An Air Force Combat Controller circa 1991.
Archive for the ‘Air Force’ Category
What a Long Way They’ve Come
Sunday, October 28th, 2018Winkler Knives – AF Survival Knife
Friday, October 26th, 2018
New to Winkler Knives, the AF Survival Knife was designed for the United States Air Force. Unique features include an insulated handle, line cutter opening in sheath, pry tip and a hammer pommel.
Winkler uses 80CrV2 steel and micarta.
To order, email info@winklerknives.com.
24th SOW Dedicates Building to MOH Recipient Master Sgt. Chapman at Hurlburt Field
Friday, October 26th, 2018HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – The story of Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Chapman has circulated across the nation for nearly two decades and captivated the special operations world.
The heroics John is credited with during a ferocious battle on Takur Ghar, Afghanistan, in 2002 posthumously earned him the nation’s highest military honor.
Today, John’s legacy is cemented in Special Tactics and Hurlburt Field history forever after the 24th Special Operations Wing headquarters was dedicated in his namesake.
Amongst an audience of ST legacy warriors, Air Commandos and friends, U.S. Air Force Col. Claude Tudor Jr., commander of the 24th SOW, alongside John’s family, unveiled the new name on the John A. Chapman Building.
“Today, we will forever bind John’s relentless spirit of honor and courage, his selfless, heroic life and legacy with our headquarters,” Tudor said.
“This building is the home of our Special Tactics headquarters and by adding John’s name to the building, it is not only a symbolic gesture, but it binds his legacy with the legacy of Hurlburt Field and AFSOC [Air Force Special Operations Command].”
In February 2002, the Special Tactics combat controller deployed to Afghanistan as part of a joint special operations team. On the team, his role was to conduct precision strikes by integrating airpower onto the battlefield.
On March 4, 2002, John was killed during Operation ANACONDA, when he knowingly sacrificed his life to fend off a rocket-propelled grenade attack on an incoming MH-47 Chinook helicopter carrying a quick reaction force of U.S. Army Rangers and Air Force ST Airmen.
“This final act was the ultimate expression of his love. His love for his brothers. His love for his country. His love for me, and his love for all of you,” said Kevin Chapman, John’s brother, during the building dedication.
“The act of laying down your life for your friends can only come from one who embodies humility. One who considers others before he considers himself.”
John was initially awarded the Air Force Cross for his actions, but after a thorough review, it was upgraded to the Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump, who presented it to his widow, Valerie Nessel, during a White House ceremony on Aug. 22.
“[John] would want to recognize the other men who lost their lives,” Valerie said in a previous interview. “Even though he did something he was awarded the Medal of Honor for, he would not want the other guys to be forgotten – they were part of the team together. I think he would say his Medal of Honor was not just for him, but for all of the guys who were lost.”
John is the first Special Tactics Airman to receive the Medal of Honor and upon receiving the decoration, John was posthumously promoted to the rank of master sergeant.
The upgraded award and rank serve as a lifelong remembrance and renaming the headquarters to the John A. Chapman building is another way of reinforcing an ST legacy of sacrifice.
“Every time we walk into the John A. Chapman headquarters building, we will continue to push our own organizational velocity and drive innovation to meet multi-domain mission requirements across the full spectrum of conflict and crisis,” Tudor said. “[John] Chapman has long inspired the Special Tactics community, but now, his story will inspire and fuel those passing by every day, and remind them who John Chapman was as a person: a phenomenal human, who fought relentlessly and sacrificed all for his teammates.”
Following the building dedication ceremony, three new displays were revealed within the newly renamed John A. Chapman Building including a Medal of Honor tribute. In that display holds a photo of “Chappy”, a detailed summary of The Battle of Takur Ghar, the history of the Medal of Honor, Chapman’s award citation and a Medal of Honor decoration.
“With a humble heart, and as John’s representative for the family and friends, I accept the honor you have bestowed upon us, upon Master Sg. John A. Chapman, by naming this building after him as a lasting legacy in his memory,” Kevin said.
Along with the name “John A. Chapman” now prominently displayed on the street-side of the building, next to the front doors of the entry way is a replica bronze plaque from John’s upgraded Air Force Cross. The plaque displays a brief summary of John’s actions, and at the bottom reads, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? Here am I. Send me!”
