1.3 The Tested AFH 1 Chapters & Study Strategy

Where the Blueprint Comes From

There are exactly two authoritative documents for what the PFE covers:

1. The WAPS Catalog for your grade and cycle — published at studyguides.af.mil, formerly called the Enlisted Promotions References and Requirements Catalog (EPRRC). It states which AFH 1 chapters are tested.
2. AFH 1, Attachment 1 — the Airman Development and Testing Chart (ADTC) — which the catalog says "determine[s] examination content and importance."

The 2026 catalogs state plainly: "The PFE is based solely on the Air Force Handbook 1, Airman." Nothing else is a source. And both 2026 catalogs add: "There will be no study guides developed" for the cycle — the handbook and the catalog are what you get.

The Tested Chapters

This is the highest-value page in this guide. The 2026 catalogs list the tested AFH 1 chapters under AFPT 00035 (E-5) and 00036 (E-6):

Fifteen chapters for E-5; seventeen for E-6 — the E-6 list adds 13 (Developing Organizations) and 16 (Developing Ideas).

What This Means for Your Study Time

Seven chapters are not on the list: Aviation History (2), Air Force Heritage (3), Air and Cyberpower (4), Doctrine and Joint Force (6), Assignments and Occupational Codes (10), Military Justice (21), and Dress and Appearance (23).

That surprises many Airmen, because commercial study products and word-of-mouth advice still emphasize Air Force history and doctrine — material that dominated older editions of the professional development guide. Under the 2026 catalogs, hours spent memorizing Billy Mitchell's court-martial or the tenets of air power buy you nothing on the PFE.

Two cautions before you close the history chapters for good:

1. The chapter list is grade- and cycle-specific. It has changed before and can change again. Pull your own catalog from studyguides.af.mil for your cycle and confirm the list yourself. This guide covers the chapters listed for 26E5 and 26E6.
2. Heritage still appears inside tested chapters. Chapter 24 covers the Air Force Memorial and Enlisted Heritage Hall; Chapter 7 covers the origin of the CMSAF position; Chapter 1 covers the Airman's Creed. History is not gone — it is tested where the catalog says it is tested.

The Airman Development and Testing Chart

AFH 1's Attachment 1 lists every section of every chapter with a required level of comprehension per grade. Understanding the levels tells you how to study each section, not just whether to.

For SSgt and TSgt, almost every tested section sits at level B. A handful sit higher, and those are worth extra attention:

• Section 1C, Air Force Core Values — level C for every grade from SSgt to CMSgt. The only section in the handbook rated that high across the board
• Sections 8A and 8B (Airman Comprehensive Assessment, Performance Evaluations) — level C at TSgt
• Sections 14C (Service Mindset), 15F (Electronic Messaging), 20C (Appropriate Working Relationships), 20D (Addressing Misconduct), 24C (Respect for Individuals), and 24F (Preserving Our Heritage) — level C at TSgt

If you are testing for TSgt, those sections move from "explain it" to "apply it," which is exactly the kind of material that turns into a scenario question.

A Study Plan That Matches the Blueprint

The chapters are not equal in size. A plan that allocates equal time to each will underweight the largest ones.

A workable six-to-eight week schedule for an Airman starting from scratch: two chapters per week in priority order, one review day per week on previously covered chapters, and the final week entirely on flashcard drilling of numbers plus SJT practice using the official informational guide.

Practice the SJT separately. It is 25 percent of the exam and cannot be studied the same way — the last four sections of this guide cover it.

Study Legally

This matters as much as studying effectively. AFH 1 Section 9C is unambiguous:

"Group study (two or more people) for the purposes of enlisted promotion testing is strictly prohibited."

Violators are subject to prosecution under Article 92, UCMJ, and conviction can result in a dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for up to two years.

Also prohibited:

• Discussing test content with anyone other than the test control officer or test examiner
• Sharing pretests, recalled test questions, personal study materials, underlined or highlighted study references, or commercial study guides
• Placing commercial study guide software on government computers
• Creating, storing, or transferring personal study notes on government computers — government computers may only be used to view electronic versions of official study references

What is permitted: "Training designed to improve general military knowledge does not constitute group study as long as the intent of the training is not to study for promotion tests," and training to improve general study habits or test-taking skills is permissible if it does not focus on preparing for promotion tests.

And the Air Force's own position on commercial products: "While Airmen may use commercial study materials in preparation for promotion testing, the USAF does not recommend, endorse, or support commercial study guides." Use them if you like — but verify everything against AFH 1 itself, because the handbook is the only source the test is written from.

One last habit worth building. When you read AFH 1 and find a number, a list, or a named model, write it on a card immediately. The chapters ahead are full of them, and the difference between a 70 and a 90 on the PFE is almost entirely a difference in how many of those you can recall cold.