Ten weeks ago, I launched my personal blog, and I’m thrilled with its steady growth. Reaching more people every day has been an incredible experience. My goal is to share the most valuable insights and personal experiences from my military career, giving you a deeper understanding of what it was really like. I like sharing personal stories and useful tips to those who are joining and currently in.
Today, I want to share my personal tips for becoming a Phoenix Raven in the Air Force (read more about the Raven program here). These tips may not be extensive, but they are valuable—I only wish I had known them when preparing for the schoolhouse.
I instructed a lot of Pre-Raven trainings and saw firsthand who was truly ready for the challenges ahead—and who wasn’t. Sometimes, I could tell right away who had what it took, but I was also proven wrong. There were times when the smaller, leaner candidates outlasted the stronger ones. They earned it. In the end, it’s up to you to prove whether you’re willing to achieve your goals or not.
Sign up for my Newsletter below to be notified about new blogs!
Thank you for signing up. You'll be the first to know about new posts!
The more you think about a goal, the more it becomes ingrained in you, making it easier to achieve. Every goal starts as an idea or a question: Why not? Why not me? Why didn’t I do this sooner? These questions settle in our minds, and we dwell on them—we “cook” on them. Some people drop the idea during the “cooking” process because they realize it’s more than they expected. For others, that realization fuels their motivation.
So now, ask yourself: Which one are you?
If you’re up for the challenge, keep reading. I’m about to share my best tips for Raven School—but in the end, it’s up to you to either push forward or quit before you even begin.
Tip #1: PT (Physical Training) – The One Thing You Can Control
Physical training is the easiest thing to control, yet I’ve seen too many people overlook it. If you’re in the military—or planning to be—you should already be in good shape. The Air Force PT test is so easy that scoring 90% or higher should be a given. Personally, I used to hit 95% without doing anything extra—just my regular daily workouts.
Believe it or not, your PT score matters. It plays a role in promotions and even winning awards. More importantly, it’s one of the few things in the military that you have 100% control over. There is no excuse not to dedicate at least an hour a day to training. Hit the gym before or after work. Get your body used to running, lifting, and doing calisthenics. Too many people in uniform struggle with basic workouts, and that weakness can lead to injuries on the job.
For Raven training, start early—don’t wait until the last minute. Weightlifting won’t prepare you for the schoolhouse. Ravens don’t train with heavy weights; they train with endurance-based calisthenics. Expect hundreds of three-count pushups, squats, jumping jacks, flutter kicks, and daily three-mile runs. You need to condition your body for endurance, not just strength.
Start now, train smart, and get your body ready for the challenge ahead.
Tip #2: Stay Motivated/Motivate others
Staying motivated isn’t easy, but it’s part of the game. Every setback will either push you forward or hold you back—it’s entirely up to you.
It took me nearly three years to finally try out for Raven. It sucked. But I kept pushing, little by little, every single day. The thought of improving my life kept me going. Some days, I had zero motivation. Other days, I had plenty. But no matter what, I stayed focused on the end goal.
I remember every single setback like it was yesterday. Each one felt like the life was being ripped out of me. But looking back, I now realize everything happened for a reason. One of my biggest setbacks was a deployment (read about my first deployment here). At the time, I was frustrated—I wanted to go try out for Raven, but instead, I had to deploy. A year later, I was grateful for that experience. It turned out to be a unique deployment, something few others got to experience. When I came back home, the timing was perfect—I tried out and got into Raven School within two months.
At Raven School, motivation is everything. The instructors are watching for it every single day. If you show up unmotivated, you’ll pay for it—with more reps. If you come in motivated, you won’t “pay” the same way, but you’ll still be doing plenty of reps.
Very quickly, everyone learns the hard truth: if you don’t want to be there, you won’t last. The only ones who stay are the ones who truly want it.
Stay motivated and remember your end goal. No matter how many times you get knocked down, keep moving forward. If you’re going into Pre-Raven or Raven school, motivation is key to success. The more motivated you are, the easier your journey will be.
Tip #3: Don’t Lose Hope
This one goes hand in hand with motivation—kind of.
What is hope? The best way to describe it is: “Hope is being able to see the light despite all of the darkness.”
The truth is, you will face rough patches in your military career. That’s just how it is. In those moments, it’s easy to lose hope. It might feel like your world is crashing down, but I promise you—it’s not.
In my eight-year career, I encountered plenty of situations that made me question my choices, my hope, and even my path forward. But here’s what I learned: if you hold onto hope, the military will open doors for you. Unfortunately, I only truly understood this by the end of my career—so I’m passing it on to you now.
Hope isn’t just for the military—it applies to everyday life, your career, and any goal you set for yourself. Every setback I faced, I held onto hope for something better—and in time, I received more than I expected. That’s the thing about the military—things take time. It is what it is.
So if you have a goal, keep pushing forward and don’t lose hope. The finish line might be closer than you think. Even when it feels like everything is against you, don’t put your hands down. Keep going.
These are my three tips if you’re planning to go for Raven—but honestly, they apply to your entire military career and even life in general.
Throughout my time in service, I noticed one thing: everything takes time. Maybe that’s for a reason—to give you time to weigh your options, build resilience, and prepare yourself better. The military will test you in ways you never expected, and there will be moments when things don’t go your way. Promotions take time, opportunities don’t always line up perfectly, and setbacks happen. That’s just the nature of the job.
But here’s the thing—it’s not about how fast you get there; it’s about staying in the fight. If something doesn’t work out right away, don’t get discouraged. The people who succeed are the ones who keep pushing, no matter how long it takes. Stay patient, stay motivated, and don’t lose hope. Your goals are worth the effort, and if you stay committed, you’ll get there.
So, whether you’re training for Raven or chasing another milestone in your career, remember: that every challenge is an opportunity to prove to yourself that you have what it takes. Keep moving forward, and don’t stop until you get where you want to be.
Thank you for making it this far to finish this week’s blog. Now, I am posting new blogs every Thursday. Sign up for newsletter to be informed when blog comes out.
Got any questions? Send me an email or schedule your 1:1 with me here “Contact me”
Next Thursday, my blog will be about, “Advantages of being a Raven in Air Force”
Pass this information to everyone who might find it useful. Thank you for all the reads and support!
You guys rock!!!
Very Respectfully,
Vlad Kalinin