MILITARY WEATHER SUPPORT: A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE FIELD

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MILITARY WEATHER SUPPORT:
A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE FIELD
Capt James C. Caldwell
Special Operations Weather Team Officer (USAF)
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OVERVIEW
• Tactical Survey
• Acronyms
• USAF Weather Support Overview
• Special Operations Forces
• Special Operations Weather Teams
• A Few Notes from the Field
• Questions and Answers
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TACTICAL SURVEY
Veterans in the audience?
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TACTICAL SURVEY
VETERANS IN THE AUDIENCE (%)
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AUDIENCE EXCITEMENT (%)
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TACTICAL SURVEY
VETERANS IN THE AUDIENCE (%)
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AUDIENCE EXCITEMENT (%)
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CURRENT DEPLOYMENT SNAPSHOT
• 200K+ personnel
• 150+ nations outside the U.S.
• All 7 continents
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CURRENT DEPLOYMENT SNAPSHOT
• 200K+ personnel
• 150+ nations outside the U.S.
• All 7 continents
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CURRENT DEPLOYMENT SNAPSHOT
• 200K+ personnel
• 150+ nations outside the U.S.
• All 7 continents
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ACRONYMS
• ob – observation
• ST – Special Tactics
• Spec Ops – Special Operations
• SOWT – Special Operations Weather Team
• SOF – Special Operations Forces (not “soft”)
• MOOTWA – Military Operations Other than War
• FAARP – Forward Area Arming and Refueling Point
• SOAR – Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160 th SOAR)
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USAF WX SUPPORT OVERVIEW
• Air Force Weather support centers are aligned much like the
NWS “hubs”
• The globe is divided up among several centers of excellence
• Ex: the 28th Operational Weather Squadron
• Middle East TAF support, resource protection, JOAF
• Accuracy of the models is related to accuracy of the wx obs
• Accuracy of the forecast relies on both
• GFS is primarily the go-to model in the Middle East
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USAF WX SUPPORT OVERVIEW
• 3 Types of Air Force Wx Personnel
• Air Force support
• Army Support
• AF/Army SOF (extended to other SOF elements downrange)
• All three officer career specifications are only generally
separated
• The Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) has been designated
the Department of Defense's Meteorological Satellite Center of
Excellence
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SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES (UNITS)
• Rangers
• Special Forces
• 160th SOAR
• Navy SEALs
• MARSOC
• Air Force Special Tactics
• Air Force Special Operations Aviation
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SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES (TRUTHS)
• Humans are more important than their hardware
• Their quality is more important than quantities
• SOF cannot be mass-produced
• Competent SOF cannot be created after emergencies occur
• Most special operations require non-SOF assistance
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SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES (MISSIONS)
• Direct Action (DA)
• Counterterrorism
• Special Reconnaissance (SR)* • Humanitarian Assistance (HA)
• Unconventional Warfare (UW)
• Search and Rescue (CSAR)
• Foreign Internal Defense (FID) • Collateral Mission Areas
• Civil Affairs (CA)
• Psychological Operations
(PSYOPs)
* A SOWT specialty
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SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES (UNITS)
• Rangers
• Special Forces
• 160th SOAR
• Navy SEALs
• MARSOC (Force Recon)
• Air Force Special Tactics
• Air Force Special Operations Aviation
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USAF WX FORCES AND SOF…THE CROSSROAD
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SPECIAL OPERATIONS WEATHER TEAM (SOWT)
• U.S. Air Force Special Tactics
• Approximately 80 personnel DoD-wide
• Special Forces, Rangers, Navy SEALs, Marine Spec Ops, 160 th SOAR
• Highly Trained Weathermen and Special Operators
• Go Behind Enemy Lines to Collect Data
• Special Reconnaissance
• Environmental Reconnaissance
• TERREPs / RIVREPs
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Riverine / Surf Zone
Avalanche / Snow Pack
Forward Weather Observing
Timeliness
Accuracy
Limited Data Wx Forecasting
SUAS
Terrain Reconnaissance
Aviation Weather (FSB/FAARP)
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SOWT TACTICAL CAPABILITIES
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Support both time-sensitive and longer-term, sustained ops
Critical determination for aviation operations: CAS, Infiltration, and MedEvac
M4, M9, Mk19, Mk47, M249, M2 weapons qualifications
Battlefield trauma care
Several insertion/extraction methods
Communications (SAT, UHF, VHF, FM)
Tactical pilot to metro service (TPMSV)
Breaching / Demolition
Close quarters battle (CQB)
Small boat operations
Small UAV systems with RSTA kit
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SPOTTER VS. SOWT
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Supplement the Overall Weather Network
Weather Knowledge / Passion (volunteers)
Exposed to Unique Stresses
Communications Savvy
The Quiet Professional
Self-Disciplined
Safety Minded
Teamwork
Armed?
