Free Republic

Yesterday a group of us discussed our prior military experiences, we had never met before and it was informal employment seminar for my business. I exclusively hire vets and being one, I know we are all capable of embellishing our careers with war stories. Amazingly, not one guy claimed to be a SEAL or Green Beret but, one woman in the group claimed that she was a former USAF Enlisted Tactical Air Controller. It just didn't smell right and I asked about her training. She said Keesler AFB. She couldn't "find" her DD 214. I told her I could go...

During the years of operation in Syria, the Russian fighters, bombers and attack helicopters rained down on the heads of islamists tons of bombs, missiles and rockets. The great performance of air forces is confirmed by numerous videos and regular reports of the Ministry of Defense of the thousands of destroyed ISIS objects. However, those on the ground who at great risk to themselves helps the flyboys beat the enemy unjustly remain in the shadows. About the dangerous profession of the forward air controllers RIAN is reporting now. "The eyes of aviation" Forward air controller (PAN - Russian military slang)...

They were attacked by small-arms and machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades from two directions. The team split up to maneuver around the enemy threat, with Sergeant Huhman's team taking cover behind a mud wall. Using his joint terminal attack control skills, the combat controller directed a flight of F-15E Strike Eagles to drop two 500-pound bombs 50 meters from his position. The "danger close" drops successfully eliminating enemy fighters embedded on a hilltop. Sergeant Huhman, repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire, continued to call in close-air support for the team and coordinated a route allowing them to escape from...

"The strong will stand, the weak will fall by the wayside." For Air Force tactical air control party airmen, these words are more than just a motto; they also serve as a battle cry. Wherever American military forces are found, TACP airmen are sure to be nearby. Nicknamed the "Air Force infantry" because they spend most of their career assigned to Army units, tactical controllers can most often be found embedded with special operations forces. "Our primary role is to direct combat strike aircraft against enemy targets," said Staff Sgt. Alan Lesko, TACP noncommissioned officer in charge with the Army's...