JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas —  

Five years ago, the U.S. Air Force took a significant leap forward in combat preparedness by establishing the Special Warfare Training Wing (SWTW), an evolution that addressed decades of training shortfalls and operational demands. The SWTW marked a paradigm shift, assuming control over an extensive network of squadrons and detachments. Notably, the wing superseded the former Battlefield Airman Training Group, extending its legacy of ground warfare specialization. Official establishment at JBSA-Lackland was green-lit by SECAF Heather Wilson and materialized on October 17, 2018.

The term “Battlefield Airman” had become somewhat of a misnomer, not fully encapsulating the range of expertise within the unit. The rebranding to “Special Warfare Training Wing” sought to rectify misconceptions, focusing on a collective warrior identity, irrespective of Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs). This new identity was also strategic, positioning the Air Force competitively in the quest for robust recruitment and aligning with joint terminology familiar within military echelons. The change acknowledged the unique needs of these Airmen, from recruitment to combat deployment.

A critical component of this new wing was the Human Performance Support Group (HPSG), tasked with optimizing the ‘human weapon system.’ “Much like the wing, this group is one of a kind and was built upon the lessons of two decades of sustained combat operations,” said Col. Nathan Colunga, Special Warfare Training Wing commander. “The Air Force acknowledged that the harsh nature of ground combat requires a level of care for Special Warfare Airmen not unlike that of high-end weapons systems across our force.” The HPSG provides research, development, testing and evaluation of human performance techniques and tools that can translate into the operational community and more broadly, the rest of the Department of Defense.

Senior Master Sgt. Gregory Navickas, Human Performance Support Group senior enlisted leader, emphasized the power of this integrated approach. The group’s success, according to Navickas, is due to its expert staff, who are “committed to the mission” and excel in their respective fields. Its multidisciplinary team, encompassing medical professionals, physical therapists, coaches, nutritionists, dieticians, and additional combat support staff, who work cohesively across the training enterprise. Their unified vision transcends traditional roles, working collaboratively to preemptively address issues before they escalate. This holistic approach ensures Airmen are comprehensively prepared for combat and receive thorough care afterward, extending into post-military life.

A poignant moment in the young wing’s existence, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Medina Training Annex was officially renamed Chapman Training Annex in March 2020. It is now a tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. John A. Chapman, an Air Force combat controller who gave his life fighting to save his teammates’ lives in Afghanistan in 2002. This annex was the beginning of establishing San Antonio, Texas as the “Home of Air Force Special Warfare.” Since making Chapman home, the wing has developed and begun an expansive campus plan that includes the Senior Airman Bradley Smith fitness facility, Forbes Hall renovations, and a monumental new aquatic training center scheduled to open in Spring 2024.

Now five years old, the wing has shown profound progress. “We have attained more consistency and efficiency in the pipeline’” said Michael Delsoldato, Special Warfare Training wing historian. “What we are training our Airmen to do has inherent dangers both in training and in the real world. Although there is always room to improve, the creation of the wing allows full concentration on the holistic production of the Airmen.”  

As warfare evolves in the face of rapid technological advancements, the SWTW stands as a testament to the Air Force’s commitment to adaptability and the continuous pursuit of combat excellence. Its establishment not only signifies the evolution of specialized combat training but also underscores the irreplaceable value of human resilience and adaptability in modern warfare.

“Our mission is the same,” Colunga says. “Prepare these Airmen for the physical and psychological load of close combat. This mission is simply stated, yet as I’ve witnessed, difficult to execute. This load is not theoretical, it is real, well established, and these Airmen make a professional choice to shoulder it. And in doing so they accept the personal risk and sacrifice that goes with it. Therefore, we must prepare them and care for them accordingly – and that is the charge of the Special Warfare Training Wing.”

By Jennifer Gangemi, Special Warfare Training Wing

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. (Ret.), Tazz Felde, 24th Special Operations Wing Occupational Safety Manager, received an unusual call from his wife Monday afternoon, Jul. 24, about a six to seven-foot nurse shark tangled up in an artificial reef near John Beasley Park in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

“We were made aware of a nurse shark in distress at a local man-made reef here in Destin,” said Felde. “Another diver reported that he and his buddy had come across the shark, with a large hook in its mouth, and were unsuccessful at freeing the animal.”

In a video posted to Felde’s Youtube channel, you can see the shark sitting on the ocean floor with a large hooked in the corner of its mouth. The hook was attached to a steel leader with 100-150 feet of  fishing line that had become wrapped around the reef.

“My wife, Courtney, told me if I didn’t go free the shark she was going to do it herself,” said Felde. “I knew the worst that could happen was that it crushed my hand. He would certainly break my hand if he got it in his mouth, but my concern was making sure that it was freed and able to go about its day.”

Felde cleaned up more than a hundred feet of tangled fishing line while diving to protect other marine life at the reef.

