Commanding Task Force 510, then-Brig. Gen. Donald C. Wurster was one of many witnessing first-hand the squadron’s CAA capabilities in what knowledgable insiders now regard as one of the most successful counterinsurgency campaigns in the post-World War II era. Now commanding Air Force Special Operations Command, Wurster (now a lieutenant general) is well placed indeed to guide the future of FID-Aviation within the USSOCOM structure.
A Closer Look at the “Odd Duck”
The squadron organization reflects a thoughtful hybrid, combining both Special Forces and Air Commando concepts. Both headquarters and a designated support element bolster flights that are regionally oriented to support the U.S. Combatant Commands. The squadron’s “A” and “B” flights, for example, support SOUTHCOM and PACOM respectively, while CENTCOM and EUCOM are supported with two flights each, reflecting the latter’s heavier demands for FID-Aviation capabilities.
Each flight is comprised of both Operational Aviation Detachment-B (OAD-B) and Operational Aviation Detachment-A (OAD-A) elements. The OAD-B has a notional strength of 10 airmen and provides deployable C3, logistics, and administrative support to subordinate, tactical OAD-As. The squadron refers to the OAD-As as its “weapon systems” and the detachment make-up will look familiar to those knowledgable of U.S. Army Special Forces A-Teams.
“Family photo.” Cultural adaptability is an indispensable requirement when operating a long way from “Big Blue’s” customary support. Photo courtesy of AFSOC PA.
Commanded by an officer team leader and run by a team sergeant, the OAD-A combines a diverse skill set applicable to most regional environments. Fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircrew instructors are included or deleted per mission dictates. Found on almost all deployments are the maintenance, communications, force protection, and medical specialists, as well as at least one regional area specialist and a special tactics pararescueman and/or combat controller.
More critical still is the airmen’s ability to work in close quarters with indigenous cultures that will inevitably challenge the individual’s temperament and motivation. Maturity, self-discipline, and cultural adaptability are highly valued, as are physical fitness and a can-do resourcefulness that thrives in an environment most always lacking U.S. Air Force-standard support structures.
By 2007, the squadron’s aircraft inventory included two Mi-17 helicopters, one CASA-212 and one An-26 transport, as well as four UH-1H/N helicopter variants. In addition, two C-130 transports are kept at Hurlburt for maintaining in-house aircrew proficiency.
Maintenance and logistics support for this fleet is contracted to L-3 Communications, providing the long-term, stabilized workforce best suited to maintain such “non-standard” aircraft in the Air Force inventory. Notable too is that selected contractors – like their active-duty peers – are sent for factory training such as the Mi-17 flight and maintenance programs found in the Ukraine. Altogether, the impression gained is that the military-contractor team in the 6th SOS effectively recognizes that recruiting and keeping the right people are the keys to such success.
Active-duty recruitment to the squadron remains a low-key affair, often based on current members recruiting and vouching for other airmen they know and respect. Such a “mom and pop store” approach to intake has distinct advantages in promoting the kind of team cohesiveness necessary for people who may be living in close proximity under austere circumstances for weeks at a time. And that’s just for Americans working with other Americans.
More critical still is the airmen’s ability to work in close quarters with indigenous cultures that will inevitably challenge the individual’s temperament and motivation. Maturity, self-discipline, and cultural adaptability are highly valued, as are physical fitness and a can-do resourcefulness that thrives in an environment most always lacking U.S. Air Force-standard support structures.
And as with the extensive, historical research that preceded activation of the 6th SOS, so too does the squadron’s training program reflect a commitment to take “lessons learned” from the past. Those volunteers brought to Hurlburt for a closer look by the squadron can look forward to some unusual Air Force training. This includes six weeks of field training in some very Army-looking skill sets, including small unit tactics, vehicle ambush/survival tactics, communications, U.S. and foreign weapons familiarization, medical, and personnel recovery – all leading up to the daunting “Raven Claw” exercise in the pinewoods and swamps on the Eglin Range.
Following the arduous “bush phase,” the co-located U.S. Air Force Special Operations School steps in to continue the training of the would-be advisors. Weeks of classroom work lie ahead for them, with classes in cross-cultural communications, force protection, irregular warfare, and the dynamics of international terrorism, to name just a few. Given the time, energy, and money committed to developing such advisors, it’s small wonder the Air Force has instituted four-year controlled, special-duty tours for the enlisted airmen.
Graduates of this training gather for a well-earned graduation ceremony that includes award of the Air Commando tab, another reminder of the rich heritage they now hold in their hands. Though the tab is not yet authorized for wear on Air Force uniforms, the issue is reportedly under review.