Air Force Battlefield Airmen PAST (PJ, CCT, SOWT, TACP)- Preparing Americans for Military,Special Ops, Police, and Fire Fighting Professions

"That Other's May Live" - AF PJ's

"First There" - AF CCTs

AF Special Tactics..

New Battlefield Airman Prep Course!

Ever thought about getting little more out of your Air Force career? Or have you ever thought about risking your life to save another? Or going behind enemy lines before anyone else to set on a drop zone / air field and help call in fire support to troops who need it? These are just some of the missions of the Air Force Special Tactics- the PJs or para-jumpers and CCT or Combat Control Technician. The PJs are responsible for providing emergency and life-saving services to airmen, soldiers and civilians in both peacetime and combat environments. When a plane goes down in the jungle or ocean, it is the PJs who are there to find and save the pilots and crew. Pararescuemen truly live up to their motto, "That Others May Live."

The CCTs are FAA certified air traffic controllers and responsible for conducting all types of missions behind enemy lines while setting air fields, calling in fire support while working jointly with Army SF, Navy SEALs, etc. The CCT motto is "First There" as they prep the air fields and drop zones for other troops to follow.

The PAST - Physical Ability and Stamina Test

To become a PJ or CCT you must male, a proficient swimmer, meet physical standards on the Physical Ability and Stamina Test (PAST). This job is open to only enlisted troops. Here are the specifics minimums to becoming a PJ and Combat Control tech but the numbers in the parenthesis are recommended scores:

AFPJ PAST
2 x 25 m sub surface swim no time limit
500 m swim 10:07 or less   (sub 9 min)
30 min rest
1.5 mile run 9:47 or less     (sub 9 min)
10 min rest
10 pull ups min                  (20+)
2 min rest
54 sit ups min                   (100+)
2 min rest
52 push ups min                (100+)

*note - the instructor may stop you at the minimums during the actual PAST, go with that BUT do NOT make your ultimate goal these minimum standards. Typically, people who score minimum standards at ANY spec ops fitness test have about a 10% chance of graduating. Score in what we recommend and compete with the best of the class.

CCT PAST
- 2 x 25 meter underwater (Pass/Fail, 3 min between each) with 10 min rest
- 500 meter swim (freestyle, breaststroke, sidestroke), max time 11 min 42 sec with 30 min rest
- 1.5 mile run, max time 10 min 10 sec with 10 min rest
- Pull ups in 1 min, 8 x minimum reps with 3 min rest
- Sit ups in 2 min, 48 x minimum reps with 3 min rest
- Push ups in 2 min, 48 x minimum reps with 3 min rest

Once again - these are the minimum scores for the PAST - to be accepted into any Special Force it takes a higher score to be competitive. I would recommend being able to the numbers in parenthesis next to the minimum scores.

After Basic Military Training, all battlefield airmen candidates attend an 8 week prep course called the Battlefield Airman Prep Course. This course is designed to rebuild these special ops recruits after BMT and adequately prepare them for PJ, CCT, SOWT, and TACP training pipelines. More success - less attrition is the goal of this program.

Once in the PJ Candidate Course, you will be challenged physically for ten weeks in Lackland AFB, Texas. The first phase is known as Team Training and is 8 weeks long. It consists of extensive physical training with swimming, running, weight training, calisthenics and obstacle courses. Educational training such as medical and diving terminology, CPR, weapons qualifications, and dive physics are also part of the Candidate Course.

After the Candidate Course there are two different professions with two different pipelines (but similar) to follow depending on if you want to be a PJ or CCT. Here is the PJ and CCT pipeline of training:

US Army Airborne School - 3 weeks
US Army Combat Divers School - 4 weeks
US Navy Underwater Egress Training - 1 day
US Air Force Basic Survival School - 2.5 weeks
US Army Free-fall Parachutist School - 5 weeks

PJ Pipeline Different Schools
Special Operations Combat Medic Course - 22 weeks
Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course - 20 weeks

CCT Pipeline Different Schools

Combat Control Orientation Course, Lackland AFB, Texas -10 days
Combat Control Operator Course - 15.5 weeks
Combat Control School - 12 weeks

For more info see the Official AF Site: AFPJ and CCT

Training is extremely challenging both physically and mentally, but if you graduate and wear the maroon beret (PJ) or the scarlet beret (CCT), you will be one of the most highly trained combat medics in the world, able to handle the most stressful situations with ease. Hats off to those who risk their lives to be the "First There" so "That Others May Live."

If you would like to buy the AF PJ/ CCT Workout that has worked for several clients of the StewSmith.com PT Club please

Download the E-book NOW with the Air Force PJ / CCT Workout or order it in the PRINTED Version. This is a preparatory workout that will prepare you for the challenges of the swimming, running, PT of PJ training as well as the physical training of CCT to include PT, running, ruck marching,etc..

Feel free to email me if you have any questions at stew@stewsmith.com

TRX Workouts - This is a great device to use if you are failing at pushups and pullups. The TRX rows will help you build your chest, shoulders, triceps and bicep / back muscles like a set of weights, but also work the core at the same time.

If you are interested in fitting pyramid workouts into a comprehensive training program check out the StewSmith eBook Fitness Store.

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Meet Stew | Testimonials | YouTube | Fitness Articles | Online Coaching | FREE Workouts | Catalog

About Stew Smith

Newsletter sign up

Social Network

Our passion is tactical fitness - in fact - we train local young men and women for free more than 500 hours a year. Your purchases help us operate our FREE training for the Heroes of Tomorrow where we see between 4,500 - 5,000 people a year for FREE training.