We were in our 5th or 6th week of Air Force Basic Military Training (BMT) at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in 2015. The story I am going to tell occurred during BEAST Week. BEAST week was designed to challenge us both mentally and physically enduring long hours of physical training, combatives, and tactical skills tests. I will never forget the training night where I had to stand guard in the late hours of the night only to transition back to a cold, hard and stiff genuine US Army issue folding cot with an aluminum frame. This was the night I did not sleep because I was coughing and had the beginning of the flu. Many of us in the flight were sick as we caught it from another trainee. The next day we all met under a large roof area with open walls. The ground surface was small rocks and dirt. There was a stage with BEAST instructors on it. The topic of Air Force Combatives was next.

I can remember the instructor showing basic stance work, use of the M-16 training weapon for...