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  • The history of the 1st Special Operations Wing revisited

    The 1st Special Operations Wing has a rich and honored history that began in Burma and continues at Hurlburt Field. The 1st SOW can trace its lineage back to "Project 9" which evolved into the 1st Air Commando Group during World War II. During the Quebec Trident Conference of August 1943, it was

  • Tilt-wing aircraft traces beginnings to 1954

    While the CV-22 platform may seem to some like a fairly recent flying concept, the idea of a rotor driven aircraft that could vector its thrust surfaced as far back as the 1950s. In 1951, Bell Helicopter began the XV-3 development under a joint Army-Air Force program. This design resembled more of a

  • Blue evolution - tracing U.S. Air Force history

    The Air Force's humble beginnings can be traced back to the time of the Civil War, with the use of hot air balloons for artillery spotting. On Aug. 1, 1907, the US Army Signal Corps established a small Aeronautical Division to take charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air

  • TACP training

    Often seen running on Hurlburt Field roads with ruck sacks, M-16s and bright orange helmets are the tactical air control party students from Detachment 3, 342nd Training Squadron. When U.S. troops are in combat, the close air support could be called in by a Tactical Air Control Party that trained at

  • Space academy: Pair of Hurlburt youths have the Right Stuff

    Dreams of flying high got a space shuttle sized boost for two Hurlburt Field youths. Ben Chastain, 14-year-old son of Tech. Sgt. Mike and Laura Chastain, and Regan Roshetko, 12-year-old son of Lt. Col. Chet and Carla Roshetko, were selected to attend a week-long Space Academy course at Huntsville,

  • Dagger Point: Retired Lt. Col. Jerry Klingaman discusses operations in Laos

    (Dagger Point is a multi-part series focusing in Air Commando history.) Lt. Col. Jerome "Jerry" Klingaman, 6th Special Operations Squadron director of strategy and plans, was the air operations center commander and air combat advisor during two consecutive deployments to Laos. During his first

  • Dagger Point: Story of Faith and Bravery

    (Dagger Point is a multi-part series focusing on Air Commando history.) Lt. Col. John Alvarez, 6th Special Operations Squadron Commander, is no stranger to adversity. In 1996, the then Navy helicopter pilot participated in a Military exchange program with the 20th SOS, deployed to Ecuador near the

  • AFSOC Airmen, spouses visit Cannon Air Force Base

    "It's not Hurlburt, but you can't make comparisons between the two," said Chief Master Sgt. Dexter Mitchell, 16th Maintenance Group chief of production and wing weapons manager. Chief Mitchell and his wife, Kathryn, were part of a group of 46 Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen and spouses

  • Base photographers set their sights on Airmen

    There are those among us who have been trained to capture in an instant. They blend into the crowd, seeking out their targets with efficiency and professionalism. They glide through the shadows, moving stealthily, so as not to frighten their mark, patiently waiting for the opportunity to strike.

  • Historian returns to his Army roots

    The 16th Special Operations Wing History Office chief leaves Hurlburt Field today to be the director of the Army Aviation Center History Office at Ft. Rucker, Ala. John Dabrowski has spent more than eight years documenting the history of the Air Commandos, as well as assisting with numerous