USSOCOM Fact Book - United States Special Operations Command

Combat Aviation Advisors of the 6thSpecial Operations Squadron help U.S.global partners to wield airpower. These AirCommandos are culturally savvy,linguistically trained and politically astuteAirmen, hand selected for their skill,maturity and professionalism to adviseforeign forces in rotary and fixed-wingcombat aviation, maintenance, base support,security and tactics. They execute theaviation foreign internal defense mission and trainforeign units in specialized and unconventional tactics.The 6th SOS is the only combat aviation advisory unit inDoD. Every day, the 6th SOS has Air Commandosdeployed to any given theater of the globe and maintainsinstructor qualifications on numerous foreign-madeaircraft.Combat Controllers are SpecialOperators and certified air traffic controllerswho are an integral part of the Air ForceBattlefield Airmen team. Their motto, “FirstThere,” indicates the CCT commitment to bethe first deployed into restrictedenvironments by air, land or sea to establishassault zones. The assault zone is a drop zonefor parachute operations, a landing zone forfixed-wing or helicopter operations, or an extraction zonefor low altitude resupply. They set up navigational aidequipment anywhere in the world to guide aircraft forlanding on austere runways without the benefit of a toweror large communications system. CCT also control airattacks from all military services aircraft. In addition,CCT provide vital command and control, intelligencegathering, surveying capabilities, limited weatherobservations and are qualified in demolition to clearhazards and obstructions from runways and landing zones.USSOCOM Fact Book32