AFSOC searches for qualified Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Valerie Hosea
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Air Force Special Operations Command is comprised of Airmen whose mission is to provide special operations air support to United States Special Operation Command for mission execution worldwide. AFSOC Airmen visited Sheppard to raise awareness and share stories of their time in the command April 27.

Maj. William Kincaid and Master Sgt. Leo Modelski, Air Force Special Operations Training Center recruiters, began the briefing by discussing the various careers and the challenging eligibility standards with Sheppard Airmen.

Sergeant Modelski said some of the different careers available in AFSOC include rotary and fixed wing flight engineer, loadmaster, airborne mission system radio operator, sensor operator, aerial gunner, crypto linguist and combat controller.

To be selected for such opportunities, the Airman must not only meet the eligibility requirements, but exceed them as well.

"To become a battlefield Airman you have to pass the (physical ability and stamina test)," Major Kincaid said. "This is the very first hurdle you have to overcome. To be competitive you have to do even better than the minimum."

The standards are different for pararescuers, combat controllers, combat rescue officers and special tactics officers.

Major Kincaid explained why the test standards appear to be simple, but are in fact, difficult.

"The PAST test consists of two 20-meter underwater swims," he said. "If you come up even once for air, you fail already. You rest for ten minutes. Then there's a 500-meter swim. After that swim, you rest and then complete a 1.5 mile run in 10 minutes, 22 seconds.

"Next you'll do six pull-ups with a three minute rest, then move on to a few pushups and sit-ups. Forty-five isn't a bad number, but you have to take into consideration that you're dead tired by that time. That makes it a little more difficult. These are the minimums so you have to do better than that if you want to make it," he said.

Sergeant Modelski explained that standards rigorous because of the AFSOC mission for the 6th Special Operations Squadron.

"We assess, train, advise and assist," he said. "We fly on partner-nation aircraft with our allies in the seat next to us. We eat dinner with them and meet their families. We build that relationship so we can defeat the war on terror without using bullets."

Sergeant Modelski and Major Kincaid educated the Airmen on the selection process, how Airmen in the command deploy, training, the mission's importance and concluded the brief by addressing common concerns of interested Airmen including the AFOSC divorce rate.

"A rumor that I hear a lot of is, 'if I go to AFSOC, I'm going to get divorced within six months,'" Major Kincaid said. "Well, I've been married for eight years and Sergeant Modelski's been married a little longer than that, so that is not true."

Two Airmen that had been through a portion of the training at AFSOTC shared their experiences with another Airman after the briefing.

Airman Devon Carroll, 381st Training Squadron Airman in Training, said that the Airmen he came in contact with were always highly motivated.

"It was non-stop fun," he said. "Even when you're dead tired, you're still having fun because of the brotherhood you share. Everybody's motivated."

Airman David Swofford, 381st TRS Airman in Training, said although he had to re-class, he hopes to go back to the AFSOTC.

"It's a very rewarding career field," he said. "It is definitely an intense training period, but it teaches you to never quit. That's knowledge that I'll always have with me because of my time there. I hope I'm able to go back and finish."