Photo By Amber Kurka | Photo illustration of Senior Airman Michael Munson, 682nd Air Support Operations...... read more read more
Subscribe
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE – In the joint forces war that is fought today, the tactical air control party is the glue that brings air and ground power together.
Even though the TACP are part of the Air Force, many are unaware of who they are, said Staff Sgt. James Poole, 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron TACP.
“A lot of times people will see the black beret and say, ‘Hey, how do you like security forces,’” Poole said.
He explained that the role of TACP is to coordinate air strikes on the ground, whether immediate or preplanned, and to liaison with the Army for air power.
“Our overall role is to provide all of the air power support to the ground commander,” said Lt. Col. Dale Sinnott, 682nd ASOS commander. “So, any air power that integrates into the Army or ground community we’re apart of.”
When the TACP get deployed, they generally go out with either the Army or Marines and make calls for support for anything from fixed wing, rotary wing, unmanned aerial vehicles, Army artillery to Naval gunfire, Senior Airman Michael Munson, 682nd TACP said.
Becoming a TACP was not easy, said Munson. He started out training with a class of 47 and only eight graduated. He went through his original technical school at Hurlburt Field for four months, and then to Fairchild Air Force Base for survival training, combat mission readiness at Fort Campbell and then a temporary duty assignment for close air support training, which was the building block of the program.
The training didn’t stop there, continued Munson. Afterwards, he was sent to Nellis Air Force Base for the joint tactical air control aerial support operations squadron qualifications course, where he was evaluated and then considered a controller.
On top of all that, he added, he’s been through air assault, Ranger, Airborne and Marine hand-to-hand trainer schools.
“It’s a very physically and mentally demanding job,” said the TACP airman. “You have to learn all of the equipment and how to move and shoot in combat.”
The ASOSs TACP also have different career fields that are assigned to them, Poole said. The airmen from those career fields will also go through the same air assault and Airborne schools.
The 682nd ASOS has 23 separate career fields in the squadron that support the mission of an Airman communicating with an aircraft to put bombs on a target, said Sinnott.
“Usually with every slot we get at those schools, per two TACP, we’ll send a support guy as well,” said Poole. “Coming to an ASOS, the vehicles, equipment and missions, is a big change from what they usually do. They have to learn a new system, new mindset and mission. But, it’s a career broadening experience.”
One of the interesting things about the TACP, is that very few Air Force bases have a TACP squadron.
According to Sinnott, for the active duty AF, Shaw is the only AFB with a TACP unit assigned to it in the continental U.S. There are a few overseas, but all the other TACP in the CONUS are on Army posts.
“It’s a long history of why we’ve been here,” said Sinnot. “It dates back to the years when we had Air Divisions and TACP Wings. The 682nd has always been here.”
He explained that although their chain of command is through the AF, they primarily support the 18th Airborne Corp at Fort Bragg.
The 682nd ASOS is also a unique in that they provide an Air Support Operations Center, said the colonel. The ASOC provides a higher level command and control operation because they work directly for combined air operations center to provide close air support and other air power in direct support of Army maneuvers. The other ASOSs provide support to the lower levels.
“I love the job,” said Poole. “I truly believe the TACP is the best job in the AF. To be that guy on the ground with your unit looking for targets, calling air strikes, coordinating with the Army and the AF, bringing that air and ground power together to eliminate the enemy, that is a great feeling of accomplishment.”
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.01.2010 08:18 |
| Story ID: | 59215 |
| Location: | SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 516 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, TACP: Joint effort puts bombs on target, by Capt. Daniel Phelps, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
