Military Hotrod Club - Whats the USAF job for me?

Okay, I'm in pretty good shape. I was thinking about security forces but I don't want to be a security guard. I want to do more hands-on actually doing something. I also thought about doing special forces jobs, but I don't know what to think of them. I'm in martial arts, I love shooting guns, and I work out. Someone point me in some directions. I've already looked on airforce.com...

do you want to kill or turn a wrench on a system that kills? sounds like your walking the path to...

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforceenlistedjobs/a/afjob1c2x1.htm

I'd like to strap on a gun not do maintenance on one. And I don't really want to do air traffic control, which is in the job description. I'd like to do something that doesn't reauire me behind a desk 24/7.

I know air traffic control wouldn't be 24/7, I just don't like the idea of that job.

1C2X1 - COMBAT CONTROL. my bad i don't know the AFSC .

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforceenlistedjobs/a/afjob1t0x1.htm

http://www.gosere.com/about-sere.htm

http://www.gosere.com/

http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9701924461/m/773106634

i work with ICBM's. the other side of the USAF

Thanks hawk. I'll be looking into those things.

TACP/JTAC-Tactical Air Control Party, 1C4X1. I was a 1A4X1 (Airborne Battle Management) with Joint STARS and spoke with those guys on the radio overseas. They deploy with Army units and call for air support.

The movie Transformers has a pretty cool scene on that. While it was very Hollywood, it does demonstrate fairly accurately (by movie standards) the process of calling for air support (ground unit request for air which is pushed to command and control which pushes to a tactical asset).

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforceenlistedjobs/a/afjob1c4x1.htm

1C4X1 - TACTICAL AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL
Specialty Summary. Performs and manages tactical air control party (TACP) operations. Provides Air Force assistance and expertise in planning and controlling combat air resources. Operates and supervises communications nets to support army ground maneuver units. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 250.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Supervises and conducts mission planning and coordination of combat air resources. Recommends use of combat air resources to support mission requirements, tactics, air support assets, and ordnance capabilities and limitations. Extracts target information from maps. Plans and controls combat air support missions. Coordinates field artillery support.

SFS you dont do to much security guarding just for the heads up. Also might want to look at:

1A7X1 - AERIAL GUNNER
another new one is Combat Weather

SFS you dont do to much security guarding just for the heads up. Also might want to look at:

1A7X1 - AERIAL GUNNER
another new one is Combat Weather

Yup. SFS is a LOT of standing around. However the recruiter pitches that job (ex. ride in helicopters at deployed locations, ATV's etc.), I promise that it's far more boring than you could possibly imagine. We'd come back from 10+hr flights and see the same guards at the flightline ECP as when we took off. lol

While I would say that any enlisted aircrew position is a good deal, they are anything but physically demanding (which is what he's looking for).

CCT, PJ, TACP, EOD, SERE, SOWT.

specialtactics.com - CCT/PJ/SOWT

romad.com - TACP

EOD - youtube, brownorigin.com

gosere.com

Check out Para Rescue, otherwise known as a PJ. Those guys are pretty bad ass.

But if you want to be assured you will not be behind a desk you should really check out BUDS, SEALS. Out of all the branches they have the best setup system for SpecOps.

If you think you're good enough and tough enough the combat controllers are a pretty tough bunch to beat. It's like a forward air controller who gets to shoot shit and fight!! Doesn't get much better than that if that's your mindset.

It's like a forward air controller who gets to shoot shit and fight!

lol...all forward air controllers get to do that, thats where the "forward" comes from.

I'm a TACP, just got out of Afghanistan (actually sittin in manas right now), heres the run down on the TACP vs CCT issue.

First of all you need to know that "JTAC" is the qualification you need to drop bombs, both CCT and TACP go to JTACQC, the school to get that qualification, but only TACP specializes in it, it's our sole purpose in life to be JTACs. Combat Controllers get JTACQC every once in a while as almost an additional duty.

CCT's job is to provide ausetere air traffic control, so for example we go to war with Russia, CCT teams will be attached to ODA (Special Forces teams) teams and Ranger elements who are assigned air field seizures. So they go in and clear out the airfield (shooting and fighting) then provide air traffic control until a "real" air traffic controller is landed. Now CCT guys are certified air traffic controllers and have to maintain that qualification, but I say "real" because its not like they sit in the tower doing it as their main job. You will go to ATC school and while the rest of the pogs get time to study, you will be doing some heinous PT. The CCT pipeline is about 2 years long, hard as fuck, and you will come out of it with Airborne, HALO, Scuba, and SERE training. The swimming is what washes most people out, eventually you will be required to swim 50m underwater, swim with fins for roughly 2 million miles, etc...

