Combat Weathermen: A Day in the Life

It may seem a little strange, having “Combat Weathermen”, but in an age when so many operations involve airborne (para-) or helo-driven delivery of direct action and recce assets, knowing the weather to the last detail is imperative (consider the fact that the 173RD probably wouldn’t have jumped when it was supposed to in the […]

Tactical Combat Casualty Care: A Navy Corpsman’s perspective

Background of TCCC Originating within the Navy SPECWAR community in the mid-90s, the Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) is a set of guidelines based on phased care on the battlefield based on activity and threat level. Designed from the onset specifically for SOCOM units, to reduce the mortality and morbidity sustained on the battlefield, it […]

Despite political desire, women continue to fail SOF selection courses

A female Airman wishing to become the first woman operator in the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) was dropped during the selection phase. More specifically, the Airman, whose name has been withheld by the Air Force for Operational Security (OPSEC) reasons, was trying out for the Special Reconnaissance (SR) career field. SR replaced the […]

The Video of the Week: Spec Ops Surgeons, a unique asset

Special Operations Surgical Teams (SOSTs) consist of active-duty Air Force medical professionals including trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, nurse anaesthetists, surgical scrub techs, critical-care nurses, and respiratory techs. They are charged with providing far-forward medical care during combat operations wherever the U.S. military is engaged. When not on active deployment, the team trains in surgery, in […]

One Beret to rule them all: Air Force SOF brace for huge changes

The Air Force is getting ready to completely overhaul its Special Operations Forces (SOF). The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is currently undergoing a transitional phase that will merge all the existing career fields under the new Special Warfare career field. More specifically, the current plan envisions one Air Force Specialty (1Z) that will […]

Combat Aviation Advisors: A Day in the Life

Combat Aviation Advisors all call the 6TH Special Operations Squadron home; it is the only Combat Aviation Advisory Organization in the Air Force. Though its mission is Foreign Internal Defense (FID) and Combat Foreign Internal Defense (CFID), those aren’t the preferred AFSOC catchwords. They use phrases like “combat aviation advisory unit” and “non-standard aircraft squadron” […]

AFSOC Commando Awarded Silver Star For Danger Close Air Support Mission

An AFSOC combat controller was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his bravery during a raid with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan in 2018. Tech Sgt Cam Kelsch, of the 17th Special Tactics Squadron, Hunter Army Airfield, was honored on Tuesday during a ceremony at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in […]

A Funny Blackmail Moment in Special Forces Courtesy of AFSOC

Most of what we write here at SpecialOperations.com deals with the training side of the house. What you’ll need to do to pass the Selection and Assessment courses and the follow-on training in the qualification courses, with a fair bit of history thrown in. Today isn’t any of that. Although in the past, the history […]

An Alternative to Retiring the A-10 Warthog: AFSOC

Earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force began to finalize its plans to retire its premiere close air support (CAS) aircraft, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. According to their master plan, all of the Warthogs in the USAF inventory will be mothballed in the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center by 2019.  The retirement is driven […]

AFSOC: Submit Your Q&A Questions

Team Room, we have a new writer onboarding now who’s leaving AFSOC after 20+ years, and we’re just really happy to have snagged him. As luck would have it, he’s being scheduled for a one-on-one interview with AFSOC’s Commander and his Command Chief, and he sent me a note today, saying “I would appreciate any questions […]