A few months ago, the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) announced its intent to establish a new Special Operations career field. Special Reconnaissance (SR) would replace the existing Special Operations Weather Technician (SOWT) military occupation specialty.

The rationale behind the decision to renovate the SOWT career field stemmed from the advanced meteorological systems the Air Force possesses. The primary function of SOWT operators is to provide accurate and timely meteorological data in support of other special operations forces (SOF) units. Essentially, they were high-speed weathermen. But with the introduction of new forecasting systems, SOWT operators were becoming redundant.

Here’s the Air Force description of the SR’s intended capabilities and mission tasks:

“Capable of rapid deployment during day or night, to any environment, including permissive, hostile, denied, or politically and/or diplomatically sensitive locales. Conducts Preparation of the Environment activities utilizing indigenous sources, organic equipment, and remote-controlled technology. Integrates SR into Military Decision-Making Processes and Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment channels to maximize combat power.”