Page 14 - Desert Lightning News August 2016

14 August 5, 2016 Desert Lightning News
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Policy changes allow Airmen to retrainFacebook.com/DesertLightningNews into special operations

Senior Airman Ryan Conroy

24th Special Operations Wing Public A airs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- In (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Katrina Cheesman)
a move to meet the high-demand
signal for the Air Force’s Battlefield Special Tactics o cer candidates pull a Zodiac boat to the shore during a selection at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Oct. 21, 2014. Special Tactics career eld
Airmen, the service announced training pipelines are some of the most physically and psychologically challenging in the Air Force. To ensure the correct individuals are on the
changes to retraining and cross- battle eld, a group of Special Tactics Airmen weed out the cross-training candidates who don’t meet the high standards, putting them through a
flow, outlined in a policy memoran- week-long selection process to select only the best-quali ed individuals.
dum dated April 25.
qualifications will be released from men selected for Special Tactics are Air Combat Command. Regardless
e changes allow Airmen to be their career field to pursue retrain- minimal. However, while only small of background, all Battlefield Airmen
released from their current jobs in ing regardless of manning levels numbers are anticipated, this new career fields are demanding and dif-
the Air Force to cross-train into the within their current career field. policy could greatly impact the Spe- ficult, with an average attrition rate
Special Tactics career fields, should cial Tactics manning and mission of 80 percent throughout initial se-
they be selected following an assess- In the event the Airman does not capabilities in the future. lection and training.
ment of physical, mental and psy- pass further initial qualifications -
chological attributes. such as the assessment and selec- “We need the right people who “We are looking for Airmen with
tion process or failure in the Battle- can meet or exceed very demand- the willpower and mental fortitude
“ is change in policy will allow field Airmen training pipeline - they ing standards; with this policy shift, to complete extraordinary tasks for
potential candidates the opportu- will be reinstated into their prior there are some highly-qualified in- a greater cause,” said Chief Master
nity to retrain that were not able to career field without any prejudice. dividuals in the Air Force who can Sgt. Alan Yoshida. “ is is not for
previously,” said Chief Master Sgt. now apply for Special Tactics as- everyone, but the memorandum al-
Alan Yoshida, Battlefield Airmen “ rough this policy change, the sessment and selection,” said Col. lows us to recruit a small audience
training pipeline manager. “Battle- Air Force has focused efforts to en- Michael Flatten, vice commander of that may have been unavailable
field Airmen career fields histori- sure qualified Airmen have an op- the 24th Special Operations Wing, to us before. Airmen who want to
cally have high attrition in training. portunity to pursue a career in Spe- the sole Special Tactics wing in the challenge themselves in an extreme-
cial Tactics,” said Chief Master Sgt. Air Force. ly demanding occupation.”
is policy change could benefit the Marshall Farris, Headquarter Air
Air Force by increasing the candi- Force A3. “Due to the rigorous train- Airmen in combat control, spe- Cross-training is a force manage-
date pool to those previously not al- ing and unique career field require- cial tactics officer, and special op- ment program used primarily to
lowed to crosstrain.” ments, qualified personnel are always erations weather are assessed and balance the officer and enlisted ca-
in high demand for these challenging selected as Special Tactics Airmen reer force inventories across all ca-
e memo applies to all Battle- and rewarding specialties.” into Air Force Special Operations reer fields, ensuring sustainability of
field Airmen career fields, which Command; other Battlefield Airmen career fields in support of Air Force
includes both conventional and e Air Force does not antici- career fields include TACP, CRO and mission priorities.
Special Tactics Airmen. e crit- pate significant impacts to any one pararescue, and are often assigned to
ically-manned career fields for career field, as the number of Air-
Special Tactics are Special Tactics
Officer (13CX), Combat Rescue
Officer (13DX), Combat Control-
ler (1C2X1), Pararescue (1T2X1),
and Special Operations Weather
(1WOX2). is change also applies
to both Tactical Air Control Party
(1C4X1) and Air Liaison Officer
(13LX), but these conventional ca-
reer fields must first serve as a con-
ventional force before applying for
Special Tactics selection.

Special Tactics Airmen are the
Air Force’s ground special opera-
tions force, integrating air power in
ground special operations missions.
Specifically, Special Tactics Airmen
enable global access, precision strike
and personnel recovery operations.

e memo reads: Due to unique
challenges in finding Airmen who
can meet initial qualifications to
retrain or crossflow into critically-
short Battlefield Airmen career
fields, any Airman who meets initial