off the plane at midnight 104 degrees..was being screamed at and doing p/u and p/d luggage.by 2:00am this shit aint for real..and I do not remember any music..if it was there I would of danced my ass off!

[@DrNo-uq7xx]

1st issue of clothing= Pickles!

[@bozephus4844]

Dr. No name tags... canned

[@anthonyglennmollicasr.425]

Remember the Pingers?

[@sunnybeech74]

@@anthonyglennmollicasr.425 Woop woop woop!!!!

[@kevinr5187]

What the hell were they thinking with that music?

[@davidrenn4447]

Everyone has their guides and notebooks out for the “bed making” block of instruction. 😀

[@SuperBoomshack]

I remember getting this vhs in 1988 before i went to bmt

[@russellhardison1688]

I was Squadron 3708 Flight 166 July 1985

[@edwardvargas4540]

3708 August 23rd 1985....

[@markpro4813]

In 83 BMT you got to go to the mini mall ONCE you brought Cigarettes, Cigarettes, Cigarettes, and a lint brush which 35 years later I still own and use every day

[@512caw]

were you in the 3711 flit 024 in 1986

[@DoctorPhobos]

I was 3711 flt 014

[@martenkruger2094]

And I was in a old wood barracks! Not the aircondition high rise!

[@combatmotorsports9006]

3723 BMTS Ssgt. Britton June 1983

[@cycleguy1943]

I was in 3723/FLT 035 in Jan-Feb ‘83 had TI SSGT Mills. I may have had Ssgt Britton working alongside my TI,he certainly sounds familiar to me

[@davidbarr7688]

January to February 1978, 3704 bmts, flt 0025

[@robertgunner6676]

BMT was the most hard-core during the late 90's and early 2000's from what I've seen.

[@ringmasterjeb3453]

" Get out of them beds!"

[@cycleguy1943]

BMTS 3723/FLT 035 back in Jan-Feb ‘83. 6 weeks of SUMMER CAMP😃😃😃 TI was SSGT Mills..NOW GIVE ME A 341 SON

[@AR-pm9nv]

Hahaha, Get your noses in that Student Study Guide!!!! I remember…

[@jamesburgmann977]

Nov. 69 to Nov.73.

[@timothymccarthy4704]

Anybody enter BMT on 6 april 83?

[@cycleguy1943]

Jan-Feb ‘83/BMT 3723-Flt 035 just before you

[@martenkruger2094]

What planet was this on? WTF!

[@AMXSShirt]

1984

[@rockyzrockyx917]

What was the discipline problem with the guy at 3:30?

[@crazyrnu4046]

When you arrive at the "dorm" the Training Instructors (what other branches call "Drill Instructors") play a game with your luggage. PICK EM UP, PUT EM DOWN. I am guessing they guy did not like the game and the TI was calling him on picking it up or putting it down fast enough. Seemed like this went on for about thirty minutes. It was all part of the training to become a cohesive unit.

[@CHARLESA-km5gz]

Whitey keepin' da soul brutha down !!!!

[@joshuaclemens8117]

His name was Brooks and he was always in trouble which took the heat off the rest of us

[@kennethbell9209]

Was that in March of 69. My TIs last name was the same as mine. Brother made my life miserable but shaped my ass up. Thanks Staff sgt. BELL .

[@erniem7311]

March 1970 . I remember two trainees attempting suicide

[@garyjones2582]

Went through basic October-Dec of 1970. Got there at midnight.. Didn't get n bed til after 3.. snuck in at 7 that morning and through a heavy metal garbage can down the aisle.. Sounded like a cannon went off.. I thought I must be having a night mare, Surely this can't be real... It was... My only real problem was making up the bed 🛌

[@garyjones2582]

.. Brought back lots of memories...

[@danodamano2581]

3704 bmts june of 86. Stayed in 31 years. If i had a choice, I would do it all over again. Well, maybe the first six years anyway. And marry someone else.

[@SuperBoomshack]

Our flight was one of the first to get bdu's

[@19brittani]

may 1984 squadron 3701 flight 466 tsgt merrick , sra doyle our T I `s and it was hot A F that summer. red flag everyday. crazy,stupid fun,times that i will never forget.

[@jargraroch3000]

Except that if you got caught smoking a few joints back in those days - the USAF stripped you of rank, gave you time in the slammer, and kicked you out with a bad conduct discharge. First time offence and you being a little angel did not help. Damn the Reagans' back then.

[@1bigmac3]

In 1971 we had to pay .80 for that haircut.

[@danielpurcell7395]

Frank McCurdy I went through in 71. I don’t remember paying for that first hair cut?

[@fishsauce1]

your correct, you had to pay for the haircut , also for any supplies you needed to buy at the PX including soap , shoe polish ,eye glass strap , military ID holder, nail clippers , etc

[@johnblair765]

Was their Nov 10, 1972....Flight 1474...3702 BMTS...best decision I ever made.

[@combatmotorsports9006]

Rainbows!

[@anthonystevenson495]

Lol, ......Wow.... Rainbows 🌈...... Rainbows!!!!

[@Nuggettha80sguy]

Is this fkn for real ??????

[@jmiller9033]

This video is WAY TOO WHITE! LOL