Thomas Gene Moody

Roles and Responsibilities Training Operational Context

A TACP is a small team of highly trained military personnel who serve as the critical link between ground forces and aircraft during combat operations. Their primary mission is to advise ground commanders on air power capabilities and limitations, and to plan, request, coordinate, and control air effects such as close air support, artillery, and naval gunfire TACPs ensure that airstrikes are executed safely, effectively, and in alignment with the ground commander’s objectives.

• Air-Ground Coordination: TACPs integrate air assets into the battlefield, manage tactical airspace, and deconflict air operations to prevent friendly fire incidents.
• Strike Control: They direct precision attacks from fighter aircraft, bombers, helicopters, and AC-130 gunships, often from forward positions.
• Advisory Role: TACPs provide expertise to commanders on the best use of air power, including timing, targeting, and maximizing joint fires integration.
• Communication and Command: They maintain command-and-control communications between air and ground units, ensuring real-time situational awareness U.S. Air Force.

Special Warfare Candidate Course, and then specialized TACP training. Training includes:

• Small unit tactics and survival skills
• Radio communications and airstrike coordination
• Parachuting and airborne operations
• Terminal attack control procedures for Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) qualification
  TACPs are often embedded with Army, Marine, and Special Operations units, serving on the front lines to provide immediate air support and battlefield intelligence.

TACPs operate in conventional and special operations environments. In the U.S. Air Force, they are aligned with combat maneuver units from battalion to corps level, and in coalition operations, they coordinate with allied forces. While TACPs can coordinate airspace and approve airstrikes, only JTAC-qualified TACPs can execute terminal attack control procedures.

Combat Engineers perform a wide range of technical and tactical tasks to support Marine Corps operations. Their duties include:

• Conducting engineer reconnaissance and obstacle emplacement
• Performing breaching operations and reducing explosive hazards
• Conducting mine and countermine operations
• Employing demolitions and military explosives
• Performing urban breaching and route/area clearance
• Constructing and maintaining combat roads, trails, airfields, and landing zones
• Designing and constructing survivability positions, base camps, forward operating bases, and combat outposts
• Performing expedient vertical and horizontal construction
• Serving as provisional infantry when required

Combat Engineers undergo rigorous training at the Marine Corps Engineer School (MCES) at Courthouse Bay, MCB Camp Lejeune, NC. Training includes:

• Basic Combat Engineer Course (M031302) for entry-level skills
• Engineer Operations Chief Course (M0313G2) for advanced leadership and operational planning
• Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) and Defeat the Device training
• Instruction in demolitions, reconnaissance, mobility, countermobility, survivability, and general engineering

To qualify as a Combat Engineer, Marines must meet several requirements:

• Education: High school diploma or GED
• ASVAB: Minimum Mechanical Maintenance (MM) score of 95
• Physical Standards: Must meet MOS-specific physical requirements and pass color perception tests
• Cognitive Testing: Complete the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) test prior to training
• Strength and Fitness: Must meet initial strength test standards and MOS physical standards

The Marine Corps Security Force Regiment (MCSFR) is tasked with organizing, training, equipping, and deploying Marines to conduct expeditionary security operations and protect strategic weapons and vital national assets. Their mission includes providing rapid-response forces, forward-deployed anti-terrorism security, and security for high-value naval installations, including nuclear vessels and weapons. They also operate Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Teams (FAST) and Recapture Tactics Teams (RTT) for specialized security and high-threat protection.

Marines undergo rigorous training at the MCSFR Training Company, which includes courses in security operations, anti-terrorism tactics, and close-quarters combat. Training prepares them to operate in diverse environments, including confined spaces, ashore, or afloat, and to conduct offensive infantry tactics when necessary. Security supervisors (E-4 to E-7) are trained to plan, evaluate, and supervise site-specific security plans for critical assets.

• FAST Companies: Elite units capable of rapid deployment to improve security at US government installations worldwide, provide high-threat protection, and act as infantry quick reaction forces .
• Strategic Security: Guarding nuclear weapons, naval bases, and other high-value assets.
• Expeditionary Operations: Conducting short-duration, high-readiness missions in support of combatant and naval commanders.