TACP's are attached to and deploy with Army units of all shapes and sizes from armor units to ODA and ODD. For instance I was in Afghanistan with paratroopers out of Alaska (although I live in Ft. Lewis with mech guys...but shits all fucked up so I wont get into it haha). Our job is to become and then maintain JTAC status and control close air support for whoever it is that we are with. There are two sides, sitting in a TOC and out in the field, I did a ton of both. It's not high speed, but the plain and simple truth is some missions are better controlled from the TOC, sitting at a desk with a radio and a computer screen where you have much more situational awareness. On the other hand, if youre strafing bad guys 100m away or dropping danger close bombs on mooj, you need to actually be out there. Usually you will be with the on-scene commander, but this can be as low as a squad leader or as high as a full bird if thats what the mission dictates. The TACP schoolhouse is very challenging, my flight graduated with 9 out of 32 originals, but there is no swimming, so if you can just gut it out you will be fine. Ruck marching (you will build up to 12 miles with about 100lbs of gear) and the Field exercise/hell week are what get most people. You won't get any sexy schools right off the bat like CCT, but you can go to any of them if you arent a dirtbag (we just had 3 guys graduate Ranger schools last month for example), SERE is in the pipeline, but after the schoolhouse it will be a joke.


Now here is where it gets kind of confusing. Because of the huge demand for JTACs, CCT gets used to fill in. They ONLY support SOF (Special Operations Forces - SF, SEAL, Delta, etc...). TACP's support conventional units by default, but can try-out and be selected for SOF and Ranger assignments. In fact, those who get assigned to SOF units get sent to Combat Controller units and get sent to any of the cool-guy schools they don't have yet (usually HALO/Scuba). A lot of people feel that eventually the careerfields are just going to merge.


I'm not going to try and beat my chest here, CCT is WAY harder than TACP, but eventually, if it's your goal, both lead to the same job - SOF/Ranger JTAC, in about the same time. The CCT pipeline is so damn long that if you go TACP you will probably already have a deployment and a JTACQC slot by the time youd be finishing AST and going to a CCT unit. On the other hand though, if you go CCT and make it you will strictly live the SOF life, you will live on Air Force bases and have a "Im cool so I do whatever the fuck I want" waiver as opposed to living on Army posts and dealing with Joe (who is fucking stupid btw). You will very rarely find yourself in any kind of a TOC, the training budgets and what not are way bigger, it's just a much better life, thats the bottom line.

I reccomend you go CCT if you think you really are in good enough shape and if you wash out go TACP. There are a lot of guys in the TACP careerfield who are CCT wash-outs, but its usually just the ones who couldn't swim. The guys who wash out because they are dirt-bags or half retarded don't make it at the schoolhouse either.

There's a youtube video the instructors made, search for TACP schoolhouse or something you should be able to find it. It's by "Cleared Hot Productions".

at Manas huh? One of my best buds is there now with the 135's. I'm doin' the Deid.......... dirt cheap!

at Manas huh? One of my best buds is there now with the 135's. I'm doin' the Deid.......... dirt cheap!

Cool. :cheers: I did four trips there (the first was in Camp Andy/the tents). I hear they even have wireless out there now.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=197729&stc=1&d=1253390129

Cool. :cheers: I did four trips there (the first was in Camp Andy/the tents). I hear they even have wireless out there now.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=197729&stc=1&d=1253390129

yep, up town all the way for us. Wireless, living in trailers and shittin' in a cadillac!! Thats some funny shit there....Alabama of the Middle East!! :jest:

SFS you dont do to much security guarding just for the heads up. Also might want to look at:

1A7X1 - AERIAL GUNNER
another new one is Combat Weather

Aerial gunner is something I would absolutely love. I don't necessarily have to have a gun on me, but shooting something would be awesome. I also love flying so an aerial gunner would be awesome. The only thing is I have to get a high score on the asvab..

And combat weather???

Aerial gunner is something I would absolutely love. I don't necessarily have to have a gun on me, but shooting something would be awesome. I also love flying so an aerial gunner would be awesome. The only thing is I have to get a high score on the asvab..

