Making Rank, Enlistment & Sign on Bonus

Rank

When enlisting in the AF, you will start as an E-1 or Airman Basic. There are a variety of ways to increase your rank up to E-2 or E-3.

Six-year contract

When enlisting, you can choose a four or six-year contract (some jobs with extended tech schools like Linguists require a six-year contract). If you choose a six-year contract, you will become an E-3 when you graduate tech school or 20 weeks after graduating BMT, whichever is first. Your Date of Rank will then be backdated to when you graduated from BMT, but you will not receive back-pay for that time.

For more information on whether to choose a four or six-year enlistment, check out the article linked below.

College credit

If you have over 20 college credits from an accredited college, you will start as an E-2.

If you have over 45 college credits from an accredited college, you will start as an E-3.

JROTC/ROTC

If you have two or more years of JROTC or ROTC with an official letter verifying your service, you will start as an E-2.

If you have completed three or more years of JROTC, you will start as E-3.

Eagle Scout / USA Gold Award

If you're an Eagle Scout or USA Gold Award winner (Girl Scouts), you will start as an E-2.

CAP Award Winner

If you were in the Civil Air Patrol and won the Billy Mitchell, Amelia Earhart, or Carl Spaatz award, you will start as E-3.

Initial Enlistment Bonus 

Click the link below to see which jobs provide you with an initial enlistment bonus!