Article

2023-03-21 Science & Technology

Info on USAF Special Ops outfit that was new to me - and maybe to you

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Posted by Slenter Panda4300 2023-03-21 07:18|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 "The USAF rebranded SWOT as Air Force Special Reconnaissance (SR) in 2019. Weather forecasting technology relegated SWOT as obsolete. However, the Air Force was unwilling to disband the unit totally." So it poaches on other services turf.

Posted by Slavising Unineting5672 2023-03-21 08:52|| 2023-03-21 08:52|| Front Page Top

#2 /\ When I see something labeled as "Special" it immediately triggers my 'follow the money' sensor.

Posted by Besoeker 2023-03-21 09:02|| 2023-03-21 09:02|| Front Page Top

#3 um? So... snake-eating nerds?

Posted by Voldemort Tingle6624 2023-03-21 09:28|| 2023-03-21 09:28|| Front Page Top

#4 There was a union shop steward at one plant that I worked that was nicknamed Special Ed. He did not have the physic that would lead me to consider him as a special forces vet. It must have been deep cover.

Posted by Super Hose 2023-03-21 10:08|| 2023-03-21 10:08|| Front Page Top

#5 I thought JSOC and the big push for Joint-you-name-it Task Forces was to obviate the "we gotta have one of those" mindset of the services? Duplication, however well done, splits resources and the available talent pool.

Posted by NoMoreBS 2023-03-21 11:42|| 2023-03-21 11:42|| Front Page Top

#6 Yep, the best of the best. I was aware of such units. Small like a cell. Some devote many years to these efforts. On call. High level of security and special skills. Two spooks who have visited here have said our government is capable of anything. When the Ukraine business started we had a unit(6) lodged in a Kiev motel for a night but were ordered to leave next morning immediately. Not reported of course. Shroud of secrecy and such. So the story remains buried as planed. After all its special operations.

Posted by Dale 2023-03-21 15:24|| 2023-03-21 15:24|| Front Page Top

#7 I served 4 years in 2/75 Rangers. Initially went to the USAF recruiter and told him I wanted to join the Combat Control Teams. Said he’d never heard of them. Walked across the hall and signed up in the Army. Arrived at the unit and of course got to work with the CCT guys. When they deployed with us they’d always say “these quarters are not to Air Force standards” and would literally check into the nearest Hilton. That being said, they performed well in the field. FYI CCT is a combination of forward air control for air strikes crossed with air traffic control. Nice work if you can get it.

Posted by Griter Slash1619 2023-03-21 17:47|| 2023-03-21 17:47|| Front Page Top

#8 Thank you for your door exits GS. RLTW!

Posted by Besoeker 2023-03-21 18:04|| 2023-03-21 18:04|| Front Page Top

#9 One of my late dad's late friends, I am convinced, was some sort of air force special forces, but when pressed he said he wound up on those missions because he ran out of radios to repair back at base and got bored. I don't know if this unit was it but it's something to read about.

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2023-03-21 18:25|| 2023-03-21 18:25|| Front Page Top

#10 And as for Dad himself... wow. 35 years of not talking about what he did so it could be sold in 2012 during the OPM database "hack."

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2023-03-21 19:44|| 2023-03-21 19:44|| Front Page Top

#11 ^ :-(

Posted by Frank G 2023-03-21 20:07|| 2023-03-21 20:07|| Front Page Top

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