JTACs

1st Lt. Drew Parks, Air Liaison Officer, 82nd Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron, communicates with a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet supporting Operation Spartan Shield on Sept. 11, 2012, Southwest Asia. JTAC's establish and maintain command and control communications, control air traffic, naval gun fire, and provide precision terminal attack guidance of U.S. and coalition close air support. Parks hometown is Hampstead, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder)

A dose of Army mixed with a dash of Big Blue

U.S. Air Force Joint Terminal Attack Controller, Senior Airman Cristobal Galindo, 807th Expeditionary Air Support Squadron, and native of San Bernardino, Calif., looks over the terrain on near Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2011. Galindo is a about to go on a foot patrol with members of U.S. Army Alpha Troop, 2nd Squad, 38th Cavalry, Ft. Hood, Texas, to clear an area suspected to have insurgent activity and, if necessary, direct combat aircraft providing close air support. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jeffrey Allen)

1st ASOG administratively assigned to Eielson

Published Oct. 30, 2012
By Senior Airman Yash Rojas
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- The beginning of fiscal 2013 marked a change to the 1st Air Support Operations Group. The group was administratively reassigned to the 354th Fighter Wing effective Oct. 1.

Located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and with units also in Hawaii, Japan and Alaska, the group was reassigned following the inactivation of the 13th Air Force. The shift will not relocate any personnel.

Airmen assigned to the 1st ASOG are part of the Air Force, but fulfill a unique job entirely. They support Army maneuver units, integrating air combat power to enhance capabilities in forward operations. Two-man teams, usually a joint terminal attack controller and a supporting Airman, make up a tactical air control party and are commonly attached to an Army unit.

Army leadership relies on the CAS mission to help keep ground troops safe and secure, often using critical information provided by JTACs and operational weather support to aid combat units. The TACPs are responsible for directing the action of combat aircraft for close air support.

"All of us here at Eielson are excited to work with the great battlefield Airmen of the 1st ASOG. They are the combat connectivity tissue between the Air Force and the Army that enables the true speed and precision of airpower. Army brigade and battalion commanders rely heavily on 1 ASOG air liaison officers and joint terminal attack controllers on the battlefield. Conversely, Taliban field commanders know that the time from initial contact to a JTAC-controlled airstrike is 20 minutes at the most. For the enemy to survive, they are forced to quickly break contact to avoid JTAC-controlled airpower. This indispensible capability has cultivated a strong relationship with our Army teammates." said Brig. Gen. Mark Kelly, 354th Fighter Wing commander.

Kelly said while many Airmen from the 1st ASOG are serving outside of the arctic, he is excited to have them as a part of the Iceman team.

"Without a doubt they are a positive addition to the 354th Fighter Wing," he added.