USAF...can someone explain a bit to me?

They will be awarded a certain amount of "leave" days each month with their paychecks. They can save them up and use a bunch at once every year.

The longest they will actually make someone not take any leave would be a year.

Only during basic training will they not have much contact with anyone else. After that, they'll basically have a 9-5 job 5 days a week unless they go to a combat zone.

Typically an Airman gets to take leave following basic training and tech school.

Tech schools vary by what they are training to do, but its typically 2-3 months (but can be as much as a year)

You can expect to see your family member in about 4-6 months.

When you do it may be for about 2 weeks.

After that every year they can take up to 1 month vacation. Depending on the job situation where they work.

20 years with no phone call ? Not because the Air Force says so.

They will get 2.5 days of leave per month. Once they have enough they can come home whenever they can get time approved. After basic training and technical school they will get time to come home as well (about 2 weeks).

Not being able to call is really up to them, once out of basic you get your cell phone back so how often they call is up to them, but they are allowed anytime they have free time (after class).

In active duty it is like have a regular job, once they are off duty for the day they can do as they wish (within the realm of legality) call home,leave base what ever.

They aren't going to be in prison, you will be able to see them and talk to them again.

However long the airforce says.