TACP
Oct 2013 - Apr 2015
118th Air Support Operations Squadron
TACP Trainee
Trained with the North Carolina Air National Guard's 118th Air Support Operations Squadron in the Tactical Air Control Party pipeline, gaining foundational exposure to close air support, joint fires coordination, radio communications, and air-ground integration before transitioning to the 235th ATCS.
01 // The Problem
Building effective air-ground integration requires personnel who understand both the ground maneuver environment and the capabilities and limitations of air power, knowledge that requires structured training in the TACP discipline.
02 // Approach
I joined the 118th ASOS and completed training activities within the TACP pipeline.
The experience focused on:
- close air support procedures
- radio communications across joint nets
- the operating environment TACPs work in alongside Army ground forces
- the discipline required to connect ground maneuver needs with air support capabilities
03 // Outcome
Established the air-ground coordination and communications foundation that supported my transition into airfield operations and air traffic control in April 2015. The training strengthened mission-context awareness that continued to inform later expeditionary, landing zone, and combat airspace responsibilities.