"Steven Wagner" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Does anybody know what the USAF tends to do when people with a directly
translatable skill, i.e. civilian aircraft mechanics or computer
programmers,
enlist? I expect that they would have to go through basic training, but
would
they have to go through the entire course of technical training that
somebody
with no experience in the skill would have to go through?

Yes. Nowadays, tech school is like extended Basic. You're still learning how
to be in the USAF, along with the bare bones basics of your future job..
Along with how the AF does things, from a/c maintenance to programming.

Of which I did both.

There used to be a thing known as Direct Duty Assignment, but evidently the
last person to do such graduated BMT in March 1994.

"17 Mar 94
As a part of the Year of Training initiative, all new recruits hd to attend
technical training school immediately following basic military training. The
last recruit to bypass technical training and receive a direct duty
assignment graduated from BMT on this date"

http://www.aetc.randolph.af.mil/ho/atc90s.htm

Pete