Air Force officials lift rated requirement for air liaison officers

News > Air Force officials lift rated requirement for air liaison officers

Air Force officials lift rated requirement for air liaison officers

Posted 1/7/2011

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by Master Sgt. Amaani Lyle
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

1/7/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials announced here Jan. 7 the removal of the air liaison officer rated requirement, allowing any company grade officer, accession candidate or enlisted Airman the possibility of a career change.

ALOs, once drawn strictly from fighter, bomber and air battle manager communities, now have the opportunity to apply to join the critically-manned career field in which they act as primary air power advisers to Army ground commanders, said Maj. Chris Wright, the ALO schoolhouse commander at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

"More than ever, there is desperate need for ALOs to oversee execution of air operations in the ground commander's area of responsibility as smaller groups of ground forces continue to operate in a larger area of operations," Major Wright said. "As such, through their presence, munitions dropping, overhead monitoring or execution of aggressive transport or resupply missions, ALOs' support is vital."

Major Wright contends ALOs have been the voice for air power at different echelons of ground command since their inception by the Army Air Forces in World War II and today's career ALOs will mold the career field into the 21st century.

"Non-rated ALOs are Airmen, who while advising ground commanders, will ensure air-mindedness is retained, cultivated and properly incorporated into ground maneuver planning," Major Wright explained. "They are the linchpin to successfully synchronizing air and space power with ground force capability in an irregular warfare landscape."

The second class of five non-rated ALOs recently graduated, and the pace will continue as service officials graduate one class per month for the next year, Major Wright said, adding non-rated ALOs can be mission ready in 12 months vice the average four years required to build a rated ALO officer.

For more information, e-mail the career functional manager at A3O-AYJ.workflow@pentagon.af.mil.

Comments

4/7/2011 11:42:25 PM ET
Actually I was often addressed as Sir by young officers in the Army. When I mentioned this to the S-3 in my Brigade he siad that they respected me that much. I was a TSgt. The main thing is to cooerdinate efforts and the TACP is the grease that keeps things running smoothly between the services. Getting the mission accomplished and bringing everyone home is the main thing.

Frank Wasmer, Alaska

1/26/2011 12:01:47 PM ET
I agree with Tankersley aka Mike from Vilseck. But The Warrant officer idea is farfetched.

Gerard Carter, NAS Fallon

1/23/2011 4:42:33 PM ET
As an Air Force officer surrounded by US Army students at Ft Leavenworth I believe the Army will welcome the new ALO career field if it means consistent integration. Although the Army is a professional organization the proper utilization of airpower is not the one of its strong points. One thing I have deduced from my studies with the Army is that they focus on organic assets first and then look toward other assets and capabilities secondly. For this reason a career ALO should be able to truly understand the organizational aspects of the Army and suggest the appropriate uses of airpower by living and breathing land and air integration throughout his or her career. The career ALO must speak fluent Army but understand all aspects of combat airpower. In my opinion the most difficult portion of training for a non-rated ALO will be associated with the true limitations and capabilities of aircraft in other than textbook conditions. Dynamic situations will require an officer to dr

Maj Hilburn, Ft Leavenworth

1/12/2011 3:09:42 AM ET
I agree with parts of what AirBorne from Hickam and Old Retired Guy from San Antonio says. Here is the bottom line though. Army tactical level leaders trust and empower those that earn their trust. If a battalion ALO or even the junior battalion JTACs go and train with their respective Army units during field exercises and are tactically proficient rank is not an issue. The problem lies with a plethora of dudes being deployed with units they do not train with. In cases like this ALO and JTACs spend the first half of a deployment just building trust between the Army battle staff and their respective TACPs. I would love to see the warrant officer corps come back to the USAF for our technically and tactically brilliant NCOs to aspire to ascend to but in the mean time we must strive to cultivate the new mixture of rated and non-rated ALOs. Every perspective counts when is is time to employ weapons.

Michael, Vilseck Germany

1/11/2011 1:54:27 PM ET
The non-rated ALO has its place in the TACP career field. To interact with Army ground force commanders is not it. The Army Ground commanders want to see a fighter pilot. If the AF would allow some of the enlisted TACPs to become Warrant Officers and the commisioning of some others directly from the TACP career field the non-rated becomes a non-issue.

AirBorne TACP, Hickam AFB Hawaii

1/11/2011 1:28:10 PM ET
Sign me up

1LT, CCAFS FL

1/10/2011 1:19:25 PM ET
The only way I can imagine it working with enlisted Airmen is if we create yet another class of Airmen called Command ALO Chiefs, give them a special mark in their chevron and send them forth into the land of the green. From what I experienced, Army officers listen quite well to Sergeant Majors, but few other enlisted personnel.

Old Retired Guy, San Antonio

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