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

TET 68 Ton San Nut (Spl) airbase should have been reason enough for the Air Force to know what to do with a rifle or pistol. For the NVA it was like shooting fish in the water

As a AF 'bus driver' if you will, in the early 2000's we were trained to perform combat convoy operations. In the early portion, we provided gun truck security in Iraq and Afghanistan. We ran the mission, we plotted the trip, reported to who we had to report to, manned the crew served weapons, and even drove. The training provided had several aspects of the mission shoved down our throats for 2 months straight from sniper instructors, SF personnel, folks that had returned recently and even other services. Constant reaction training was provided from scenarios experience in country. We spent weeks learning combat life saver techniques. We spent a few weeks learning from the Army's style of training to include some brief hand to hand.

Our training was so intense and so detailed it made the actual mission seem easy. (Don't get me wrong, it was no walk in the park!) We conquered the mission, we dominated what was thrown at us. Our U.S. civilians whom we would escort would beg for the AF over the Army all the time! Not to be anti Army in anyway, but their methods really made no sense. It wasn't that it was confusing or different, it simply was unsafe, unrealistic, and not well thought through.

For the Air Force to be combat trained beyond their job requirement, is maybe a bit much. If their specific job does require them to be combat ready then yes, prepare those folks.

When the Air Force did ramp up their basic training for a more combat involved training, I chuckled.
Can you imagine a combat finance office? "Sir, Sir,... sign here...." or "here is your latest LES" as their is weapons fire and explosions.

In another view, yes, there shooould be some more extensive training for the possibility of a installation take over.

Has there been anything wrong the way it has been done all this time so far?

Lots of members, mostly Navy and Air Force, are not front line fighters. They are support. There is a requirement to have varying levels of familiarization and safety, but that's about it. You're there to fix things, not kill the enemy. If you are deployed in a hostile area, support personnel might require to be armed, which triggers additional requirements.

My time in the Navy, we only needed familiarization, not even close to being good. Can you safely load and unload? Can you aim and fire? Can you get rounds in the general direction? Good. If you are accurate enough, you might get a ribbon for Marksman or Sharpshooter, and if you're really good, it's an Expert medal.

My time in the Air Force Reserve meant infrequent qualification (mostly budget cuts). To meet Air Force minimum qualification, merely not being a danger to self isn't good enough. The equivalent of Navy Marksman is needed to qual. Air Force Expert ribbon is roughly the same as the Navy Expert medal.

The Army and Marines use your rifle and PT scores as part of total points for promotion. The Marines get up to 300 points each. I don't know about the Army. There is ample time for training and qualification.

Every member is trained to use the M-4 and M-9. Unfortunately, most of the training now is "Just in Time" training for deployments. There are a lot of Airmen who have a mastery of their service weapon. But again, when your training budget is slashed an easy cut comes to certain things, and weapons training becomes a "just in time" verses "master of skill."

Wow that's hard to take in

While I don't pretend to be a Marine Rifleman or an Army 11B, I spent 20% of my 20+ years in Combat Communications and Forward Air Control Posts (FACP). M-16 Quals were a must and most of us had multiple quals that included 9mm/.38, M-60, and m-203. For better or worse, the rank & file Airman/Officer doesn't have the opportunity to train/qual beyond BMTS or Officer Training.

I spent 20% of my USAF Career in both a Combat Communications Squadron and a Forward Air Control Flight (FACP). Qualified on a number of weapons to include M-16/A1, M-60, M-203, 9mm & .38. While the rank and file members had little exposure, we had plenty.

Not sure how this relates. Our Honor Guard recently recruited an AF vet. He didn’t know one thing about the manual of arms. Man was that a surprise.

Today was his first veterans funeral. He did fine. Fast learner.

Check out the original training for the original RED HORSE units prior to deployment to SE Asia. VIETNAM.

If you are in the Military and they train you to function in a Combat Crisis, you are possibly going to be in World of Confusion if the dung hits the fan. Get some personal training in firearms. Play war games on a computer. If you are being sent to a Country where your base might be attacked, plan on it. Air Bases of all branches are open to Commando type raids. You don't want to be in an active shooter or an enemy Come after you and all you can do is hide. have seen Marine Clerks check their equipment when they go on a break. Checking their equipment in case of attack. They had to be able to pack up and move out in 30 minutes, including file cabinets etc.
The Marines are a hard service. But they teach you," the more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in a War " SEMPER FI "!