Tags: TACP
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Don’t know why they are showing an A-10 since the powers that be decided they didn’t want it anymore.
There’s 3 other aircraft in that pic.
There are? I only see the A-10.
Stealth.
Stealth aircraft…
The other 3 arn’t CAS aircraft that’s why
It’s not science fiction, but it is a mission that the Air Force doesn’t like to admit exists. CAS? That doesn’t sound sexy! Let’s pretend the A-10 is worthless!
Why does he have a silenced SCAR? What’s that under his barrel?
Looks like the SCAR-family grenade launcher. He’s got more whizbang gadgets than most basement-dwelling airsofters!
I love the look on his face. Even he is thinkning why in the world did I agree to this!?
Totally concur. Looks stoned.
Should have joined the Air Force.
Right? Why is the right question… I would bitch slap (open hand slap with the back of the hand) ANY comms guy who picked tried to kit out with a 7.62 rifle… and don’t church it up, they be comms only peeps. And it was pretty nice for someone from a SOCOM unit to let him hold his rifle for a snapshot.
Ummm, he’s in a SOF unit.
Word from the man, I’m surprised TACP is under SOCOM
Questions:
1. When?
2. Why?
3. Has anyone told the CCT’s?
Technically JTAC’s and TACP’s usually deploy with a sof unit. While in 3rd batt. We had 2 FO’s and a JTAC on every mission. And we qualify as a tier 1 unit.
Incorrect. TACP is a non SOF AFSC. There are SOF TACPs however they go through a SOF selection held by AFSOC. Only SOF TACPs will deploy with SOF teams. The others deploy with conventional Army.
Except when non-SOF TACPs deploy with SOF
First of all I have ALL WAYS seen our TACPs or CCTs(have had both) run what ever we do. Soooo, it stands to reason that if the ODA is running 7.62 heavy on a patrol then you would want him(or he will want to) run concurrent ammo and weapons systems. That is just how we look at it. People can pick apart a poster. Hell I remember a SF poster that had guys that were motor t on it acting as SF. No biggie but his optic was on back words and it is a little embarrassing. Fact is every TACP or CCT guy I have patrolled with and worked with was a huge asset so to pic apart a poster that the Air Force made happen is a little futile. I hardly doubt he jumped up and raised his hands wildly to be in a photo op. Just my two cents but people get more bent out of shape over petty crap like this rather than the abuses and poor judgement of how other things are being handled that actually affect our lives.
Are yall for real?
It seems to me like hes an airsoft teenager
If not airsoft then a teenager dressin up in somebody elses kit
somebody’s jealous.
If you interpret that as jealousy then you’ve never had to work with anybody who was jtac qualified bro
I wasn’t too impressed with it and I’ve got two Squadrons and a Group assignment under my belt, all chock full of SOTACs, and I was a support guy. Yeah, they can be full of themselves but who cares so long as they know what they’re doing.
Yeah i just got back from being deployed with sf. Was pretty unimpressed all around. Honestly i feel like if they actually had to do any of the things people portray and claim them doing to save the world we’d be pretty screwed.
The jtacs i worked with were pretty good guys. They knew their jobs very well and seemed to be professionals however they werent something that i was like ‘i sure wish i could be like that when i grow up’
Those were ST assignments. From 90-96 I was on a SOT-A in 3rd Group. Same thing applies there though. Having a big head is usually a maturity issue. It generally works itself out.
We had a cpl sot-as on 2 teams we were with. Lol the first air assault we did we were on a chinook that had a ramp for gators and the sot-a that was with us walked right in between them and ate it hard. I was behind him and i had to pick him up while running trying to exfil so i couldnt just stop and lift him up.
Lol thank goodness for squats because his stuff weighed alot and my stuff weighed even more. >_<!
The problem with the SOTs-A program is that they don’t have a selection or training program. If you’re the right MOS, male and an airborne volunteer, you’re SOT-A material.
I’ve spent most of my career running and gunning with people way cooler than me. It taught me a few important things.
1. They are not as cool as they or most everybody else thinks they are.
2. They are still cooler than me.
3. None of that shit really matters. Get to work!
Oh no, he’s the real deal.
+1
Nailed it.
You gotta love when those that criticize are those that couldn’t do the job if they tried.
No, its just that he is ridiculously geared out. His pistol even has a Trijicon RMR red dot sight. While some of us may have that on our personal weapons at home I have yet to see anyone get issued that in the military, even among SOF. I’m sure it happens but, considering all the other stuff they made him wear…….