The ASVAB is like a 3rd grade level test, you'll be fine. Also Aerial Gunner is highly sought after, be prepared to wait a long time for it.

And combat weather???

Is a joke, don't even bother

The ASVAB is like a 3rd grade level test, you'll be fine. Also Aerial Gunner is highly sought after, be prepared to wait a long time for it.


Alright man haha. TACP sounds and looks awesome. If you have time, do you mind just going through like a week of what you do? I'm starting to get really interested. I know that I'm physically able to do the stuff in that TACP school house vid on youtube.

Alright man haha. TACP sounds and looks awesome. If you have time, do you mind just going through like a week of what you do? I'm starting to get really interested. I know that I'm physically able to do the stuff in that TACP school house vid on youtube.


Good deal, I typed something like that up for some one before, I'll search for it tonight and post it up for you. I'm thinking maybe I should make a TACP FAQ thread or something.

It's crazy, not too long ago recruiters didnt even know what TACP was.

Check out Para Rescue, otherwise known as a PJ. Those guys are pretty bad ass.

But if you want to be assured you will not be behind a desk you should really check out BUDS, SEALS. Out of all the branches they have the best setup system for SpecOps.

I would really have to argue with that one. What are you using to base which branch has the best setup for specops. What setup are you talking about that is so great that the Army dosent have. Unless of course you are talking about which one looks cooler in the movies cause than yeah SEALs are the way to go.:wrist:

Good deal, I typed something like that up for some one before, I'll search for it tonight and post it up for you. I'm thinking maybe I should make a TACP FAQ thread or something.

It's crazy, not too long ago recruiters didnt even know what TACP was.

Wow haha. Thanks for looking it up for me.

Heres the thread I was thinking of,

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/military-hotrod-club/1049165-tacp-life.html

Keep in mind that thats just a typical "day at the office." That doesn't account for the TDY's you will go on (at first you wont go on any, by the time you are a JTAC you will be TDY 200+ days a year) or general field exercises.

Sweet. I appreciate it. Anything you'd suggest to do before joining? Physical fitness wise or to mentally prepare myself?

Well they just recently converted the standards to AF PT standards instead of the Army (so we don't take 4 PT tests a year anymore), but the actual PT itself is still the same. "In-Shape" in our world is 300+ on the Army PT test, in the 18-whatever it is age bracket.

Don't try to work on ruck marching, you will probably just hurt yourself instead of doing any good. The program they run down there at the schoolhouse works very well, I went from never rucking or hiking or anything like that to sub 3 hour 12 miles with no injuries, so I always recommend to just to stick with their routine.

If you are asking what to specifically work on though, showing up able to do like 10 pull-ups already will take a lot of stress out of the PT tests, and being able to run 4-5 miles at a solid pace will help keep you from falling out of the runs, which paints a target on your back. In the end though, they will find something you suck at and make you do it a lot.

If you are asking what to specifically work on though, showing up able to do like 10 pull-ups already will take a lot of stress out of the PT tests, and being able to run 4-5 miles at a solid pace will help keep you from falling out of the runs, which paints a target on your back. In the end though, they will find something you suck at and make you do it a lot.

Nice haha. I can do 10 straight. I've been working on it because I looked up the standards and it was like 6 or something. Just wondering, is there a range you can go to on base during your free time or do you have to be working?

Pull up using underhand grip or pull up using over hand grip ?

Pull up using underhand grip or pull up using over hand grip ?

palms away.

Aerial gunner is something I would absolutely love. I don't necessarily have to have a gun on me, but shooting something would be awesome. I also love flying so an aerial gunner would be awesome. The only thing is I have to get a high score on the asvab..

And combat weather???

you have really good chances of getting stuck on spooky and just being a flying loader if you go AG. that sucks cock IMO.

you have really good chances of getting stuck on spooky and just being a flying loader if you go AG. that sucks cock IMO.

flying loader ? Like loadmaster you mean ? I heard being a loadmaster is a fun job.

flying loader ? Like loadmaster you mean ? I heard being a loadmaster is a fun job.

no. you are on the aircraft loading the ammunition so it can be fired.

loadmaster is completely different.

the dudes in the video @ 40 seconds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx9E1kQ1xig

Nice haha. I can do 10 straight. I've been working on it because I looked up the standards and it was like 6 or something. Just wondering, is there a range you can go to on base during your free time or do you have to be working?

