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Honorary commanders get inside look at 24th SOW

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Erica Horner
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Normally, their daily schedules include filing legal cases or lining up musical guests and interviews, but during a recent visit to Hurlburt Field, Fla., they traded in their paperwork for a glimpse into the mission of the 24th Special Operations Wing.

"Today we had two honorary commanders visit our facility," said Capt. Michael Bain, Special Tactics Training Squadron director of operations. "We felt the best way to show them what we do is by showing them how we train. So, we took them to a drop zone to see the jump operations."

While this was a typical day for the Special Tactics Airmen of the 24th SOW, the honorary commanders were in awe.

"It was very exciting to see the air jump and to see the briefing before and after the jumps," said Hayward Dykes, Jr., Attorney at Conerly, Bowman, & Dykes, LLP. "The military is such a huge part of our community and there's so much going on with the base and its different operations. It makes me appreciate more the service provided by our military personnel."

Not only did the honorary commanders get to witness High Altitude Low Opening, or HALO, free fall proficiency training, they also had the chance to see the Airmen conduct additional battlefield training first-hand.

"We want to let them know what [combat controllers, tactical air control party members, pararescuemen and special operations weathermen team] provide the nation, so we showed them how we hone our skills through water and jump operations, combatives training, and we shared a baseline combat kit one of our guys might carry with them down range," said Bain.

With six Air Force crosses, 30 Silver Stars and a number of Bronze Stars with valor, the 24th SOW is the most decorated unit in the Air Force since the end of the Vietnam War. The wing provides rapid global employment to enable airpower success.

"I was told from the beginning from people outside the program that I had lucked out by getting to be an honorary commander of the 24th SOW, and I can say without a doubt they were right," said Dykes.

Hurlburt's honorary commander program brings local community leaders inside the gates to see the different missions in Air Force Special Operations Command and associate units, and to develop strong partnerships between the base and community.