Tactical Air Control Party Specialist

“You'll serve as the eyes and ears of airpower on the ground, embedded with Army units, calling in close air support that saves lives in direct contact. The critical link between ground forces and aircraft.”

You'll hump the same weight as the infantry unit you're attached to, attend the same schools, live in the same positions, and be judged by standards Army and Marine units set — not the Air Force. The JTAC qualification is a multi-year process that requires demonstrated competence in conditions that don't allow for approximation: calling fires incorrectly has consequences that are permanent. When you have a JTAC qual and the ground force is in contact, you are the most important person on the ground for however long that lasts. The Air Force elements of your life — assignments, promotions, career management — run parallel to a ground-combat experience that most Air Force careers don't include. The identity split between 'Airman' and 'the guy who goes with the Army' is something every TACP navigates.