COMBAT CONTROL

The Combat Control mission involves establishing long-range command and control communications and intelligence so that the Air Guard can:

• Conduct reconnaissance and surveillance of potential assault zones and target areas
• Plan, coordinate and conduct operations using advanced technologies
• Record and submit Terminal Instrument Procedures data and site surveys of assault zones
• Evaluate and relay status of airfields, assault zones, current battlefield information and weather observations to inbound aircraft and high headquarters
• Initiate, coordinate and issue air traffic control clearances, holding instructions and advisories
• Operate and monitor portable and mobile communications equipment and terminal and en route navigation aids
• Identify, assess and mark assault zones with visual and electronic navigation aids for day and night air-land and airdrop operations

Combat Control Commandos
Their motto, "First There," reaffirms the combat controller's commitment to undertaking the most dangerous missions behind enemy lines by leading the way for other forces to follow.

Training
Combat controllers are among the most highly trained personnel in the U. S. military. They maintain air traffic controller qualification skills throughout their career in addition to other special operations skills. Many qualify and maintain currency in joint terminal attack control procedures. Their 35-week training and unique mission skills earn them the right to wear the scarlet beret.

History
Army pathfinders originated in 1943 out of need for accurate airdrops during airborne campaigns of World War II. These pathfinders preceded main assault forces into objective areas to provide weather information and visual guidance to inbound aircraft through the use of high-powered lights, flares and smoke pots. When the Air Force became a separate service, Air Force pathfinders, later called combat control teams, were activated in 1953 to provide navigational aids and air traffic control for a growing Air Force. In the Vietnam War, combat controllers helped assure mission safety and expedited air traffic flow during countless airlifts. Combat controllers also flew as forward air guides in support of indigenous forces in Laos and Cambodia. Combat controllers continue to be the "First There" when they are called upon to participate in international emergencies and humanitarian relief efforts.