A female Airman has passed Air Force special warfare selection and is now beginning the arduous process of training to become a combat controller. There are currently three other women who are working through the Air Force’s 76-week special operations training pipeline, with one officer potentially positioned to make history as the branch’s first-ever female ground special operator in the near future.
The Air Force special operations career fields are known for their very long—some would say too long—pipelines. The four career fields (Pararescue, Combat Control, Special Reconnaissance, and Tactical Air Control Party) have one of the toughest selection processes in the entire special operations community, with high levels of technical expertise on top of the physical demands.
Right now, the Combat Controller pipeline lasts 76 weeks and has 10 separate steps that go as follows:
- Special Warfare Preparatory Course (8 weeks)
- Special Warfare Assessment & Selection (4 weeks)
- Special Warfare Pre-Dive Course (4 weeks)
- Special Warfare Combat Dive School (5 weeks)
- Air Force Survival School (3 weeks)
- Airborne School (3 weeks)
- Military Freefall School (4 weeks)
- Air Traffic Control School (11 weeks)
- Combat Control Apprentice Course (8 weeks)
- Special Tactics Training (26 weeks)
According to the Air Force Times, there are four female Airmen currently at various stages of the pipeline.
Sandboxx News understands that last summer, a female officer and Air Force Academy graduate finished the Combat Diver portion of the pipeline, which is arguably one of the toughest parts of the whole selection and training process and is now nearing the end of the tunnel. If she graduates, she will become the first-ever female ground special operator in the Air Force’s history.
Interestingly, the female special tactics officer candidate went through the Army’s Special Operations Underwater Operations School (SFUWO) instead of the Air Force’s dive school. Sandboxx News understands that approximately 15-20 Air Force personnel go through the Army’s combat diver school every year despite the Air Force Special Operations Command having its own course.
“Any airman or recruit aspiring to enter special warfare career fields, regardless of gender, will be accessed and qualified using the current validated standards,” Marilyn Holliday, a spokesperson for the Air Education and Training Command, told the Air Force Times.
Combat Controllers specialize in air traffic control, joint terminal attack control, and airfield and landing zones surveys, among other mission sets.
According to the Air Force, combat controllers “deploy, undetected, into combat and hostile environments to establish assault zones or airfields, while simultaneously conducting air traffic control, fire support, command and control, direct action, counter-terrorism, foreign internal defense, humanitarian assistance and special reconnaissance in the joint arena.”
However, they are most often attached to other special operations units. For example, the Delta Force squadron that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, had at least one combat controller from the Air Force’s 24th Special Tactics Squadron attached to them.
The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is the Tier 1 unit of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and often sends operators as attachments to its Army (Delta Force) and Navy (SEAL Team 6) counterparts.
Be advised that women come in all sizes. I speak as the mother of a 6 ‘ 2″ 200 lb daughter who could clean most guy’s clock with ease.
I’m wishing you good fortune, Lisa! Go for it!
There are a lot of badass women. Tons that can kick guys asses in many things. But, just like a U15 mens soccer team can beat the US Women’s National Soccer Team, or a High School men’s team can beat a WNBA team. When you’re talking about the elite in these areas, there is no way possible without reducing standards, that a female is going to beat a man. Sorry.
Generally women are not suited for long endurance or strength. Of course there will be the exception. You may be an exception but once women are let in to Pararescue the standards will be compromised and the career field will be weakened.
All ya’ll can suck it.
Can you climb a desert tower with no bolts? Can you survive a massive avalanche? Can you row Cataract canyon running 60,000 cfs? Can you throw explosives to make huge mountain faces safe for skiers? Can you ski out of helicopters in the Chugach? Have you saved lives on an ambulance? Can you be a Wildland fire hotshot? Can you cut down a burning tree with a 461 chainsaw? Can you get a 3.94 gpa for a biology degree? Did you grow up shooting guns with your dad?
I bet you guys have done a few of those for sure.
But I’ve done all of them. And I’m only 29. And i weigh 135. And I’m woman. And I’m blonde and pretty.
If I can do all this, a lady can sure as hell be a PJ.
But are you a TACP…if you can, then go do before you throw shade.
I really appreciate all that you have accomplished and frankly you sound like a good candidate for selection. But, just because you have those amazing accomplishments doesn’t mean you won’t get washed out for all sorts of physics, mental or emotional reasons. But, then maybe you won’t. I suggest you enlist and give it a go and demand the Air Force not lower or waive any standards that they would never do for a male candidate
There are a lot of badass women. Tons that can kick guys asses in many things. But, just like a U15 mens soccer team can beat the US Women’s National Soccer Team, or a High School men’s team can beat a WNBA team. When you’re talking about the elite in these areas, there is no way possible without reducing standards, that a female is going to beat a man. Sorry.
Yeah,right,you can be a PJ,as long as they lower the standards to accommodate your ass
Did the U.S. run out of men?
About time. Women throughout history have shown extraordinary valor, and leadership. Bench pressing 315, has nothing to do with leading or being effective in combat. It is all about what is between your ears. Our armed forces are having trouble getting and retaining top talent, opening up to women, expanding the talent pool are all good things. As these women pave the way, they will be inspirations to more women, which will be good for everyone.
This is a stupid comment that reaks of virtue signaling and rah rah thought. Women are smaller, have lower bone density (increasing the risk of injury which has been proven), can withstand much less physical stress, risk target and sexual assault by enemy forces, require different accommodations from men (increasing costs) and changes the team comradery and gelling necessary to be effective just like if a man were dropped into the middle of a women’s luncheon. The highest levels of physical rigor, which these soldiers encounter by being the elite of the elite, also cause early menopause and can cost these females their chance to have children. Other than checking a liberals post modern check box, not much good sill come from this.
I totally agree!
I would definitely want a much stronger person, someone who could carry a body, and one who can have the strength of a man. women will never have the fighting quality of a man nor the strength.
Every year seems less qualifications.
Sad
Why don’t you let the volunteers determine whether or not they want to have children or suffer the consequences of the rigors of training??
As long as the training isn’t modified to meet the requirements of the sex let them take their shot. You’ll serve with much worse than a woman.
I’m a woman in the TACP pipeline. Watch me become a success, you sexist uneducated prick.
So glad to see Stavros back in action. I read most of his articles on the Special Forces website.
Tom,
Who pissed on your Cheerios this morning ? It’s ” reeks ” not
” reaks ” BTW.
I think Lisa had the perfect response to your blowhard bias.
👌🏻
Thanks for pointing out the obvious to those who are blind.
Amen! My husband is a TACP and he is 6’2″ and 230lbs.. no 135lb female can drag him and all his great off a battlefield!
They rape men pws to
If they can hump the load,go for it.
If they don’t mind going to the bathroom in a foxhole next to a guy then fine.
They don’t need to yell sexual harassment when on a mission.
😂
Women are good for clandestine work but leave the door kicking and pipe hitting to the men.
Good read, Stavros.