Now in year four, Air Force Special Warfare continues their academic year and summer programs to help Air Force ROTC and U.S. Air Force Academy cadets prepare for the 19Z AFSPECWAR AFSCs of Special Tactics Officers, Tactical Air Control Party Officers and Combat Rescue Officers.
These programs help meet the Air Force 19Z accessions goal and remedy the critical 19Z manning shortage as well.
Being the only three AFSCs in the Air Force requiring a rigorous mental and physical pre-commissioning screener, called Phase II, cadets now have opportunities to attend and develop formalized development programs with qualified oversight.
The summer program, Special Warfare Orientation Course, is designed to recruit and prepare interested cadets in AFSPECWAR. This two-week program is offered twice annually at USAFA for a total of 80 AFROTC and USAFA cadets. The construct of SWOC introduces cadets to land and water fitness, problem solving, AFSPECWAR missions, and other field skills during Week one, and culminates in a Mini-Phase II event simulating a day at an actual Phase II. During Week two, cadets plan and execute the Global Access, Precision Strike, and Personnel Recovery missions in Full Mission Profiles. This is to provide a hands-on experience of what Special Warfare missions can look like and to galvanize their desire to prepare for Phase II and pursue a rewarding career in AFSPECWAR. To date, 230 cadets have attended SWOC.
There are three academic year opportunities. First, USAFA’s formalized Special Warfare Club academic year materials are available for AFROTC detachments to download and develop or refine their own SWC. Second, if approved by Air Force Recruiting Service, AFROTC cadets may attend SW Development sessions around the nation run by Air Education and Training Command contracted and insured Field Developers to train and learn the techniques for Phase II-related land and water fitness competencies, reducing risk for detachment commanders. Third, AFROTC cadets may participate in AFRS-led Special Warfare AFROTC Weekend events, which are conducted eight to 10 times throughout the academic year at various detachments hosting these weekend events across each region.
This exposure is designed to help cadets prepare for Phase II, the post-commissioning training pipeline, and a career as a 19Z, according to Col. John M. Graver, individual mobilization augmentee to the director of AF/A3S Air Force Special Warfare.
“We want these cadets who aspire to be AFSPECWAR officers to be successful. Now, we provide them a safe introduction to the events and evaluation criteria,” said Graver.
“We’re on a mission to empower every motivated cadet with the best Special Warfare preparation possible,” said Maj. Eric Atchison of the Air Force Recruiting Service. “Through our immersive SWOC experience at USAFA each summer, the condensed SWAW events around the country during the school year, and the growing network of Special Warfare Clubs at detachments, we’re dedicated to developing the next generation of AFSPECWAR community leaders. This path is uniquely challenging and incredibly rewarding, and we’re searching for determined young men and women ready to rise to the occasion, no matter the obstacles. Do you have what it takes?”
AFROTC detachments should reference the Special Warfare channel in the AFROTC Teams for more information on these Academic Year and Summer opportunities and may reach out to Maj. Atchison for additional information.