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TACP community dedicates memorial

  • Published
  • By Dawn M. Hart
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
HURLBURT AFB, Fla. --  The tactical air control party community was recognized June 26 with the dedication of a memorial outside the TACP school house here. 

The front of the memorial was dedicated to the service of all TACP members while the back is reserved for those TACPs who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Two names on the memorial recognize Staff Sgt. Jacob Frazier, killed in action March 29, 2003, in Afghanistan and Airman 1st Class Raymond Losano, killed in action April 25, 2003, in Afghanistan. 

"These men gave the ultimate sacrifice and as long as I live I will never be able to give what these men have already given to their country," said Brig. Gen. Michael Longoria, 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing commander, Moody AFB, Ga., who presided over the ceremony. "The reason memorials are important is that it's our obligation to recognize that sacrifice and to honor them." 

Chief Master Sgt. David Devine, Headquarters Air Force TACP career field manager, explained exactly what the more than 250 people who attended the ceremony were there to recognize. 

"It's more than a group of men who are physically fit, technically and tactically competent, and brave enough to jump out of airplanes, repel out of helicopters and run around the front lines of a fight looking for action," he said. "It's men who truly love what they're doing and will do whatever it takes to take care of their buddies and get the job done. What we do isn't always sexy; it's seldom easy and it's often easy to forget about us when there isn't a shooting war going on, but we're always there - waiting and ready for the next call." 

TACPs have been around since 1940 as Army Air Corps air control parties. During Korea and Vietnam radio operators and later radio maintainers were assigned duties as radio operator maintainers and drivers, known as ROMADS. 

Today's TACP is usually a team of two or more U.S. Air Force tactical air controllers. They advise ground commanders on the best use of air power, establish and maintain command and control communications, control air traffic and naval gunfire, and provide precision terminal attack guidance of U.S. and coalition close-air support. 

Today there are 1,045 active duty and 302 Air National Guard TACPs who have something they can call their own, according to Chief Devine, "something that commemorates our sacrifices, our lives and work for many years to come."