Besides, no one is criticizing his job. And I wouldn’t criticize his job after having had TACP’s call in CAS when I needed it.
That is an LA-10u/PEQ handheld laser marker, not a pistol.
Want the special toys, then earn them like the guy above did.
TACPs are great.
They aren’t the only one’s calling in CAS and those that do that aren’t TACPs do it without all the fancy toys.
Not hating on TACPs or technology, just the elitist BS.
They’re the pros. Everyone else is doing it as an additional duty.
No doubt they are the pros and I didn’t imply differently.
I wouldn’t go as far as minimizing the skill as just an “additional duty”. There are many well qualified individuals that can and have done the terminal guidance necessary to facilitate CAS.
I appreciate the Air Force’s commitment to CAS by dedicating airmen to do it but it’s not magic and one has to be careful creating too much of a mystique around the skill.
I’ve heard many an airman try and make the case that ground pounders couldn’t do it which is just branch partisanship just like some in the Air Force say the Army isn’t smart enough to run its own fixed wing support..
The Air Force hasn’t had career ALOs for 10 years yet. Before that, you had to be a rated officer. But don’t get into this fallacy that being able to call CAS puts one into the same league as guy who does it for a living. An AF JTAC brings things to the table that an Army guy isn’t going to even know about.
^ agreed, Being a CCT, I know that a SOTAC qualified SF guy, or a SEAL can’t deal with some of the complxities involved in CAS, especially seeing as how it is an additional duty. Seamlessly work a stack of 10 aircraft during a complex operation with several ground elements and then tell me anyone can do it.
Sure looks like a pistol on his hip. That had me fooled. Learn something new every day. I don’t care to have that much shit on me.
Why are you trying to insinuate that I am hating on his job or trying to diminish his role? Last I checked 99% of TACP’s are not SOF, they get attached to normal conventional units all the time. Just like we had one attached to us on occasion.
I got all kinds of special toys on deployment that most soldiers won’t ever get to use. More robots than I knew what to do with, UAV’s, the latest and greatest in thermals, experimental equipment etc. Who the fuck cares. The special equipment does not make someone special operations, let alone a better warrior than others. You are placing that shit on too high a pedestal.
You’re the one making yourself look like a fool, not me.
http://www.l3warriorsystems.com/l3-products/la-10u-peq-handheld-laser-marker-hlm
That’s not a pistol.
LA-10u/PEQ
Finally some one points it out. That is a big frick’n laser too. We actually make a retention system for it. Lol.
SSD could post photos of nude supermodels and people would still find a way to bitch about it.
Its the art of bashing others to let some people assume you are an actual badass.
something I see growing on gear and military related websites in the last time.
THIS.
I only read SSD for the articles
Can you imagine if the TACP model was wearing that American flag plate carrier? And holding a 1911?
Bro, do you even CAS?
Oddly, all that gear isn’t just for a promo pic. I’ve known TACPs who get a lot more wiz-bang cool-guy gear and equipment than any other special ops guys. They get issued so much stuff they look down on gear that most guys think is the new hotness; “oh yeah, we got issued those last year but then replaced them with this new thing…”
Guessing you really don’t interact that much with the SMUs then. Or any of the other SOF forces.
Orrrrrr, they have so damn much commo equipment and supplemental crap that they either figure out through trial and error or on patrols what they need based on what they have available in an AO and what the theater has to offer.
Wire management for this many gizmos on your kit aught to require some kind of certification.
I am a JFO. not a bad ass TACP or JTAC. But the funny thing is every mission when we went out wit a JTAC and ROMAD. They never left the safe house or compound. They just did type II or type III controls. And I ended up carrying just as much shit as the JTAC. Just he carrier a prc 117 and I used a 152 and 148. But yes wire management was the worse part. I would have so many cables that I would have another JFO check my shit before making sure I had my shit in the right set up.
Who’s the target audience? Young and impressionable Servicemen who have just joined, or civilians looking to join, who are even more impressionable? I’m sure a young guy, who spent a considerable portion of his teenage year playing video games and watching sci-fi action films would look at this, and think: “That’s cool, I want to be doing that guy’s job”. Just think of the demographic that I’m assuming they’re aiming this at. It’s not meant to impress you, it’s meant to impress them.
What the hell, discussions about TACP being SOF or not, comments about TACP never leaving the base and how young the guy in the picture must be.
While everybody tries to show off how many times they get to stand in the shadow of “SMU guys”.
You all need some therapy!(or love or God.)
Cool poster btw, finally some advertising with a sense of humor.