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

I agree that all personnel that are in the military be trained annually on weapons that will be used at what duty station that are assigned to in CONUS or OCONUS. Even if your job is might be considered non-combatant should still be able to shoot a gun and defend your self.

I came into the AF in July 71, I was assigned as a Combat cook and placed in Prime Ribs. This was a rapid deployment team, had to have bags packed 24 hours a day, also had to qualify on the M-16. Received my expert marksmanship during this time. I can rember having races to see who could tear down there weapon, clean it and put it back together. I did this for 13 years and then was transferred to Electronic Countermeasure on the B-52. Never seen the M-16 again for my last 7 years of service. Did however carried classified from the communications department to the shop and was trained on the 9Mm.

Everyone try to remain calm in these difficult days. I recall having to fight through the hippies at SF airport.

I was in the air force from 1966 to 1970and we had to qualify with the M1 in boot camp. I qualified
expert, out of boot I qualified with M 16. I was in the 803 CES squadron. I agree with you we needed better training. I don't want to have to depend on the army for everything. .Who knows maybe one of us would pull there ass out of the fire.

I learned how to shoot while in Vietnam. We had plenty of ammunition. I had a daily range trip with the M14 & M16. Came in handy on many occasions when the North attacked the camp. The SF guys showed me everything I needed to know to help defend the compound. When I got home I never messed with firearms for 40+ years. I decided my wife I needed a CWP. I bought a pair of .40 Glocks and 2 x Walmart 10/22s. I picked up 2 Mini-14s and 1x Mini-30 (for myself). Recently I bought LCR in .22 magnum and a LCR in .22LR. With all that's going on and the threats being made towards white people especially I believe it's necessary to be prepared. I am not and have never been a racist. My hope is things will settle down so I and everyone else can finish in peace.

I was a mechanic with the 20th SOS in Vietnam. Had virtually no trigger time before deployment. When I got to BMT, I searched out a team member and asked if he would teach me the ins and outs of the M14 & M16. After a few days of instruction I went to the range and blazed through about 1000 rounds per weapon per week. One thing we had plenty of was ammo. Can in handy during a few attacks on the camp. Recently I bought a couple of Ruger mini-14s, a mini-30 for myself, a pair of .40 Glocks, a LCR .22 magnum. a LCR .22LR and taught my wife how to handle them all. We both have CWPs. We mostly shoot the 10/22s and LCR .22LR. Saving the other stuff for "a time like this".

I was a Airman in the late 70's, we fired the M 16 only once during Basic and had to qualify if we went Overseas. Essentially we were the weapons, I was a weapons loader for the F-4 E fighters at Osan Airbase ROK. Loading bombs and missiles so the pilots could do their job. Besides the Air Force personnel we had both the Marines and Army stationed there so we did not need to carry weapons. It maybe different now with our conflicts overseas, I don't see any reason why Airman should not be qualified to shoot a rifle if the need arises. That being said, there are people in all branches that should not be armed due to personal issues.

My initial training was as an Army troop back during the Viet Nam War. After my service was up and a ten year break I returned to the ANG for an additional 22 years. My last and best job there was as a CATM Instructor. I also was shooting service rifle competition for the Guard (M-14). I saw many, many airmen come through my classes that were incompetent even after several remedial classes, and have always felt that those folks shouldn't be in service. The Conflicts we have fought in since WW II should have taught us that Air Force units will be deployed to areas where it is possible for an enemy to infiltrate and attack, and I have stressed that ALL personnel IMHO ought to be proficient in the use of weapons. Not a popular opinion w/ most commanders as it means more training time and $$'s spent on only a possibility.

I ENLISTED AFTER THE KOREAN WAR BEGAN 1950. I already knew how toaim and fire a rifle. I A agree that Airman should train with arms . But that was then and Now is Now ! Lighten up!

As a whole every Air Force person that was on my Joint TO&E at Balat Air Base in Iraq was not qualified on their personal weapon. Did not know how to properly load nor clear those weapons let alone fire at a target and hit it. When I first experienced the problems of transiting a checkpoint where weapons were required to be cleared we regularly had at least one AF negligent discharge. My OIC was an AF 0-6 and he had at least three NDs I know about. He and I had a meeting to figure out a solution to prevent this from happening because no mater how many times proper clearing procedures were taught ND still occurred regularly. Finally we had to enforce a policy that the senior Army, Navy, or USMC NCO in each vehicle had to clear every weapon in the vehicle. After we started this technique we only had one ND in the remaining nine months in Iraq. That person received a field grade Art 15 because the newly arrived CSM in charge of the post said NDs will no longer be tolerated and the automatic punishment would be Field Grade Art 15 or Courts Marshal if the Art 15 was refused. ND still occasionally occurred but at a very reduced rate compared to earlier in the deployment. AF Senior NCOs told us when we asked them that they had not fired their weapon for record in several years because it was not required. Nor did higher level leaders believe it was important to prepare AF personnel to defend themselves prior to the deployment even though it was stated that part of our mission was convoy operations to other posts to perform sight surveys for equipment upgrades and refurbishment of worn out systems. In my opinion the Air Force as a hole is broken when it come to weapons.