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PARACHUTE OPERATIONS
MFF/HALO parachute operations
Static line parachute operations
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HELO OPERATIONS
Helocasting out of an MH-47
Fast roping ops
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FIREBASE OPERATIONS
Setting up a clandestine weather sensor
Launching a 12Z radio sonde
in western Afghanistan
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MISSION OPERATIONS
MOBOB – Mobile Observation
MEU – Mean Effective Wind
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TERRAIN REPORTS
25
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SO WHAT? WHY USE SOWT?
• We support the tactical, operational and strategic levels
• Aircraft, resupply convoys, other operators in the region need the
data for accurate mission execution
• Boundary-layer wx sensing is critical for helo operations
• Risk vs. benefit (adding raw wx data vice adding forecasters)
• Accuracy and reliability of the observations is critical
• Sensors can fail over time / leave a physical signature
• Force multiplier: SOWT can train indigenous forces (FID)
• Not just weather! Rivers, trafficability, avalanches, surf zone…
• An added operator on the battlefield…useful for the SOF teams
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THE SOWT TRAINING “PIPELINE”
LACKLAND AFB, TX
Basic Military Training
LACKLAND AFB, TX
KEESLER AFB, MS
FT. BENNING, GA
Special Operations Weather Selection Course
Special Operations Weather Course
Airborne Course
L3AQR1W032 0C0A
1W0X2
(10 Academic Days)
PCS
FAIRCHILD AFB, WA
FAIRCHILD AFB, WA
FAIRCHILD AFB, WA
USAF Underwater Egress
Training
Water Survival, NonParachuting
SERE Course
S-V84-A
S-V90-A
(1 Academic Days)
(2 Academic Days)
TDY
S-V80-A
E3AQR1W032 0A1B
(146 Academic Days)
L9AQA1XXXX 0A1A
TDY
(15 Academic Days)
POPE AFB, NC
Special Operations Weather
Apprentice Course
TDY
(17 Academic Days)
PCS
E3ABP1W032 0A1A
(61 Academic Days)
HURLBURT
FIELD, FL
3-LEVEL
AWARDED
Additional training when assigned to SOWT unit
-Advanced Shooting Course
-Combat Control Team Leader’s Course
-Small Unit Tactics
-Tactical First Responder
-Tactical Casualty Combat Care
-Static Line Jump Master
-Alternate Infiltration/Extraction
-HALO, HALO Jump Master
-Basic Demolition
-Advanced Peacetime Detention
-Avalanche Skills Training, Riverine
-SUAS to include Raven B, BATMAV, and WASP III
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A FEW NOTES FROM THE FIELD…
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SUMMARY
• Tactical Survey
• Acronyms
• USAF Weather Support Overview
• Special Operations Forces
• Special Operations Weather Teams
• A Few Notes from the Field
• Questions and Answers
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Captain James “Collin” Caldwell (USAF)
United States Special Operations Command Central
(USSOCCENT)
james.caldwell@soccent.centcom.mil
(813) 828-5869
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