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BS6's Dude
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quote:
Originally posted by Matador275
Maybe you can give me the scoop on what exactly you do as a weatherforecaster.. besides stating the obvious...what is your mission statement?
Combat Weathermen are not just weather forecasters. To think of us like that is like thinking of a Ranger as a regular leg infantryman, or calling an 18D a regular medic.
Mission statement? Well, here's what our under-construction website (www.combatweather.org) has to say:
US Air Force Combat Weathermen are highly skilled and specially trained combat meteorologists assigned to, and supporting Joint, US Air Force and US Army Airborne and Special Operations Units worldwide. They have been performing their unique duties since WWII.
Combat Weather Teams are organized, trained and equipped to provide meteorological and oceanographic intelligence information in and for the special operations theaters of conflict. Duties performed range from staff support to ground combat operations, which include tactical infiltration, observing, forecasting, training indigenous personnel to take limited observations, and mission tailoring of environmental information.
Combat Weathermen perform their ground combat job from forward deployed bases and dropzones, or behind enemy lines using compact, tactical weather equipment and a variety of specialized communications systems.
Sound good? It should - I wrote it! [ ]
Here's the official version:
COMBAT WEATHER MISSION
Combat Weather personnel provide meteorological and oceanographic information in and for the special operations theater of operations. Functions include tactical infiltration, data collection, analysis and forecasting, mission tailoring of environmental information, and operating in concert with host nation weather personnel. They perform this job from forward deployed bases or behind enemy lines using miniature, tactical weather equipment and a variety of communications equipment. There is one squadron comprised of five detachments located within the United States and two separate overseas Operating Locations. Customers supported include Special Forces Groups (SFG), Ranger Regiments (RGR), Special Operations Aviation Regiments (SOAR), Psychological Operations Groups (POG), Special Warfare Training Groups (SWTG), Civil Affairs (CA) units, and Special Operations Support Battalions.
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Regular Joe
 
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Wow...thanks JR...you are a world of Info on all this...You are really sparking my interest...
RLTW
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BS6's Dude
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You lookin' fer a job, or what?
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Hard Charger
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One more point: On all Army staffs Division and above, the AF Weather officer (SWO) is an adjunct to the G2. In fact, at most military briefings I've been to, the SWO is the very first person to brief, followed by the S/G/J-2.
Martin  "When I'm in command, every mission is a suicide mission" - Zapp Branigan, Futurama
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BS6's Dude
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Yes, that's true, but it's also a problem for us because in some circles, we are thought of as no more than briefers, as that's all some staff officers see.
Our METL clearly involves more than planning and briefing, otherwise we wouldn't be attending all these advanced infiltration and field skills courses.
Truthfully, lots of things in our career field are in flyux at the moment. Lots of good changes are projected, and many of are definitely looking forward to them. Although the changes won't affect us old guys directly, it will be good to see our young troopers taken care of properly, for a change.
There's also talk of changing our link with the Army to the S/G/J-3 section, as well. No final decision has been made on that yet.
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President for Life
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I remember sitting in on a briefing when a young AF Captain got up and gave the weather forecast for the op. The full bird decided to break his balls. "Captain, how can you tell us what the weather is going to be on the other side of the world 48 hours from now, when you can't even tell me if it is going to rain here today??"
Thought I was going to piss myself, trying not to laugh out loud!!
 The Second Amendment - America's Homeland Defense All Your Base are Belong to Us 
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BS6's Dude
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Yeah, it's always a real gas when others trivialize your job and contribution, isn't it?
Especially in front of others...
Screw it - We're used to it. The best response is:
"Because we have trained eyes on target"
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Regular Joe
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JR,
I belive my father was one of the first combat weather guys at Ft. Bragg back in the late sixty and early seventys, hes was with det.3 does that ring a bell .. his name was then Tsgt. Giroud McDaniel
Flip
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