HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – Air Force Special Operations Command recently completed the second iteration of the AFSOC Tactical Communications Course at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
The tactical communications course is several weeks of a specialized training program designed to teach Air Commandos the skills and knowledge needed specifically to work communications for special operations missions.
“We needed a course to train AFSOC communicators on SOF-unique equipment and SOF employment for USSOCOM missions, and it needed to be a repeatable and sustainable solution,” said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Harris, AFSOC communications directorate senior enlisted leader. “AFSOC takes great pride in producing Air ‘COMMandos’ who are extremely competent, innovative problem solvers, and deliberate risk takers. This course provides that foundation for our warfighter communicators.”
The tactical communications course, which incorporated Airmen from all over AFSOC’s active duty, guard, and reserve wings, covers everything from USSOCOM network fundamentals and satellite communications to tactical radios and mission planning.
Communications in AFSOC and USSOCOM are uniquely characterized as being highly adaptable, redundant, and secure in austere, rapidly changing environments. Communicators must establish and maintain connectivity with limited infrastructure and be able to operate in a denied or contested electromagnetic spectrum.
“Due to AFSOC’s agile force packaging, members can be out in the field as the only communications technician,” said a course training manager. “We teach them multiple career fields and how to work on equipment they may have never touched before. That makes them a subject matter expert so they can get everything required done.”
The training also allows Airmen to more rapidly complete requirements on their career education and training plan.
“It can take more than a year for Airmen to complete all training requirements within their work centers, but this schoolhouse will cover 40% of those key competencies over a period of a few weeks,” said a course training manager.
The course serves as a force multiplier, advancing training so Air Commandos can fulfill duties at their home units and seamlessly transition to deployed environments, where they become even more mission critical to sustaining operations and generating airpower as part of the agile combat employment concept.
“Airmen return proficient with their core equipment and can quickly master their upgrade training- saving hundreds of man-hours in preparation for deployments and dramatically improving unit readiness.” said Harris. “Future expansion of the course should focus on integrating emerging technologies and capabilities for more realistic scenarios.”
AFSOC prioritizes deliberate development of Air Commandos so they can be adaptable experts within their operational environment.
Story by Capt Brandon DeBlanc
Air Force Special Operations Command
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