By: Senior Airman Joseph Pick, 24th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
Quantico Tactical is at ANG WEPTAC
Tuesday, October 16th, 2018
Stop by and see Quantico Tactical Oct. 15-16 in their Quantico Tactical Suite #217 at ANG WEPTAC in at the Double Tree Hotel located at 7051 S Tuscon Blvd, Tuscon, Arizona. As a DLA Gold Superior Supplier, rated for exceptional contract performance(one of twelve in the world), they are a leading supplier of special operations equipment, C4ISR, weapons, and weapon accessories to the Department of Defense, Federal Agencies and state/local Law Enforcement Departments. With Quantico Tactical, you can Count on More™.
You Can Count On:
• Customer Commitment
• Exceptional Performance
• Convenient Contracts
• Simplified Procurements
• Unmatched Service
• Rapid Logistics
• Extensive Brand Selection
• Kitting Solutions
Meet with our specialists to discuss your procurement needs and view a sampling of incredible products from SureFire, TYRTactical, Team Wendy, Magpul, Safariland, Point Blank, Geissele, Vortex, Spuhr, Harris and many more. Our knowledgeable team is standing by to answer your questions and provide in-person support.
To schedule an appointment please email GovtOps@QuanticoTactical.com or call 910.944.5800
For more information on Quantico Tactical, please visit QuanticoTactical.com
High Ground Wins Multi-Million Dollar Contract for USAF Carriage Equipment
Friday, October 12th, 2018After extensive evaluation, the US Air Force has awarded a multi-million contract to purchase High Ground newly re-engineered carriage equipment for their special operations TAC-P, JTAC, ASOG and ASOS units.
“High Ground’s newly re-designed bags, packs and technology pouches are optimized for the demanding performance and functional requirements of the USAF and its airman. High Ground’s technical staff and application engineers evaluated downrange customer feedback to incorporate new advancements in their gear”,” says Mike Runella, Director of Business Development of High Ground.
For the past three (3) years, High Ground has actively supplied the US Air Force with a variety of bags, packs and equipment on a smaller, “as needed” basis; including High Ground’s Summit 5 Day pack with a patented Quick Release Waist Belt System and their Load Out Bag with their revolutionary wheel design. High Ground Gear, a product division of Ehmke Manufacturing Company, Inc., designs and manufactures the latest in mission-specific, technologically advanced tactical nylon gear and armor systems.
“Ehmke, through our High Ground product line, is honored to continue to serve all the military services. This latest contract commitment by the US Air Force shows their confidence that our gear can meet the rigorous tempo of their Special Operations units”, states Bob Rosania, CEO of Ehmke Manufacturing Company. He further adds. “Our company’s mission is to continually evolve the design of our gear to meet the ever-changing challenges our war fighters face”.
The complete High Ground product catalogue of tactical gear & armor can be found at www.highgroundgear.com.
High Ground; We Make Every Stitch Count…
Special Tactics Airmen Open Tyndall AFB Airfield for Operations
Friday, October 12th, 2018HURLBURT FIELD, Florida- Air Force Special Tactics Airmen with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron assessed, opened and controlled air traffic at Tyndall Air Force Base, Oct. 11.
Special Tactics Airmen have the ability to assess, open, and control major airfields to clandestine dirt strips in any environment, including those that have been impacted by a natural disaster.
The Special Tactics Airmen cleared and established a runway at 7 p.m., Oct. 11, and received the first aircraft at 7:06 p.m.
Special Tactics Airmen are in control of the airfield and are prepared to support airfield operations at Tyndall Air Force Base until further notice.
This will allow support to facilitate humanitarian assistance to Tyndall Air Force Base.
Tyndall Air Force Base received extensive damage in the wake of Hurricane Michael.
