Air Force Special Tactics are special operations personnel of the United States Air Force under the Air Force Special Operations Command or AFSOC, a branch of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The 720th Special Tactics Group is responsible for all Special Tactics personnel and consists of six operational squadrons and numerous supporting organizations. Aircraft of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and coalition counterparts stationed together at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in southwest Asia, fly over the desert. ... Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is the major command charged with overseeing the United States Air Forces Special Operations Forces (SOF). ... Emblem of the United States Special Operations Command. ...

There are several types of USAF special operations personnel, a few of them being: Combat Controllers (CCTs), Pararescuemen (PJs, AKA Pararescue Jumpers or Parajumpers), Special Operations Weather Technicians (SOWT), Combat Rescue Officers (CROs), and Special Tactics Officers (STOs). CROs and PJs share a separate pipeline from STOs and CCTs (who also share a pipeline). SOWT personnel do not attend either the Pararescue or CCT pipeline, but attend a separate weather school and receive Basic Airborne qualification from the U.S. Army's Airborne School at Ft. Benning. The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Airborne School is an advanced Infantry School for training of airborne infantry. ... Fort Benning is a United States Army base, located southwest of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama It is part of the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. ...

They typically operate in close cooperation with other special operations units, such as the Army Rangers, Army Special Forces, and Navy SEALs. The 75th Ranger Regiment —also known as the United States Army Rangers— is a light infantry special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); with headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia. ... The United States Army Special Forces —also known by the nickname Green Berets or simply Special Forces (capitalized)— is a Special Operations Force of the United States Army trained for unconventional warfare and special operations. ... USN redirects here. ... Navy seals redirects here. ...

Combat Control

The Combat Controllers (Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 1C2X1) are ground operators certified to act as air traffic controllers such as those found at any major airport, but with a few added duties. They can take over or construct an airstrip, set up navigational equipment, and direct airplanes and helicopters to a safe landing without the use of a tower or elaborate communications system. They also control air attacks of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft from all military services. Combat Control patch Combat Controllers (CCT) are ground combat forces assigned to Special Tactics Squadrons within the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). ... The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) is an alphanumeric code used by the United States Air Force to identify an Air Force Specialty (AFS). ... Controllers survey the field at Misawa Air Base, Japan. ... An airstrip is a kind of airport that consists only of a runway with perhaps fueling equipment. ... Fixed-wing aircraft is a term used to refer to what are more commonly known as aeroplanes in Commonwealth English (excluding Canada) or airplanes in North American English. ... The Bell 206 of Canadian Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors consisting of two or more rotor blades. ...

Their training includes Air Traffic Control School at Keesler AFB, Combat Controller School at Pope AFB, U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, AFSOC Advanced Skills Training at Hurlburt Field, Florida, U.S. Air Force Combat Dive Course in Panama City, Florida, U.S. Army Military Freefall School, and U.S. Navy Underwater Egress Training at NAS Pensacola. Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, Mississippi. ... Pope Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force Base in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. ... Fort Benning is a United States Army base, located southwest of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama It is part of the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. ... Hurlburt Field is a base of the United States Air Force located in Okaloosa County, Florida on the Eglin Air Force Base reservation immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 162 miles (260 km)  - Length 497 miles (800 km)  - % water 17. ... Location in Bay County Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Bay County Incorporated 1909 Mayor Lauren DeGeorge Area    - City 69. ... Naval Air Station Pensacola, The Cradle of Naval Aviation, is a United States Navy base located in Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. ...

Combat controllers are a part of the 720th Special Tactics Group and are assigned to 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 320th, 321st, 123rd Special Tactics Squadron and 125th Special Tactics Squadron. They can be distinguished by their scarlet beret. The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is one of the Special Tactics units of the US Air Force. ... 125th Special Tactics The 125th Special Tactics Squadron is the Air National Guards newest unit based in Portland, Oregon. ... Basque style Beret Black beret with military emblem A beret (pronounced in English, except in American English in which it is pronounced ) is a soft round cap, usually of wool felt, with a flat crown, which is worn by both men and women. ...

Their motto is "First There, Last Out".

Pararescue

Pararescuemen (AFSC 1T2X1) have what some consider to be the most difficult job in all of the armed forces—combat search and rescue, typically of (but not limited to) downed pilots. They are trained and able both to fight with virtually any special operations unit and are paramedics on the battlefield. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The armed forces of a state are its government sponsored defense and fighting forces and organizations. ... Search and Rescue (acronym SAR) is an operation mounted by emergency services, often well-trained volunteers, to find someone believed to be in distress, lost, sick or injured either in a remote or difficult to access area, such as mountains, desert or forest (Wilderness search and rescue), or at sea... A paramedic is an Emergency medical technician certified to the highest level of training and responds to medical and trauma emergencies in the pre-hospital setting (in-field) for the purpose of stabilizing a patients condition before and during transportation to an appropriate medical facility, usually by ambulance. ...

