JTAC/TACP Uniform Question

[Nkomo]

I have a question. I was doing a little research on USAF TACP's and JTAC's. According to what I found out, they are all Airborne qualified and are authorized to wear wings on their uniforms.

 

NOW....I found a picture of a JTAC and he is not wearing the Airborne wings on his DCU top. I am attaching a picture of some JTAC's doing some training and the Staff Sgt. in the front is not wearing wings. It looks as if he is assigned, because he is wearing the 101st ABN patch on the left sleeve above his rank insignia.

 

Do TACP's or JTAC's have to wear the jump wings on their uniforms? In what circumstances would they not wear the wings? Any help is greatly appreciated. :thumbsup:

[hawkdriver]

Baubles are great for garrison when you are trying to one-up someone at the O-club, but in the field, not so practical. An operator once told me, when you get captured, there are special rooms for special people. Maybe these guys don't want to take the "I have airborne wings" beating.

[316th FS 324th FG]

I have a set to one Delta officer. Every one of his uniforms has a different patch/badge set up. I asked him why and his reply was, "I just decided not to put everything on every uniform." And those were even his garrison uniforms. I would assume your TACP guy did the same.

[Nkomo]

Thanks for the replies, fellers!

[hawkdriver]

They never get uniforms right in the movies, hence why Robert Mitchum's uniform in your picture is incorrect

[Nkomo]

They never get uniforms right in the movies, hence why Robert Mitchum's uniform in your picture is incorrect

LOL! You are too funny!!

[hawkdriver]

Sorry, that was Rodney Dangerfield in the first picture with Robert Mitchum in the second. Need to get my facts straight.

[MPage]

Are you certain that all TACP's are airborne-qualified? I have a couple infantry division TACP coats (BDUs) and none of them have wings; However, I have seen TACP coats of men who were attached to 82nd Airborne or SF and those did have wings.

[Nkomo]

I am thinking they have to be Airborne qualified, but I could be wrong on that. Like you, I have seen uniforms from USAF personnel assigned to Army units and some have jump wings and others don't. I was just wondering why that is.

Arch

[MPage]

I am thinking they have to be Airborne qualified, but I could be wrong on that. Like you, I have seen uniforms from USAF personnel assigned to Army units and some have jump wings and others don't. I was just wondering why that is.

Arch

 

On another site I found this:

Training? TACPs go to the TACP Tech School at Hurlburt Field,FL. It is a very easy school and if you can't make it mentally or physically, you should go home to mama right away. While at Tech School they can compete for a Jump School slot and be assigned to a jump unit.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/sear...7/CCT_TACP.html

I guess they can choose to become jump-qualified particularly if they wish to go to an airborne unit.

[Nkomo]

On another site I found this:

I guess they can choose to become jump-qualified particularly if they wish to go to an airborne unit.

:thumbsup: Thanks!

[solsys]

I can attest that not all TACPs are jump qualified. It is important to note that JTAC is a qualification and not a careerfield. JTACs can come from a couple of different careerfields within the USAF as well as from other services. Not all TACP members are yet JTAC qualified.

 

TACP (Tactical Air COntrol Party) actually denotes the team that a TACCS (Tactical Air Command and Control Specialist) serves on. It is usually led by an Air Liaison Officer who has traditionally been a rated officer (Pilot, Nav, Air Weapons Director) but recently the Air Force has created a non-rated careerfield for career ALOs. On the TACP will also be several TACCS. Confused yet?

 

However, TACCS or ROMADs (Radio Operator Maintainer and Driver) or TACPs, regardless of what you call them do all wear the USAF Command and Control badge which has a wreath that may resemble jump wings. These are not often worn in the field. Instead, you will often see a JTAC qualified individual wearing an IR placard on their sleeve with the letters, "JTAC."

[Nkomo]

Solsys,

Thanks for the information.. :thumbsup:

[173rdlt]

From my experience all of the JTACS I worked with were ABN qualified but none of them wore the wings. If garrison however, I did see them wear wings. Maybe its a field/deployment uniform vs. garrison uniform approach. Hope that helps.

[solsys]

If you are in an airborne unit all of your JTACs will be jumpers as well. However, if you are in a leg unit, your JTACs won't be jump qualified unless they went with another unit. It is not part of their pipeline unless they are headed to a J coded billet. Also, you have to watch because officers who attend the Air Force Academy are awarded jump wings for participating in the skydiving program but are not considered airborne qualified by the Air Force. Before one of these officers can enter a J coded billet they have to go to Benning.