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

That’s a good one. I enlisted to do action and defend our Nation. So I joined SF. Lots of joy there. I was en charged of our arms room, my 192 M-16, 12 shotguns, 5 .45 had to be sparkling cleaned as new. My responsibility was to handle all weapons serviced and functional. I was excited when I told my own Coronel that his weapon was no approved. He had to go back and strip the weapon as I requested.

My active duty experience has not been anything like this but reserves are a completely different world where most of this is true. Transportation, PJs and security forces have the most exposure to actual hostility outside the wire. And with the exception of weather and intel who see no action at all are the career fields that spend the most time working with the army. I would agree that with the exception of security forces, transportation vehicle operations, civil engineering and actual special forces there is more danger than good in arming most and that goes for active duty and reserves

While all air force used to qualify I would agree the false culture seemed to think security forces and special forces. While the Air Force culture is to avoid work and pretending that we were not part of the military that only accounts for 80%. There are more than enough transportation troops that spent days at a time far outside the wire in hostile areas in possession of loaded weapons 24/7 & for a short time security forces sent minimal personnel to work along side us, but that was short, especially for convoy protection units. I will say most Air Force wrongly believe security forces are tip of the spear, in truth many careers have wartime positions and weapons training but this does not usually show unless in a combat zone and even then we are not fortunate enough to stay inside the wire or even in sight of the base perimeter

I was in the Air Force during the Cold War and stationed in Germany. I had to qualify on the M-16 or I couldn’t go. I didn’t just learn how to shoot. I had to demonstrate that I could take it apart, clean it and put it back together.

I was qualified on both M16 and 9M, and if needed to,could handle myself. In the Air Force, we also multi-tasked. Don't judge the book. Just like all of us in arms, we are there when needed.

Join a security position and you will. I had marksman with shotgun, and 9mm and quified with 38

For the same reason that SERE training can be done on-line, medical readiness training can taught by non-medical personnel, the term “certified” doesn’t mean proficient, and just-in-time training is considered good enough when your life and someone else’s life is on the line. You do understand how much of the USAF is PR? It’s perception and perception IS reality. For the same reason that SO MANY inspections are now paper/documentation based and people aren’t allowed to do what they are supposedly trained and qualified to do. If we don’t demonstrate that there’s a deficiency or problem, how can we say that there is a deficiency or problem? Do you know how often we turned inspection into jokes because those evaluating us had no idea of what we were supposed to be doing. Our section received an OUTSTANDING rating during a CUI and we just rambled out a bunch of words that we knew they wouldn’t understand just to see if those inspecting us were knowledgeable on the subjects. It’s a eye opening experience when the colored lenses come off.

As an E3 going from a CONUS base to remote Alaska, which is considered overseas, I had to qualify with the M16. As an NCO in the command post, I carried and qualified with a 2inch S&W model 15 revolver.

As a naval officer, I famfired a pump shotgun, a model 1911 pistol and an M14.

USAF Airman fly jets to the combat zone and control the airspace. It has been said that he who control the air space controls the war effort.
You silly grunts think with your rifles in a ditch. Airman service and maintain these jets and they take off and land at bases in safe zones... no where near the combat.
If an airbase is going to get over run by the enemy the Airman and jets are long gone.
If an airbase is under severe attack we have ARMY anti aircraft folks at the ready as well.
And... now with drone technology we cover even more ground with less people and from a further away distance.

with a few exceptions, the Air Force is primarily a combat support outfit. Notice I said "With a few exceptions" But they like to play soldier!