Careers

Career Description

Calling in an airstrike on just the right target at just the right time can change the tide of battle. Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Specialists imbed with Army and Marine units and do just that. One of the few true front-line combat jobs in the Air Force, TACP Specialists are known for their ability to bring overwhelming firepower to the battlefield in the form of artillery and air strikes. The training is physically, mentally and technically intense as you'll have to be able to operate under any environmental condition alongside some of the military's most elite special operations teams.

Career Tasks

• Ensure specific ordnance or bombs are delivered on target
• Brief attack pilots as they enter the target area, ensuring they are aware of the target and friendly positions and other pertinent information
• Learn the systems and procedures necessary to provide the U.S. Army and allied forces with tactical air support
• Operate and maintain cutting-edge technology, including communications, computers, digital networks, targeting and surveillance equipment and various special purpose tactical vehicles
• Develop combat-related skills such as map reading, compass usage, enemy target location, survival, escape and evasion techniques, small unit tactics, camouflage techniques and hostile environment operations and master a variety of weapons

Relevant Interests & Skills

• Weaponry and Materiel
• Intelligence
• Special Operations

Training

After eight-and-a-half weeks of Basic Military Training, every Airman goes to technical training to learn their career. Here's the basic information about Tactical Air Control Party Specialist (TACP) (Males Only) technical training:

School locations: Fairchild AFB [WA], Hurlburt Field [FL], Lackland AFB [TX], Ft Benning [GA]

Length of course: varies

College degree earned: Information Systems Technology

College credits earned: 26