While working in his off time as the co-owner of Under Pressure Divers, Felde says he always teaches his students to not be afraid of sharks or marine life, and to always leave the water better than they found it.

“I don’t want people to be afraid of them because they’re really no harm to us in the grand scheme of things,” said Felde. “Don’t be scared of sharks. A lot of stuff you see on TV during Shark Week can be scary, and a lot of it is real, but for the most part, sharks don’t really bother us much.”

By Capt Savannah Stephens, 24th Special Operations Wing

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — At 6 a.m., the sky was still dark and the fog had yet to roll off the base, but the Special Warfare Training Wing had been buzzing with activity for hours. Tactical Air Control Party students lined up for their morning workout behind Kyle Smithson, the schoolhouse’s dietitian, as he walked into the building, rolling his Urine Specific Gravity test kit behind him.

Two sections of students were scheduled to start field training the next week, which means a series of long days and heavy movement under the hot Texas sun to prepare them for even longer days when they graduate to operational units. As the dietitian, Smithson has briefed the students on the importance of staying hydrated and the warning signs of dehydration, and now, a few days before they head to field week, he’s testing their urine samples to identify dehydrated students so they can proactively hydrate over the weekend.

“I’ll be in the field with the students to make sure they’re eating and drinking properly,” Smithson said. “But testing and hydrating ahead of time reduces the risk of heat exhaustion.”

After compiling results from the sample, Smithson stops by the commander’s office to give him the list of dehydrated students, and then he completes a series of body composition tests for both instructors and students, providing personal recommendations based on their body’s muscle and fat composition, and their individual goals. Next, he makes his rounds through every classroom, checking the stock of healthy snacks and drinks to make sure students have what their bodies need within easy reach.

“Throughout their careers, these students will be exposed to toxins from gun powder, jet fuel and more, so it’s very important they’re careful with what they put into their body,” Smithson said. “They learn that intentionality here.” 

Across the country, on Pope Airfield in North Carolina, Tech Sgt. Kirk Luzano, the diet tech for the combat control, special reconnaissance and special tactics officer apprentice courses, sets up breakfast for the students. While they eat, he checks in with one of the students who underperformed in that morning’s physical fitness session. The trainee hadn’t fueled appropriately, so Luzano helps him come up with a better plan for next time. Luzano then walks around the room, answering questions the students have about proper fueling for the upcoming training.

“We teach that nutrition can make a great athlete good or a good athlete great,” Luzano said. “It doesn’t matter how good or gifted you are, your performance can be affected if you don’t understand basic nutrition, or if you don’t apply what you know into your everyday routine.”

“Nutrition can make a great athlete good or a good athlete great” 

Tech Sgt. Kirk Luzano

Depending on the day’s training, Special Warfare Training Wing dietitians and diet techs will recommend different foods. Students in special warfare pipelines require a generally higher caloric intake than most athletes, and on days with high-intensity training, the team recommends meals with more carbohydrates. According to Smithson, students often enter the pipeline trying to increase muscle mass by prioritizing proteins and skipping carbohydrates, however, carbohydrates fuel the brain and the body, so completing the mentally and physically rigorous special warfare training without adequate carbohydrates is near impossible.

However, knowing what to eat is only half the battle. Luzano says that students need to understand which food and beverages help replenish electrolytes, specifically sodium, and when to reach for them. To maximize performance, students must know when their bodies need water versus a sports drink, or when they should reach for a protein bar versus a sports gel. However, even this process is highly individualized—according to Smithson, people have various levels of salt in their sweat, and those with saltier sweat will perform better by opting for sports drinks and gels that have higher sodium levels.

While training, students have access to these individualized recommendations and guidance, but after they earn their berets, special warfare operators still need to stay in peak mental and physical shape. This is why Captain Lynnsee Moberg, the chief of performance nutrition for the Special Warfare Training Wing, says her team prioritizes education. Smithson, Luzano and their colleagues don’t just provide recommendations, they teach, guide and educate students so they can practice performance nutrition throughout their entire careers.

“Air Force Special Warfare operators who exercise and train for extended periods during the day need to fuel their bodies differently than the average fitness enthusiast,” Moberg said. “It’s the same with cars. High-performance vehicles and off-road trucks are both great cars, but they serve different purposes and require very different amounts and kinds of fuel.”

This is why on day one of training, candidates take a class on performance nutrition, learning the ins and outs of correctly fueling for success. Immediately after the class, Moberg’s team joins the students in the dining facility for lunch and provides feedback on each candidate’s plate. From then on, candidates become accustomed to seeing dietitians and diet techs not only in the dining facility, but on rucks, in the field and during daily physical fitness sessions.

For information from the human performance team, follow the Special Warfare Human Performance Support Group on Facebook.

By Miriam A. Thurber, Special Warfare Training Wing