On Station: Marines conduct Tactical Air Control Party Training

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.

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.