SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Editor's note: This is part one of a three-part series on the 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron tactical air control party members and their stories of their everyday job and responsibilities.

In the joint forces war that is fought today, the tactical air control party is the glue that brings air and ground power together.

Even though the TACP are part of the Air Force, many are unaware of who they are, said Staff Sgt. James Poole, 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron TACP.

"A lot of times people will see the black beret and say, 'Hey, how do you like security forces,'" he added.

He explained the role of TACP is to coordinate air strikes on the ground, whether immediate or preplanned and to liaison with the Army for air power.

"Our overall role is to provide all of the air power support to the ground commander," said Lt. Col. Dale Sinnott, 682nd ASOS commander. "So, any air power that integrates into the Army or ground community we're apart of."

When the TACP get deployed, they generally go out with the Army and make calls for support for anything from fixed wing, rotary wing, unmanned aerial vehicles and even Army artillery to Naval gunfire,  said Senior Airman Michael Munson, 682nd TACP.

Becoming a TACP was not easy, said Airman Munson.

He started out training with a class of 47 and only eight graduated. He went through his original technical school at Hurlburt Field for four months and then to Fairchild Air Force Base for survival training, combat mission readiness at Fort Campbell and then a temporary duty assignment for close air support training, which was the building block of the program.

And, the training didn't stop there.
 
Afterwards, he was sent to Nellis Air Force Base for the Air Suuport Operation Center initial qualifications course, where he was evaluated and then considered a controller.

On top of all that, he added, he's been through air assault and Marine hand-to-hand trainer schools.

"It's a very physically and mentally demanding job," said the TACP Airman. "You have to learn all of the equipment and how to move and shoot in combat."

The ASOSs TACP also have different career fields that are assigned to them, Sergeant Poole said. The Airmen from those career fields will also go through the same air assault and Airborne schools.

The 682nd ASOS has 23 separate career fields in the squadron that support the mission of an Airman communicating with an aircraft to put bombs on a target, said Colonel Sinnott.
"Usually with every slot we get at those schools, per two TACP, we'll send a support guy as well," said Sergeant Poole. "Coming to an ASOS, the vehicles, equipment and missions, is a big change from what they usually do. They have to learn a new system, new mindset and mission. But, it's a career broadening experience."

One of the interesting things about the TACP, is that very few Air Force bases have a TACP squadron.

According to Colonel Sinnott, for the active duty AF, Shaw is the only AFB with a Combat Mission Ready TACP unit assigned to it in the continental U.S. There are a few overseas, but all the other TACP in the CONUS are on Army posts.

"It's a long history of why we've been here," said Colonel Sinnot. "It dates back to the years when we had Air Divisions and Tactical Air Control Wings. The 682nd has always been here."