AF to learn more AFSOC skills

The head of the Air Force Special Operations Command, HQ’d at Hurlburt Field along the Florida Gulf Coast, says his organization will get closer to other parts of the service so they can wage war from more austere locations across the world, which is traditionally ‘Spec Ops’ skill-set that the Defense Department wants to adopt more broadly. “We're looking to help the rest of the Air Force learn some of the things that we've learned over the years,” Lt. Gen. James C. Slife told reporters Sept. 16 at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, “as well as to enable the rest of the Air Force in many ways.” There have been a “number of exercises” AFSOC has done with the Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces Europe commands where its C-130s and airmen refuel fighters in “forward, unimproved landing strips to generate high sortie tempo for those fighter aircraft.” The general argues that AFSOC is traditionally seen more as a U.S. Special Operations Command (based in Tampa) component rather than part of the Air Force, but that will change. (Source: AF Magazine 09/16/19) http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/September%202019/AFSOC-Aims-to-Build-Force-Wide-Expeditionary-Warfare-Skills.aspx