In addition to the initial training listed above they must pass an indoctrination course. The goal of the indoctrination is to weed out all of those who are not physically and mentally fit enough to be pararescuemen. A 24-week Paramedic Course at Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico to attain EMT-Paramedic certification, a 20-week Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course (for integrating what they have learned in the pipe-line training; i.e. combat tactics, advanced parachuting, helicopter insertion and extraction, mountaineering, and field tactics training), U.S. Air Force Combat Dive Course in Panama City, Florida (open and closed circuit), and Underwater Egress Training at Spokane, Washington. Their training pipeline is sometimes referred to as "Superman School". On average, eight out of every ten trainees fail to graduate. This article is about the largest city of New Mexico. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... Nickname: The Lilac City Location of Spokane in Spokane County and Washington Coordinates: Country United States State Washington County Spokane  - Mayor Dennis P. Hession Area    - City  58. ...

Their motto is "That Others May Live".

They wear maroon berets and many tattoo green footprints on their body. The green feet originated in Vietnam due to a tradition of calling the helicopters used "The Jolly Green Giant". The maroon beret has been the international symbol of airborne forces since its selection for use by the British Parachute Regiment in 1942. ... HMH-465 CH-53E doing an external lift in Iraq The CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy transport helicopter. ...

Special Operations Weather Technician

Special Operations Weather Technicians (special duty AFSC 1W0X1C) are airmen that gather and interpret meteorological and oceanographic information, as well as act as forward ground combatants. Their primary mission is collecting and disseminating forward observations in denied, hostile or otherwise data-sparse regions. They are a critical element in mission planning and work mostly with Army Special Operations. Recruits must score high to meet the entrance score requirement, and must already be in the weather career field. HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. ... Satellite image of Hurricane Hugo with a polar low visible at the top of the image. ... Thermohaline circulation Oceanography (from Ocean + Greek γράφειν = write), also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth Sciences that studies the Earths oceans and seas. ...

In addition to weather technical school and the initial training listed up top, selected trainees attend the final two phases of AFSOC Advanced Skills Training which includes modes of employment, weapons training, small unit tactics, advanced communication, navigation, et al.

Special Operations Weather Technicians are a part of the 720th Special Tactics Group and are assigned to the 10th Combat Weather Squadron, 24th, 320th, and 321st Special Tactics Squadron. They wear grey berets. The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is one of the Special Tactics units of the US Air Force. ... The 321st Special Tactics Squadron are an active land based unit, within the 352d Special Operations Group (352 SOG), United States Air Force, United States European Command, and is based at Royal Air Force base, RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, eastern England The 321st Special Tactics Squadron are the front line...

SOWT is an acronym referring alternately to both Special Operations Weather Technician and Special Operations Weather Team.

Their motto is "Coela Bellatores" or "Weather Warriors". They can be identified by their gray berets.

Special Tactics Officer (STO)

Special Tactics Officers (AFSC 13DXB), formerly known as Combat Control Officers, are commissioned officers whose primary responsibility is to manage and lead Special Tactics Teams (STTs) comprised of, but not limited to, the three AFSCs specified above. Because their training mirrors that of the CCT pipeline, they can function on a team as mission commander or direct combatant or they can serve on battle staffs to provide expertise in terminal control, reconnaissance, and personnel recovery operations.

Combat Rescue Officer (CRO)

In 2000 the Air Force, recognizing the importance of the personnel recovery mission, created the Combat Rescue Officer career field (AFSC 13DXA). CROs are commissioned officers whose primary duties are to manage and lead personnel recovery teams as well as serve on battle staffs to provide expertise in command and control and personnel recovery operations. Their training pipeline mirrors that of the Pararescue pipeline.

Unit Formations

• Combat Control Teams, or CCTs, consist of Combat Controllers in the role of extending the Air Force's operational reach.

• Special Operations Weather Teams or SOWT, are Special Operations Weather Technicians attached to Army Special Forces, Rangers, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (SOAR), or operating on their own. (They are not to be confused with Combat Weather Teams or CWTs that provide meteorological support to conventional Army units without a ground combatant role.)

• Special Tactics Teams, or STTs, consist of airmen from the three aforementioned careers: combat control, pararescue and SOWT. This formation allows the unit to operate as a self-sufficient unit in the commando role.

The United States Army Special Forces —also known by the nickname Green Berets or simply Special Forces (capitalized)— is a Special Operations Force of the United States Army trained for unconventional warfare and special operations. ... The 75th Ranger Regiment —also known as the United States Army Rangers— is a light infantry special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); with headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia. ... The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (160th SOAR (A)) is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides aviation support by helicopters to general purpose forces and other special operations forces. ...

History

After the Quebec Conference in August 1943, the 5318th Air Unit was redesignated "Provisional Composite No. 1 Air Commandos" and tasked with supporting the Chindits. Eventually they were designated the 1st Air Commando Group. The group consisted primarily of C-47 air transports but it also contained gliders, fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and liaison aircraft.[1] [2] Quebec Conference refers to one of several different meetings by the same name that were held in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British Indian Army Special Force that served in Burma and India from 1942 until 1945 during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long range penetration groups trained... The United States 1st Air Commando Group operated in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II as part of the U.S. Tenth Air Force in support of the British Fourteenth Army in the Burma Campaign. ... The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota was a military transport that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. ...