What does Army Basic Training look like for a prior service E-7? What is the TRADOC 350-6 not telling me?

After a stupidly misguided attempt to make "the big bucks" as a civilian and therefore a one-year break in service after the first 6 years, I went through USAF Firefighter School at Chanute AFB in 1980 as a USAF SSgt (E5). Not basic, but close, everyone else there had just got out of basic. I had previously been a Security Supervisor for large alert and Weapons storage areas, and an acting Flight Chief (now called Flight Sergeant) for a flight of about 150 men in Security Police (now Security Forces), and also NCOIC of the Barksdale AFB Combat Arms Training and Maintenance unit as a result of previous cross-training.
So, I was pretty used to running things and being in charge of whatever I happened to be doing to a fair extent, is my point.

It was a great big relief that I wasn't put in charge of anything and just had myself to think about. It was a class of about 90 (memory....not sure..about that) and something completely different from my previous jobs. I really didn't want the job of being class president or whatever on top of the new information. I really made an effort to not "be in charge" or even appear any different from the new people, who were all E-1's. Not that I shirked anything, but I'm pretty laid-back anyway, I just tried to be more so.

I was so glad to be back in the USAF it was kinda pitiful looking back on it. Best thing I did in my younger life was joining, worst was getting out in the first place. No college, no training that didn't involve guns, my future was flipping burgers or pumping gas

I only got any aggravation one time, when an instructor E4 Sergeant (we had them back then) didn't like the fact I didn't call him "sir" or kowtow in any way when I passed on a message from another instructor to immediately stop what he was doing with his fire truck. I just said "Hey, instructor, Sgt Whatever said tell you to stop (whatever)". He wanted to chew my ass for not recognizing his superiority in all matters before passing on the message, IE, words to the effect that I better learn to address Sgt's as "Sir". I told him it had been a fucking long time since I felt the need to do that. He later apologized. Neither of us were wearing visible rank.

Oh, and I wore orange socks the first time we had to change into bunker gear and the E6 head instructor chewed my ass in front of the whole class, rightly so. I had forgotten black was the required color as they were never visible under combat boots, and I'd never bothered to wear special black socks under boots in my previous incarnation.

My advice is to just keep your head down and remember who you are--which is an E7. Who is in training for very basic military stuff which you may already know. Probably by lower ranking people who don't think much of the idea either...

And wear the correct socks.

Some prior service members are usually of the same service they're returning to after a few short years. Others are from another service. Sometimes they'll show ghe respect and courtesy due to the TIs/DIs and the hard cases won't. Going thru basic is to learn about the military life. If you're prior service, it's to learn what has changed since you left the service. If you served in another branch of the military, say NAVY to Air Force, then it's to learn the Air Force way of saying and doing everything.

I went to drill sergeant school as a SFC. First thing they told us is that if we had a problem with a SSG DS getting in our face and yelling then walk on over to the Sr DSL and let him knock the chip off your shoulder. Best way to look at it is forget you even have rank and be a mentor to the 18 year old punks while you're there.

Many years ago, I had a friend at SHAPE Paris who was an E5 in the Air Force. He transferred directly to a WO1. AF one day and WO1 the next day enroute to VN. Saw him a bit later at USARV Hq and he said he had no problems in the change. He was in Supply and into the new fangled stuff called Computers.

If you are Prior service and an E-7... WTF who came up with that stupidity

Well first of all you should get treated differently and privileges. It states in the regulation of some slight differences in the treatment of NCO's. They should pull you aside and lay down what they expect from you and see what you need from them. We had a (E-5) prior Air Force and we would work with her on the NCO Creed on top of her learning the Soldiers Creed. One of the slight differences I was talking about is living quarters. If they are able to you should be provided a separate place to sleep. If not they may make a little privacy wall in the bay with extra wall lockers (we have done both). Basic for you will look annoyed. You will probably be playing the role of dad depending on how much you interact with the other Trainees. You will probably be given Leadership responsibilities, but I am not sure because you are a prior senior enlisted NCO. Any prior service and NCO ones I have had were all E-5 so they were the Private version of a NCO.

I went through with an E6. He was "PL" and never harassed by the drills. Don't expect a pass - but give respect and you'll get it easily. I was 34 and gave an overwhelming amount of respect and worked hard - I didn't catch a second of crap.

Wow. I did Basic 27 years ago, but I mostly remember long hours and the "total control" environment. The oldest recruit in our class was 30 or 31 years old. We called him "Grandpa." It is surprising to me that they would require a prior service E-7 (I assume active duty E-7) to do Basic.

I'm curious...why change services so late in the game?

I was a company commander and we had a prior service E-6 come through. It was a bit weird at first because he outranked some of our Drill Sgts, but he was a well respected trainee and leader and he helped the younger Joes quite a bit. He was humble and professional. He stayed in a different barracks, got weekend passes and he could do some things other trainees couldn’t, like rod trainees off the range. You will do just fine as long as you are professional. He obviously had a huge leg up on the others!