Mission
The 24th Special Operations Wing is one of three Air Force active-duty special operations wings assigned to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command. The 24 SOW is based at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
The primary mission of the 24 SOW is to provide Special Tactics forces for rapid global employment to enable airpower success. The 24 SOW is U.S. Special Operations Command's tactical air/ground integration force and the Air Force's special operations ground force to enable global access, precision strike and personnel recovery operations.
Core capabilities encompass airfield reconnaissance, assessment and control; personnel recovery; joint terminal attack control; and environmental reconnaissance.
Special Tactics is comprised of Special Tactics officers, combat controllers, combat rescue officers, pararescuemen, air liaison officers, tactical air control party operators and a number of combat support airmen, which comprise 58 Air Force specialties.
These unique skills provide a full-spectrum, air-focused special operations capability to the combatant commander in order to ensure airpower success. With their unique skill sets, Special Tactics operators are often the first special operations elements deployed into crisis situations.
Organization
The 24 SOW has two operational groups, a training squadron and 16 special operations recruiting liaison operating locations. Altogether, the wing has elements in 29 locations.
The 123rd Special Tactics Squadron -- based at Standiford Field, Kentucky (now Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport) -- and the 125th Special Tactics Squadron at Portland International Airport, Oregon, are Air National Guard gained units that augment the 24 SOW in support of national security objectives, combat operations, humanitarian efforts and training.
Units
720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field
10th Combat Weather Squadron, Hurlburt Field
17th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Benning Georgia
21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.
22nd Special Tactics Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field
720th Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field
Special Tactics Training Squadron (STTS), Hurlburt Field: Delivering advanced and special tactics skills to combat control, tactical air control party, Special Tactics, pararescuemen, security forces, combat aviation adviser and Special Operations medical elements. STTS is also responsible for operating the Special Operations Terminal Attack Controller Course in Yuma, Arizona. SOTACC trains special operations forces from the Marines, Army, and USAF to become joint terminal attack controllers, enabling them to plan, synchronize and control close air support in the conduct of special operations missions.
Special Operations Recruiting Liaison Operating Locations (OL)
OL-A, HQ 24 SOW, Hill Air Force Base, Utah
OL-B, HQ 24 SOW, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
OL-C, HQ 24 SOW, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
OL-D, HQ 24 SOW, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
OL-E, HQ 24 SOW, Encino, California
OL-F, HQ 24 SOW, Sacramento, California
OL-G, HQ 24 SOW, Colorado Springs, Colorado
OL-H, HQ 24 SOW, Nashville, Tennessee
OL-I, HQ 24 SOW, Syracuse, N.Y.
OL-J, HQ 24 SOW, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
OL-K, HQ 24 SOW, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida
OL-L, HQ 24 SOW, Des Moines, Iowa
OL-M, HQ 24 SOW, Goldsboro, N.C.
OL-N, HQ 24 SOW, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
OL-O, HQ 24 SOW, Milwaukee
OL-P, HQ 24 SOW, Joint Base Lewis-McChord
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