Why don't all members of the Air Force have to be fully qualified to be a rifleman in case of hostile events?

When I first joined the military it was the National Guard in high school. Upon graduation, I went to Basic training at Fort Ord. It was Army basic, during my basic and AIT I qualified on the M-1 Garand and the BAR. When I joined the Air Force for some reason I was sent to Lackland, after I was there a week I was called into the Commander's office and told I was there by mistake and asked if I had ever qualified with the M-1 Carbine to which I answered I had not. So they placed me in a flight that was about to go to the rifle range to qualify. Upon qualifying, I was then shipped off to Tech School. after graduation from Tech school, I then had to qualify each year after that until 1970. For some reason, the next time I was sent to qualify was in the mid-1980s. Then it was with an M-16. That only occurred two times more during my career. My daughter only received introductory training in her ROTC training. However, when she was sent to Iraq, prior to her deployment she was sent to an Army base and provided training with the M-16 and sidearms. To my knowledge troops assigned to duty where they may encounter hostile activities are given training. Combat Communications is an example.

In my opinion everyone should be qualified to use the basic weapons platforms that are issued. One never knows what will happen in the future. My dad was a retired Senior Chief and when he went through boot camp Infantry weapons and small unit tactics were part of their training. Granted that was in 1949. Just an opinion from a former Airborne Grunt

From what I’ve been told that back in the day they did carry rifles. Korea and early Vietnam. It was under Gen Lemay that we ended up with the M-16.

being fully qualified on a M16 only I cannot speak for the other two mentioned but I could field strip and reassemble my weapon in the dark without any problem. never put a round in backwards was classified s expert marksman. but I was raised with weapons perhaps that was the difference. I agree the majority of any armed force should at least be trained in weapons but also agree not everyone should have one all the time.

As an aircraft mechanic who retired after 21 years I question efficiency of dedicating 1/3 of my working hours distain proficient in the rifle and other weapons that were used to protect the flightline yes I learn how to use a gun and the allocation had to but that was not my primary duty the rifleman in the army spends most of his time honing his skills the semen on the Navy does the same but they’re not the same skills everyone learns to march everybody going to salute. After that we all specialize it makes good sense to spend most of our time developing our skills in that specialty that doesn’t mean we don’t have secondary duties it just means that the secondary duties are not where our primary skills are

I agree, all military personnel should be fimular with the most commonly used weapons at the time of their service.
The Navy is also guilty of not having weapons training. For example the only time I had any weapons training was in boot camp and the rifle we trained with was a 1903 Springfield. I had to qualify at the range with rifle who's barrel was basically shot out. At the time the M14 and M16 were the standard issue for the Army and Marines, but we being taught on worn out 70 year old rifles!!

When I was a kid I competed in rifle competition. My uncle was an officer in AF in Vietnam. When he came home he started winning matches, and I said where did you learn to shoot like that. He said that he learned in Vietnam because often the bases were attacked and they had to practice with m16 on the range regularly.

Thats why we have SECURITY POLICE !!

In Vietnam and Thailand we had Security Police Augmentes. Who were airmen of all kinds of AFSC's who when through a short training, and any time there was a perceived threat to the base they were put out on the perimeter with the regular Security forces. During the TET Offensive the Viet Cong occupied the Barracks area I was in at TSN. The idea that airmen do not need training with Firearms is pure BS.