FORT PICKETT, Va. -- Marines from 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, conducted a tactical air control party (TACP) primer course while deployed in support of Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) on Fort Pickett, Virginia, Feb. 2, 2022.
TACP Marines provide the operating forces with highly proficient personnel capable of executing air control in combat and contingency operations.
The different military occupational specialties that make up a TACP are joint terminal attack controllers (JTAC), forward air controllers (FAC), and joint fires observers (JFO).
A JTAC is defined as an individual with a ground combat arms background who coordinates, integrates, and directs actions of combat aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air support operations.
"The need for JFO and JTAC qualified Marines is high, especially in the Reserve Component."Lt. Col. Seth Tufvesson, 23rd Marine Regiment
FACs are aviators who are assigned to non-aviation units. A FAC is prepared to integrate all functions of aviation during the planning and execution of ground operations, and is prepared to conduct required liaison with aviation units.
JFOs train to request, adjust, and control surface to surface indirect fire, provide targeting information in support of terminal attack controllers, and perform autonomous terminal guidance operations.
U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Seth Tufvesson, the air officer for 23rd Marine Regiment, from San Diego, California, has facilitated the TACP training to help prepare several Marines from 23rd Marine Regiment for formal schooling. As the air officer, he is the senior aviation representative to the commander and uses his mastery to request lifts, coordinate medevacs, and control close air support.
Tufvesson is also a JTAC instructor, trained to supervise JTAC and FAC trainees during all phases of JTAC training.
Two Marines from 23rd Marine Regiment are preparing for JFO training with Expeditionary Warfare Training Group, Atlantic (EWTGLANT). One Marine is preparing for JTAC training, also with EWTGLANT.
TACP Primer Course on Fort Pickett
Photo by Cpl. James Stanfield
U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Seth Tufvesson, the air officer for 23rd Marine Regiment, from San Diego, California, advises Lance Cpl. Steve Vasquez, a field radio operator with Headquarters Company, 23rd Marine Regiment, from Garden Grove, California, during a tactical air control party (TACP) primer course on Fort Pickett, Virginia, Feb. 2, 2022. Tuffeson, a joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) instructor, helped facilitate a tactical air control party (TACP) primer course for Marines who are preparing to attend formal schooling to earn the additional military occupational specialty of JTAC or joint fires observer. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. James Stanfield)
"Both the TACP and JFO courses are extremely rigorous," said Tufvesson. "There is a significant knowledge base required going into the course, and the evaluated standards are high. We prepare them by giving them the base of information and then working with technical skills, radio skills, and TACP equipment skills to help set them up for success."
The need for JFO and JTAC qualified Marines is high, especially in the Reserve Component. According to Tufvesson, each reserve battalion must maintain a resident TACP capability of at least three FACs or JTACs, along with a certain number of JFOs, to adequately support each battalion's fires support team capability.
TACP Marines can also be sourced from each battalion to support additional tasking from Marine Forces Reserve.
This primer aims to prepare the Marines for their formal schooling, leading to a better trained and more lethal Reserve Component that is prepared to augment and reinforce the Active Component at a moment's notice.