Air Force Combat Controllers
Air Force Combat Controllers are air traffic controllers who don't work in a control tower. Instead, they train to insert (by air, ground, or sea) behind enemy lines, without being detected, establish an air traffic control system for our strike aircraft, then sneak out again without the enemy ever knowing they were there. Of course, if they are discovered, they have the training and means to fight there way out. Combat Controllers are "First There" to provide air traffic control anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.
Combat Controllers go through much of the same training program as Air Force Pararescue. The primary difference is where Pararescue training concentrates on medical skills, Combat Controller training takes a different route, providing extensive training in communications and aircraft air traffic control. Like Pararescue, there are eight separate training courses that Combat Controllers attend. To volunteer for Combat Controller, applicants must pass the Air Force Combat Controller PAST.
Air Force Combat Controllers can be recognized by their distinctive scarlet berets.
Combat Controllers are stationed at Pope AFB, NC, Hurlburt Field, FL, McChord AFB, WA, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, and Lackland AFB, TX. There is an Air National Guard Combat Controller Squadron in Kentucky.
Marine Corps Force Recon
Marine Corps Force Recon's mission is to conduct pre-assault and distant post-assault reconnaissance in support of a landing force. Until relatively recently, Marine Recon was not officially considered to be a "Special Operations" Force. In the past, the Marine Corps has been reluctant to have any of their units designated as "elite." To the Marine Corps, all Marines are "elite," and Marine Corps senior leaders made the decision not to have any specific unit designated as "more elite."
However, this plan kind of backfired. More and more of the Special Operations missions were going to the other services, because they had designated "Special Operations," who were all a part of the overall Special Operations Command. This was not a good thing, the brass decided, and Marine Force Recon officially joined the Special Operations Community.
Primarily, Marine Corps Recon has provided ground reconnaissance support for Marine Corps missions, however, with their entry into the overall Special Operations community, this has started to change. Force Recon is now used to provide recon capabilities for joint military service operations, as well, including reconnaissance about routes, obstacles, terrains, and enemy capability. They have the ability to provide real-time information by observing and reporting, using satellite communications.
Marine Recon dates back to World War II. Prior to 1944, Marine Recon units had the primary mission of scout/sniper. In April of 1944, the Marines formed a Battalion consisting of two companies of amphibious reconnaissance. These companies began working with Navy UDTs (Underwater Demolition Teams) to conduct beach reconnaissance and hydrographic survey. Marine Recon, along with UDT reconned for the landings at Iwo Jima in 1945.
When the marines landed in Vietnam in 1965, the MR were there to support their respective Units. In Vietnam the MR conducted deep and distant reconnaissance patrols. They mostly operated in seven-man teams performing the so called 'Stingray' operations. The last marines left Vietnam in 971. Marine Force Recon was dramatically downsized, following Vietnam.
In order to compensate for the reduction, the Marines put Recon through some changes: 23-man Reconnaissance Platoons were created. In 1977, snipers were again a part of the marine units.
