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Old 01-22-2019, 22:52   #1
torturedxeno
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From the Air Force side: SOWT is out, Special Reconnaissance is in

http://afspecialwarfare.com/sowt-to-...52xKmxHDmNIurU

BLUF: Air Force Special Operations Command is phasing out the Special Operations Weather Technician career-field by changing their core skillset to special reconnaissance rather than meteorology.

Personal note: I had heard rumors for years that SOWTs were being misused as extra shooters or as regular desk forecasters, depending on the setting, but it wasn't until early last year that I heard talk of them possibly being converted to a reconnaissance role. I wonder if this means they will no longer attach to other SOF teams like their PJ and CCT brethren still do.
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Old 01-23-2019, 06:20   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by torturedxeno View Post

1) Personal note: I had heard rumors for years that SOWTs were being misused as extra shooters

2) if this means they will no longer attach to other SOF teams like their PJ and CCT brethren still do.
1) Anyone attached to any SOF team,, Has to be a Pew Pew guy by default. If they fail to understand that they are useless.

2)If I read that article correctly, The AF plans to put more emphasis on Pew Pew skils.

Quote:
Special Reconnaissance Pipeline

The SR training pipeline will closely mirror their AFSOC counterparts: Combat Controllers and Pararescue. They will all attend initial selection together at Lackland, as well as pre-dive, dive school, jump schools (static line and HALO) and survival school. From there, it is expected SR will head to their own Reconnaissance School before heading to Combat Control School and advanced skills training. This is an in-draft pipeline example:

Assessment & Selection Course
Pre-Dive School
Dive School
Static Line Jump School
Military Freefall School
Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE) School
Reconnaissance School
Combat Control School


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Old 01-23-2019, 10:58   #3
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Old 01-23-2019, 13:45   #4
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Everyone is SOF these days - it's the only way to stay relevant.
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Old 01-23-2019, 14:42   #5
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We had them around with us. Great for determining whether or not you needed to build a hootch by taking frequent barometric pressure readings. Not much else
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Old 01-23-2019, 14:45   #6
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The real question is what color will their heard gear be?😱
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Old 01-23-2019, 14:50   #7
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The real question is what color will their heard gear be?😱
Stealth
it will be stealth colored and made from a secret fabric
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Old 01-23-2019, 17:17   #8
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I always love the AFN commercial they ran over in box with the guys all kitted up and moving "stealthily" through the thick jungles and swamps with death lurking behind every tree and the guy releases a weather balloon up through the canopy. I guess they were the crack suicide weather team planning the wind drift calculations for a Daisy Cutter.
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Old 01-23-2019, 21:38   #9
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Weatherman and SOF are clearly interchangeable jobs. I have never actually met a high speed meteorologist. I’m sure they are out there. I do have personal knowledge of a couple of B Team guys using their spinning weather ouija boards to help green light drops that should have been flagged. Probably working as NFC Refs now.


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Old 01-23-2019, 23:04   #10
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It's AIRMA'AM

...AIRMA'AM !!!!
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Old 01-24-2019, 09:44   #11
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It's AIRMA'AM

...AIRMA'AM !!!!
AIRMA'AM, MAN'GINA, CORN'HOLIO what difference does it make ? Hillary Klint0n
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Old 01-24-2019, 18:58   #12
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P C Alive & Well.

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It's AIRMA'AM

...AIRMA'AM !!!!
More BS from the liberal left; That has nothing better to do. My advice! call them as you see them.
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Old 01-25-2019, 07:58   #13
torturedxeno
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Originally Posted by JJ_BPK View Post
1) Anyone attached to any SOF team,, Has to be a Pew Pew guy by default. If they fail to understand that they are useless.

2)If I read that article correctly, The AF plans to put more emphasis on Pew Pew skils.




Right now, SOWT trainees go through almost all the same schools as Combat Controllers, but they go through the 8-month weather schoolhouse at Keesler rather than ATC school. Also, HALO school and dive school are optional.
This new pipeline looks like its basically turning them into CCTs without the ATC capability, although I suspect they'll still be trained to do environmental reconnaissance (e.g., riverine assessment, avalanche assessment, setting up portable weather sensors, etc.).
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Old 02-01-2019, 06:26   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by torturedxeno View Post
Right now, SOWT trainees go through almost all the same schools as Combat Controllers, but they go through the 8-month weather schoolhouse at Keesler rather than ATC school. Also, HALO school and dive school are optional.
This new pipeline looks like its basically turning them into CCTs without the ATC capability, although I suspect they'll still be trained to do environmental reconnaissance (e.g., riverine assessment, avalanche assessment, setting up portable weather sensors, etc.).
That's right. The level/length of training for SOWT was unsustainable, and when done they were only using a portion of their training and the rest atrophied; mission and training mismatch also contributed to morale issues. The new pipeline through the Weather schoolhouse will be shortened a lot to just the environmental reconnaissance skills needed, with more focus on other team skills.
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