Requirements to join the United States Air Force

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial and space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces, and one of the seven American uniformed services. It is the youngest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the fourth in order of precedence. The USAF is the largest and most technologically advanced air force in the world.

The Air Force articulates its core missions as air and space superiority, global integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control. The Air Force is part of the Department of Defense (DOD). It’s responsible for aerial military operations, defending U.S. airspace and air bases, and building landing strips. The Air Force Space Command is under this branch. Service members are known as airmen. The reserve components are Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.

Requirements to join the United States Air Force (USAF)

Candidates wishing to join the United States Air Force (USAF) must meet the following requirements.

1. Must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien.
   • In order to be commissioned an officer in the U.S. Air Force, one must be a native-born or naturalized United States citizen.
2. Must be between 17 to 39 (17-year old recruits require parental consent).
   • Non-prior service applicants must be at least 17 to apply and in Basic Military Training before their 28th birthday.
   • Officer Training School (OTS) applicants must be at least 17 to apply and commissioned before their 35th birthday.
3. Have no more than two dependents.
4. Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test (minimum AFQT score: 36).
5. Must be a high school graduate, have earned a GED or have met other high school equivalency requirements.
6. Background check (security and financial checks) must be passed.
7. Recruits must be in good health and pass a physical fitness test at basic training.
8. Must pass a physical medical exam.

Height and weight requirements

The weight requirements are exactly the same for males and females. The Air Force does not offer a weight reduction program. If you’re over the maximum, it is up to you to get your weight down. Once you’re in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP), it is your responsibility to stay under your maximum weight. If you are over you will not ship to basic training. 

Your weight and body fat determinations, as accomplished at MEPS or other point of entry to service, remain part of accession physical standards and may also be used as entry criteria for accession training programs. The standard is a maximum body fat of 20% for males under 30, 24% for males over 30, 28% for females under 30, and 32% for females over 30.

Here are the U.S. Air Force’s height and weight requirements for recruits to enlist.