Air Force PFE Cheat Sheet.
The night-before summary, built like the exam.

PFE at a glance

• 80 items, one point per correct response; final section is situational judgment (pick most and least effective action)
• Minimums: 40 on PFE, 40 on SKT, 90 combined; a 40 on one test requires a 50 on the other; PFE-only testers need 45
• SKT: 100 items, specific to your AFSC; sourced from CDCs and specialty references
• Source material: grade-specific Enlisted Promotion Study Guide derived from AFH 1; eligibility per DAFI 36-2502; compete within your AFSC; ties at the cutoff all promote

Enlisted grades and tiers

• CMSAF: senior enlisted leader of the USAF, precedence over all enlisted; position announced 1966, first held by Paul W. Airey (1967)
• First sergeant: SNCO special duty (diamond insignia), commander's advisor on the enlisted force
• Echelon ladder: MAJCOM → NAF → wing → group → squadron → flight → element; the squadron is the basic building block

Saluting and customs quick rules

• Flag in procession: salute 6 paces before it passes, hold until 6 paces past; a folded (cased) flag gets no salute
• The U.S. flag is never dipped to any person or thing; union down only as a dire distress signal; never touches the ground
• Anthem outdoors in uniform: salute first note to last; indoors without headgear: attention, no salute; vehicles pull over and stop on base
• Pledge indoors in uniform: attention, silent, face the flag, no salute
• Junior member initiates the salute and greeting; Medal of Honor recipients are saluted as a mark of respect

Military justice quick reference

• Article 15 (NJP): for minor offenses; consult SJA first; member has 72 hours to decide, may demand court-martial instead; proof standard is preponderance of the evidence; acceptance is a forum choice, not guilt
• Punishments: reduction in grade, forfeiture of pay, restriction, extra duties, correctional custody
• Summary court: one officer, non-criminal, member may object. Special: judge + 4 members or judge alone, confinement up to 1 year. General: judge + 8 or more members (12 in capital cases), any lawful punishment
• Punitive articles: 77-134; Article 134 is the general article; jurisdiction = personal + subject-matter

Fitness assessment numbers

• Composite 0-100: aerobic 60, muscular 20, core 20; order: body composition → strength → core → cardio
• Excellent 90+ (retest 12 months if all components 90+); Satisfactory 75-89.99 (6 months); Unsatisfactory ≤74.9 or missed minimum (90 days)
• All events in a 3-hour same-day window; minimum 5-minute rest between; meeting bare minimums cannot reach 75

History timeline

• Apr 1942 Doolittle Raid (B-25s off USS Hornet) · 26 Jul 1947 Truman signs National Security Act · 18 Sep 1947 USAF independent (first CSAF: Spaatz)
• 14 Oct 1947 Yeager breaks sound barrier (Bell X-1) · 8 Jul 1948 Esther Blake first woman in the USAF · 1948-49 Berlin Airlift (Operation Vittles)
• 1967 Airey first CMSAF · 1968 Etchberger's Medal of Honor action at Lima Site 85 · 1975 Red Flag begins at Nellis