Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Hecht | A U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control Party Airman with the New Jersey Air National...... read more read more
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U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 227th Air Support Operations Squadron braved extreme cold weather to train with aircraft from the New Jersey and Maryland Air National Guard on Warren Grove Gunnery Range, Jan. 31, 2019. The low temperatures were caused by a polar vortex, a low-pressure system that can break off and cause arctic air to be pushed southwards.
Tactical Control Party Airmen act as a ground-based liaison to the United States Army, and are trained in planning and executing air power in support of the land component commander. These highly trained Airmen communicate with aircraft to call in precision airstrikes – in any type of weather.
“The cold weather definitely adds some stress when you’re out there on the OP,” said Tech. Sgt. Dylan McCubbin, a TACP with the 227th. “I think the biggest thing for me was the feeling in my hands, making sure I was keying the mic properly. There were several times where I thought I was relaying information and the instructor said I wasn’t coming through. So, you know it’s a minor stress.”
As the Airmen navigated Warren Grove Range’s various training sites on the ground, A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft from the Maryland Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Squadron as well as F-16C Fighting Falcons from New Jersey’s own 119th Fighter Squadron provided close air support overhead.
Known as CAS, close air support uses military aircraft in an attack against enemy ground forces that are in close proximity to friendly forces. These Air National Guard aircraft are ready to provide CAS in the searing heat of the desert, the cold of mountain regions and the frigid low temperatures in New Jersey.
“Training in different weather types, it sharpens your knife, it makes you a little better mentally,” said McCubbin. “It’s good to challenge yourself. Instead of always going out to the OP on a nice day, when it conveniences you, you’re not going to benefit anything from that.
| Date Taken: | 01.31.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 02.08.2019 11:56 |
| Story ID: | 310044 |
| Location: | WARREN GROVE RANGE, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 113 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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