Air Force Top Enlisted Leader Says Trainees Carrying Real Rifles at Boot Camp Is 'Desired End State'

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 month, Air Education and Training Command officials announced that airmen and Guardians will start carrying practice M4 Carbine weapons during their nearly eight weeks of basic military training -- a previous practice that had stopped in 2012.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Flosi said during a media roundtable at the annual Air and Space Forces Association conference in Maryland on Tuesday that there's an end goal to get real weapons in recruits' hands.

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"We really would want to get the real ones because the threats are real," Flosi said. "The environment is dangerous."

Under the change unveiled last month, airmen and Guardians are now handed a nonfunctioning M4 rifle shortly after stepping off the bus at basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas.

Troops are required to keep tabs on the weapon and carry it everywhere "except when at medical and processing appointments, when wearing any combination of the service uniform" or if they have any waivers that prevent them from hauling it around, Military.com previously reported.

The nonfunctioning weapons are kept in the recruits' wall lockers in the barracks. Flosi said the change is aimed at making airmen recognize that they're taking on a profession of arms and may be called to face combat.

"Understanding lethal means, and understanding the responsibility that comes along with it, that's time well spent," Flosi said.

It has been a long-standing practice for Army and Marine Corps attendees at boot camp to carry and maintain real rifles, but they are given live ammo only when on the firing range and under close supervision. The Navy does not make its enlisted recruits carry rifles during basic training.

The nonfunctioning weapons policy announced last month also applies to Space Force Guardians, who also go through basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Military.com has previously reported from Space Force basic military training, which is conducted at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland under the Department of the Air Force, and saw Guardians were tasked with assembling and disassembling a combat rifle. Notably, many will never be assigned to an austere area and likely will not be assigned an M4 during their career.

Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna, the Space Force's top enlisted leader, told Military.com during another media roundtable Tuesday that assembling and disassembling a weapon is a vital exercise for that service's troops to practice critical thinking and solving complex tasks as a way to transition civilians into military culture.

"The transformation from civilian to Guardian is significant," Bentivegna said, "because we're an all-volunteer force, and these are men and women who have decided they want to come join the Space Force team and become a Guardian."

It's unclear when airmen, and potentially Guardians, could be carrying real, functioning rifles at boot camp.

"I don't know anything about a timeline if we'll be able to do that for sure, but that's the desired end state," Flosi said. "I can tell you that."

Editor's note: This article has been updated with context to clarify the Space Force senior enlisted leader's comments.

Related: During Basic Training, Airmen and Guardians Now Required to Carry Practice M4 Rifles at Most Times