-1st Lt Jaclyn Pienkowski, USAF , 24th SOW PAO
B.E. Meyers & Co. Exhibiting at ANG WEPTAC 2018 in Darley Defense Suite
Friday, October 12th, 2018
B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc. will be exhibiting at the Air National Guard Weapons and Tactics show (ANG WEPTAC) on October 16-17, 2018, at the Darley Defense Suite in the Double Tree Hotel in Tuscon, AZ. The company will be showcasing its innovative technologies engineered to improve the capabilities of the modern warfighter, such as the high-power NIR/VIS MAWL®-DA (Modular Advanced Weapon Laser – Direct Action). They will also be displaying their IZLID® series of IR and SWIR laser pointers/illuminators; the BOARS®-M2 optics and accessories rail for the M2 platform; and the GLARE RECOIL® Escalation of Force system for Ocular Interruption and Hail and Warning.
Show attendees are invited to visit the B.E. Meyers & Co. booth to learn more about their Defense Systems and speak with a company representative. To schedule a meeting with a member of the B.E. Meyers & Co. Team, please contact info@bemeyers.com.
USAF Stands Up Special Warfare Training Wing
Thursday, October 11th, 2018To meet the demand for special operations warfighters and improve retention rates for these critical career fields, United States Air Force officials activated the Special Warfare Training Wing Oct. 10, here.
The mission of the new wing is to select, train, equip, and mentor Airmen to conduct global combat operations in contested, denied, operationally limited, and permissive environments under any environmental conditions.
“This new wing will help us provide additional oversight and advocacy for the complex, high-risk and demanding training that’s necessary to produce Airmen to meet the requirements of the joint force,” said Col. James Hughes, SWTW commander.
The new wing headquarters and subordinate organizational structure will consist of approximately 135 personnel. The existing Battlefield Airman Training Group, which was activated in June 2016, has been renamed to the Special Warfare Training Group and will report to the SWTW.
Building upon what the Battlefield Airmen Training Group has started, the previously established five pillars of marketing and recruiting, manpower and leadership, curriculum, equipment and infrastructure will serve as a starting point for the wing.
“Keeping these pillars in mind will allow us to continue focusing on building the best Airman we can from the time they step into a recruiter’s office up until the end of their careers,” said Hughes.
“Wings move the ball forward at an operational and strategic level,” said Hughes. “They can provide structure, oversight, strategic vision and unity of command. But to become a leader in the special warfare community, we have to continue pushing the envelope of science and technology. It all comes down to doing everything we can to create Airmen capable of problem solving across a wide-range of national security challenges to meet the joint force’s needs.”
Additionally, the wing will focus on improving human performance by staying at the forefront of science and technology with the addition of the Human Performance Support Group, a one of kind unit that will integrate specialists from a variety of sports and medical fields into special warfare training to optimize physical and mental performance, reduce injury and speed rehabilitation to create more capable and resilient ground operators.
“By pushing the limits of science and technology, we’re going to find the most efficient and effective methods for improving human performance,” said Hughes. “We’re going to take what we already have learned and enhance how we produce the most physically and psychologically fit Airmen possible for the joint force.”
Special Warfare Airmen, previously known as Battlefield Airmen, are the critical ground link between air assets and ground forces. They are trained to operate as a ground component to solve ground problems with air power, often embedding with conventional and special operations forces. Their requirements have grown substantially since 2001 due to the effectiveness of and increasing demand for the precision application of air power in the joint combat environment.
Seven Air Force specialty codes currently fall into the Special Warfare category: Pararescue, Combat Rescue Officer, Combat Control, Special Tactics Officer, Special Operations Weather Team, Tactical Air Control Party personnel, and non-rated Air Liaison Officer. These Airmen share ground combat skill sets and a sharp focus on joint, cross-domain operations.
The first step toward more efficient and effective training is to combine the courses of initial entry for all special warfare candidates into one cohesive course.
“The various Special Warfare Air Force specialty codes are a lot more similar than they are different,” said Chief Master Sgt. James Clark, SWTW command chief. “These courses of initial entry are the bedrock of lethality and readiness. By combining them, we’re making the pipeline much more efficient, while also building a team mentality that focuses on our similarities, rather than our differences.”
This change is also the first step toward answering the most important question facing the SWTW: How do we create and develop the most adaptive and agile leaders possible?” said Clark. “It starts by continuing to be critical of ourselves, while searching for any way to become more efficient in everything that we do.”
-Air Education and Training Command
