Spec ops weather Airmen: Forecasting mission success

Photo By Tech. Sgt. John Linzmeier | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Rudi Vogel (center), 353rd Special Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight noncommissioned officer in charge of training and contingency operations, demonstrates how to operate a radio modem to Airmen in his flight Oct. 19, 2015, on Kadena Air Base, Japan. The flight conducts hands-on training on a monthly basis to test equipment and sharpen skillsets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier)  

KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JAPAN

10.20.2015

Story by Senior Airman John Linzmeier 

18th Wing

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - In order to function in a diverse range of weather conditions, Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight provide mobile weather reading capabilities wherever they go.

"It's important for us to always know the status of our equipment and training because we may have to pack up our gear and take it with us for a mission at any time," said Master Sgt. Christopher Jones, 353rd SOSS Weather Flight superintendent.

Most tactical weather equipment is designed to be portable and capable of being set up and operated by one or two individuals. Airmen use the instruments to provide data that indicates temperature, moisture, winds, cloud conditions, atmospheric stability and more.

Up-to-date weather information is essential for mission planners, especially when coordinating any type of air activity.

"If the winds are too strong and you're trying to land personnel on the ground, our data can let them know whether it's safe to do or not," said Jones. "Depending on the conditions, you might not end up in the drop zone; you could end up in the water or someplace else. All of these things need to be taken into consideration by leadership. The more accurate we are, the easier it is for them to do their job."

Mission needs can require weather technicians to set up mobilized weather radars, tactical radiological observing sites, satellite systems, radio modems and more. The tools are used in foreign locations to help determine whether aircraft landing zones are safe. They also are used in support of search and rescue missions and humanitarian supply drops.

Recent advances in technology have also made equipment more accurate and more portable than previous editions, such as the recently implemented Tactical Air Control Sounding Kit, a weather balloon system that captures an assortment of atmospheric conditions from ground level to upwards of 40,000 feet.

"We can be placed in different locations with different meteorological networks," said Jones. "You can't always rely on the other countries infrastructure, so we have to provide our own capabilities without it."

Not only do weather Airmen answer to the needs of Air Force Special Operations Command, but they also disseminate safety information to the community about natural hazards, to include thunderstorms, in-climate temperatures and typhoon forecasts.

Whether it's providing climate information to a pilot who is about to take flight or setting up a satellite system for qualification training, special operations Airmen are constantly preparing for whatever comes their way.

"Training is a big part of what we do here," said Staff Sgt. Rudi Vogel, 353rd SOSS Weather Flight noncommissioned officer in charge of training and contingency operations. "We're always trained to go at anytime and anywhere. Because the mission varies so much, we don't know what we're going to be doing; so we have to be ready to do just about anything."

• Date Taken: 10.20.2015
• Date Posted: 10.21.2015 01:49
• Story ID: 179471
• Location: KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP