A United States Air Force Tactical Air Control Party, commonly abbreviated TACP, is usually a team of two or more United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 TACP journeyman or craftsman(AFSC

Air Force Specialty Code

The Air Force Specialty Code is an alphanumeric code used by the United States Air Force to identify an Air Force Specialty . Officer AFSCs consist of four characters and enlisted AFSCs consist of five characters. A letter prefix or suffix may be used with an AFSC when more specific identification...

 1C4X1) aligned with a conventional or special operational United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 combat maneuver unit to advise ground commanders on the best use of air power, establish and maintain command and control communications, and provide precision terminal attack guidance of U.S. and coalition

Coalition

A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...

 fixed- and rotary-wing close air support

Close air support

In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...

 aircraft, artillery, and naval gunfire. A TACP always includes at least one Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) qualified to control attack aircraft. It can also include an Air Liaison Officer, who works primarily in an advisor capacity.

Along with being aligned with all conventional Army combat units, TACP airmen are also attached to Special Forces, Navy SEALs

United States Navy SEALs

The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...

, and Army Rangers, as well as Joint Special Operations Command units and multi-national Special Operations task forces, primarily as communication and aircraft coordination experts and precision airstrike

Airstrike

An air strike is an attack on a specific objective by military aircraft during an offensive mission. Air strikes are commonly delivered from aircraft such as fighters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and others...

 controllers.

In addition, TACP members can be assigned to AFSOC Special Tactics Squadrons to perform their traditional duties in support of the Special Tactics mission.

Enlisted members are either known as JTACs or ROMADs.

– JTACs provide terminal attack control for attack aircraft and act in an advisory capacity for their aligned army unit.

– ROMADs (Now referred to by the Air Force as JTAC's in training) are communication experts who assist JTACs in the performance of their duties while working to attain JTAC status for themselves. ("Radio Operator, Maintainer, and Driver," a holdover acronym from the careerfield's Vietnam era, when enlisted airmen served primarily as assistants to officer-only Forward Air Controllers

Forward air control

Forward air control is the provision of guidance to Close Air Support aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller . For NATO forces the qualifications and experience required to be...

, has been replaced in the TACP vernacular with the term "Recon

Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....

, Observe, Mark & Destroy" in reflection of the modern role of the TACCS)

TACP members wear black beret

Beret

A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....

s with a distinctive red, blue, and green cloth flash and silver crest. Pilots serving as Air Liaison Officers are authorized to wear the black beret, flash, and rank while assigned to a TACP unit, but not at any other point in their career (many choose not to don the black beret out of respect for the enlisted TACP airmen who have undergone intense training to earn this distinctive uniform item). Air Liaison Officers can obtain JTAC status by attending a four-week joint terminal attack controller qualification course, but are not required to do so. Non-rated Air Liaison Officers, or "13 Limas," undergo the same intense training as their TACP airmen. They wear the black beret.

Training

All TACP candidates attend a 85-day training course at Hurlburt Field, Florida, home of Air Force Special Operations Command.

After one year of being CMR and having the 5 skill level Airmen are eligible to attend Joint Terminal Attack Controller Qualification Course at Nellis AFB or if in Europe the USAFE AGOS. Attendance on this course is based on training NCO and commanders recommendation and is not guaranteed.

Indoctrination

All TACP candidates will now attend a 5 day long indoctrination course at Lackland AFB immediately following basic military training. The course is designed to educate candidates on the TACP career field and also to weed out any candidates not fit to continue on to the TACP schoolhouse. A PAST test and a 4 mile ruck must be completed to pass.

Initial Training

• Block I Basic Career Knowledge (5 Days)

Basic career knowledge and associated publications.

• Block II Portable Communications Equipment (20 Days)

Portable radio familiarization and training.

• Block III Communications Pallet (11 Days)

Vehicle-mounted radio communications familiarization and training.

• Block IV Ground Environment Training (20 Days)

Field training exercise, Day and night land navigation, vehicle navigation, convoy training, and small unit tactics. Also, including training in bivouac setup, site selection, patrolling methods, and day and night navigation on foot and in a vehicle.

• Block V Air Support Coordination/Weapons Systems (5 Days)

Methods and means of requesting close air support, weapons effects and utilization, and other coordination procedures.

• Block VI Close Air Support Procedures (12 Days)

Field training exercise, including close air support planning and execution.

Advanced Training

United States Air Force Combat Survival School – SERE Course—3 weeks, Fairchild AFB, Washington

United States Army Airborne School

United States Army Airborne School

The United States Army Airborne School — widely known as Jump School — conducts the basic paratrooper training for the United States armed forces. It is operated by the 1st Battalion , 507th Infantry, United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia...

** – Basic Parachutist Course—3 weeks, Fort Benning, Georgia

Special Tactics Advanced Skills Course – 12 weeks, Hurlburt Field, Florida

Note: Some of these courses are unit dependent and may be selected.

Optional Advanced Training

US Army Jumpmaster Course—Fort Benning, Georgia

US Army Air Assault School – Fort Campbell, Kentucky (in addition to other locations that offer this course, such Schoefield Barracks, Hawaii)

US Army Ranger School

Ranger School

The United States Army Ranger School is an intense 61-day combat leadership course oriented towards small-unit tactics. It has been called the "toughest combat course in the world" and "is the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the Army has to offer". The course is conducted...

– Fort Benning, Georgia

Special Forces Military Freefall Course—Freefall Parachuting Course-5 weeks, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona

Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course—Open and Closed-Circuit SCUBA and Waterborne Infiltration Course-5 weeks, NAS Key West, Florida

US Army Pathfinder School—Fort Campbell, Kentucky or Ft. Benning, Georgia

Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course—Fort Bragg, North Carolina