Graduation standard is 8, no unit will send you to Airborne unless you can do 10+. The biggest thing down there is form. Pushups you must keep your back strait and your elbows have to go passed 90*, Situps are flat on the ground to shoulders past your knees, pullups you have to dead-hang between reps.

I want to do more hands-on actually doing something. Someone point me in some directions. I've already looked on airforce.com...

You also stated that you don't want to be behind a desk 24/7....may I suggest 3E2X1 Pavements and Heavy Equipment Operator? We are outside all day almost everday working with our hands and construction equipment buidling roads, runways, sidewalks, parking lots, aircraft parking aprons, pouring concrete, placing asphalt, building drainage systems, fixing or installing fences, all that kind of stuff, we deploy frequently, have a pretty good bonus right now, and you can look back on a base years later and say I left my mark here, I built that. We work hard, get dirty, and drink hard. We are undermanned for E-5 and below right now, tell your recruiter you want to be a dirtboy.

We work hard, get dirty, and drink hard. We are undermanned for E-5 and below right now, tell your recruiter you want to be a dirtboy.

I don't care for the hard drinking. And I'm comfy around guns so thats probably not the job for me.

I don't care for the hard drinking. And I'm comfy around guns so thats probably not the job for me.

You might want to stay away from aircrew career fields too, lol.

I was talking about pay, and what is alloted to the team. SEALs get paid for being airborne qualified, Scuba, Halo, and Demo. As for Special Forces, I only get Halo and Demo pay. I am not sure why it is done this way, but it is. In the ARMY you only get what you are using at the moment, SEALs get trained for all of it at the same time. So if I were on a Scuba team then I would get scuba pay until I left the team. I am not talking down on anyone, just posting what I have seen in my career.

Combat Control and Pararescue get that as well. They get all that training up front and get paid for it wether they do it or not. They make like $900 a month in special pays.

Navy EOD has the best pipeline into spec ops if you are smart enough.

you don't take such a hard physical hit going in and they build you up as you progress through the underwater portion of EOD training.

they also get all the qualifications and the pay that comes with it.

AF EOD looks to be working its way towards this as well, dudes from STTS are coming on wed to work on the PT program to get the EOD pipeline in line with ST standards.

Hey buddy I'm glad you are looking into the service.

I myself went throw CCT training back in end of 99-01. Its pretty demanding schoolhouse. But if you are in CCT you train with and help push your buddies along the way. The kids going through the regular ATC school (332nd) have no real support from anyone besides themselves. You are being tested not only per military standards but FAA standards as well to qualify for ACT.

The physical requirements are pretty high but they will train you. No matter what physical shape people think they are in prior to CCT (opinion on my experience) they are in for a big surprise lol. The biggest guys are often the ones that fail out.

If you do choose to do the CCT route then I would try to work on my swimming, holding your breath lol, allot and I mean allot of running. Does not have to be fast running just a controlled steady run with controlled breathing.

Any of the training is going to stress and test you mentally and physically. Sometimes we had people get washed out because of an injury during training. Not their fault but happens just the same.

A side note though.. and some may argue with me about this one. Do you have a family??? Kids, wife, etc... This becomes a huge factor for most through the years. It can take its toll.

I myself was washed out after all my ATC schooling, survival school, etc, etc for medical reasons (thought I had throat cancer). I was forced to change career fields and I was put into computers lol. Yes I know combat to computers rofl. But now since I am out I am really glad it happened like that.

TACP is a great way to go as well. I would highly recommend them. I went through some training early on down in Florida with those guys. Really good group.

I give you alot of credit for doing the research because so many dont do it and expect something totally different.

Its hard, its rewarding, and one of the beast experiences of my life.

May God Bless those that have fallen and those who have served. :usa:

as of today AF EOD has approval for having initial entry standards somewhere along the lines of TACP, CCT, PJ, SERE. they haven't ironed out the exact standards yet but hopefully the new pipeline will be dumping most of the quitters back in lackland.

Combat Control and Pararescue get that as well. They get all that training up front and get paid for it wether they do it or not. They make like $900 a month in special pays.

You should pay attention to what this gentleman has to say. I have read this entire thread and he knows his stuff. I have worked out with the TACP's at Hurby (been there since 99) and I can tell you...getting "smoked" is a relative term.

I am a C2A572 flying helicopter crew chief by trade. I spent some time doing FID for 4 years and loved it. Good luck with whatever you choose...But if your going to be OOH-RAH in the AF you better choose something AFSOC related. :nod: