Day to Day life and activities of TACP, CCT, and PJ Airmen when not at war?
- Thread starter OpenSkies
- Start date
The point behind the question is that there is a lot of information about what Battlefield are trained to do but not a lot about what they do on a day to day basis during peacetime.
Just trying to find out more about the BA lifestyle and seeing if it is a lifestyle for me as I have the opportunity to attempt to become a TACP.
In my experience they do a lot of grooming, exercising and instagramming.
SpongeBob*24
Verified Military
1-PREPARE FOR THE NEXT WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2-Take out a small loan for Hair Products and Supplements.
5-Tan
Good luck.....
2-Take out a small loan for Hair Products and Supplements.
5-Tan
Good luck.....
They randomly walk around the base in their beret, scaring the shit out of the rest of the Airforce and watching Security Forces crumble in fear from shaking knees, while attempting to maintain their bullshit Airforce Infantry storyline.
At least that's what it looks like to me everytime I'm on base picking up my weekly supply of booze from the class six.
I mean really, you should see how the Airforce reacts to someone in a beret, covering their mouths as they whisper like little school girls, pointing it out to their buddies. It's quite homosexual.
At least that's what it looks like to me everytime I'm on base picking up my weekly supply of booze from the class six.
I mean really, you should see how the Airforce reacts to someone in a beret, covering their mouths as they whisper like little school girls, pointing it out to their buddies. It's quite homosexual.
Yeah. I have seen plenty of 11Bs and a handful of FSOs come over. A couple Rangers, a couple Recon Marines, even a couple CCTs who traded scarlet for black.
TLDR20
Verified SOF
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I second this question.
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I cross-trained out of TACP several years ago, but it seems some things are still similar. Certainly someone with more recent experience can provide better info, but I have some free time so maybe I can give at least a little insight.
A typical day would usually start with PT (physical training), either individual, flight or squadron. It varied in intensity and structure based on ASOS (air support operations squadron). Mondays were equipment check/maintenance days (radios, generators, etc.). Most other days were a combination of currency training, preparing for exercises/deployments, or performing additional duties. Some days were very slow while others were packed. Generally, the work schedule was something like 7-3 or 8-4. If night training was scheduled, you might work something like 5 pm - 1 am. Night training was usually CAS, shooting, or insertion training. Exercise schedules could be all over the place. And there were TDYs (temporary duty) periodically. These usually lasted about a week and were mostly for CAS training.
A typical day would usually start with PT (physical training), either individual, flight or squadron. It varied in intensity and structure based on ASOS (air support operations squadron). Mondays were equipment check/maintenance days (radios, generators, etc.). Most other days were a combination of currency training, preparing for exercises/deployments, or performing additional duties. Some days were very slow while others were packed. Generally, the work schedule was something like 7-3 or 8-4. If night training was scheduled, you might work something like 5 pm - 1 am. Night training was usually CAS, shooting, or insertion training. Exercise schedules could be all over the place. And there were TDYs (temporary duty) periodically. These usually lasted about a week and were mostly for CAS training.
Not all CCTs get JTAC qualed, and some that do, do not get to keep it current. Our primary mission is JTACery. I only know of a couple cases, but it was guys that were going to be on survey teams, and they just wanted to JTAC.
They complete the same pipeline. No one else trains TACPs start to finish like we do.
xGenoSiide
SOF Support
Of the guys I was stationed with, many wanted to continue doing JTAC work. With the 'slowing' of Afghanistan, they could see a shift beginning away from JTAC duties and more toward airfield seizure, and they didn't like doing airfield seizure.
Of all the CCTs I have talked to, not one joined to do the doctrinal CCT mission of remote/austere airfield survey and seizure. OEF/OIF was so JTAC heavy, that the CCT community created way more JTACs than they ever had before. It was almost all they did. The young guys coming in these days, and over the last decade, have all gone in believing CCT is synonymous with JTAC.
The doctrinal connection to seizure of airfield or any other piece of real estate did not exist until post 1980 and survey prior to 1980 focused on establishing and maintain current training drop zone surveys. Although it can be strongly argued the second C in CCT is for Air Traffic Control connecting this purpose to only remote/austere airfields is erroneous as it ignores the larger sustaining of continuous air landing or air drop of troops and materiel necessary for projected operations. In this larger operational capability purpose CCT exists to provide the direct ground communications link to aircraft, primarily cargo and troop carrier, flying overhead and or landing, taxing, and taking off.
Although "The young guys coming in these days, and over the last decade, have all gone in believing CCT is synonymous with JTAC" may be correct, the asserting "Our [TACP] primary mission is JTACery" isn't necessarily accurate either as although completion of Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) Qualification Course is a 5-level requirement the AFSC still has strong connections to performing duties in an ASOC. Further although the Air Force has an enlisted military occupation (AFSC) named Tactical Air Party, the capability Tactical Air Control Party (existing since WWII) exists primarily to provide the ground communications nets to the ASOC to get aircraft overhead army ground maneuver units and be the direct communications link to combat, primarily fighter, aircraft flying overhead.
Point being both AFSCs have significant reliance on bringing with them the radio communications equipment to be this communications link. Regardless differences on why the BA occupations exist have no relevance to the original question of what do BA do when not deployed and during periods there is no involvement in combat operations. However if the day-to-day duties during times there is no armed conflict has importance one can state Close Air Support requires a use of force need (declared and authorized combat operations) whereas continuous air landing or airdrop of troops and materiel can exist in a full range of military operations to include situations of getting humanitarian aid into an area which has happened and will continue to happen frequently.
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