United States Air Force Usage Guide
- Enlisted Rank Structure: E1, Airman Basic (AB); E2, Airman (Amn); E3, Airman FirstClass (A1C); E4, Senior Airman (SrA); E5, Staff Sergeant (SSgt); E6, TechnicalSergeant (TSgt), E7, Master Sergeant (MSgt); E8, Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt);E9, Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt). These ranks are used to identify at what levelyou fall in the military. Depending on your rank, you may do all the manual labor, allthe paperwork, or get all the grief when things go wrong.
- Enlisted Performance Report (EPR): this report is generated on an annual basis bysomeone’s supervisor. The EPR will list specific accomplishments the individual hasachieved the past year. Accomplishments can vary anywhere between completingtraining requirements, fixing major issues concerning your job, and off-dutyvolunteering. The supervisor will also assign a number between one and five, fivebeing the highest, on the individual’s overall performance of duties.
- Common Access Card (CaC Card): this is a picture identification card that youreceive upon entry into the military. On this card is a barcode, micro chip, andidentifying information used to grant you access to base, your work computer, andsometimes food at the dinning facility.
- Meal Ready to Eat (MRE): first produced in the 1980s, these are field rations thatare self contained and include all materials needed (the most interesting being aflame less ration heater (FRH)). They come in a variety of flavors, some better thanothers and have a shelf life of three years. The only time I consumed MREsoccurred during Basic Military Training (BMT).
- “Late to being early”: this is when your Commander (CC) expects you to form up at0700, your Officer in Charge (OIC) expects you to form up at 0645, yourNoncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) expects you to form up at 0630, andyour supervisor expects you to show up at 0615, and you show up at 0616.