CAP Special Operations Squadrons

[Flying Pig]

So are you guys flying 182 RG's?

[JC004]

DNALL!  Ours is cooler!

[Stonewall]

WIWAC, my UDFT that I created was pretty special ops (or at least special).  There were few places we wouldn't go and few crazy things we wouldn't do to find an offending little box.  As a result, I have over 20 finds from just over 7 years, but we were pretty nuts.     Let's see -- oil rigs, roof of the Marriott at PHL (twice), and "special" access to all kinds of places, mostly just 'cuz we asked nicely and/or had AFRCC talk to someone.  Oh then there was the mission when one of the seniors actually set off an ELT...

We need more special ops UDF teams...you know, with technical gear and stuff.  Airport fence?  NO PROBLEM!   

I think there have been a lot of squadrons like the one you described.  In my case, it was the latter part of the '80s.  We had our "Recondo" flight.  We ONLY met outside of regularly meetings so we would be separate from the other cadets who weren't in to ES stuff.  We designed our own "scroll", which I have somewhere and was designed after the old 1st Ranger BN scroll.  We made up our team like an Army SF Team.  Even had a "HALO" specialist (High Altitude Low Observer).  Yes, in the mind of a 15 or 16 year old, being able to climb a tree or find yourself on top of a muli-story building earns itself a special operations title.  We had our team leader, assistant team leader, engineer, medic, intel sergeant, etc.  Did we ever truly operate on real missions like this?  Absolutely not.  But in our minds we were special.  Fun stuff!  Even went on unauthorized recon missions around the area to include a night time op to recon the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.  That one called for a waterborne team as well as an LP/OP.

Here's a picture of the guys in irregular uniforms.  We managed to get a local National Guard SF type to take us rappeling.  Other pics have us going Aussie style of the skid as well as with full rucks on the wall.  Nothing official, but you certainly don't see these kinds of things happening these days unless an old school senior member is running the show.  In which case, I'd be disappointed.

[PHall]

A few months ago, a mission closing traffic announcment came over the CA Wing "all" list, and said that a "Special Operatons" team had closed out an ELT mission on a military base. I e-mailed the IC with " WTF? Over? " request, and he E-mailed back that CAP S.O. teams have "Special Access" to military bases. Apparently, CAWG is not in on the joke. I have heard of chairborn ranger squadrons, and squadrons with "special" members (you know, the short bus kind...) but have never seen evidence of a real CAP ELT hunter/killer team.....

Capt. Lord

Yeah, the "Special Operations Team" all had military ID.

[Stonewall]

A few months ago, a mission closing traffic announcment came over the CA Wing "all" list, and said that a "Special Operatons" team had closed out an ELT mission on a military base. I e-mailed the IC with " WTF? Over? " request, and he E-mailed back that CAP S.O. teams have "Special Access" to military bases. Apparently, CAWG is not in on the joke. I have heard of chairborn ranger squadrons, and squadrons with "special" members (you know, the short bus kind...) but have never seen evidence of a real CAP ELT hunter/killer team.....

Capt. Lord

Yeah, the "Special Operations Team" all had military ID.

That's exactly what I was thinking.  Either dependents, reservists or AD.  Heck, I've got a dependent ID, AF (ANG) CAC and Civilian DOD CAC.  I'm "Triple Stacked" Special Operations Capable.

[flyguy06]

I hate to break this to you all. But nonthing we do in the CAP CD realm is top secreat or that sensative. I was talking to our Wing CD officer and I asked him that while I recruiting for CAP if someone asked me what exactly we do in CD what I could tell them.

He told me to tell them what we do. We fly missions to help law enforcement eradicate weed and look for weed. Thats what we do. Its no secret. Now, obviously, we dont want to go around telling people when exactly we do these missions and where. but I think thats common sense. But for all you folks that think you're doing some top secret squirrel stuff. You arent sorry.

[Stonewall]

I hate to break this to you all. But nonthing we do in the CAP CD realm is top secreat or that sensative. I was talking to our Wing CD officer and I asked him that while I recruiting for CAP if someone asked me what exactly we do in CD what I could tell them.

He told me to tell them what we do. We fly missions to help law enforcement eradicate weed and look for weed. Thats what we do. Its no secret. Now, obviously, we dont want to go around telling people when exactly we do these missions and where. but I think thats common sense. But for all you folks that think you're doing some top secret squirrel stuff. You arent sorry.

Are you a cadet?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure no one has said anything about them being high speed, top secret, covert or on the cutting edge of teer one units in CAP.  I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".  Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one is really heart broken by you letting us know that CD isn't a covert mission.

[JC004]

I hate to break this to you all. But nonthing we do in the CAP CD realm is top secreat or that sensative. I was talking to our Wing CD officer and I asked him that while I recruiting for CAP if someone asked me what exactly we do in CD what I could tell them.

He told me to tell them what we do. We fly missions to help law enforcement eradicate weed and look for weed. Thats what we do. Its no secret. Now, obviously, we dont want to go around telling people when exactly we do these missions and where. but I think thats common sense. But for all you folks that think you're doing some top secret squirrel stuff. You arent sorry.

Are you a cadet?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure no one has said anything about them being high speed, top secret, covert or on the cutting edge of teer one units in CAP.  I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".  Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one is really heart broken by you letting us know that CD isn't a covert mission.

CD isn't top secret, covert operations?!  ::CRIES UNCONTROLLABLY::  But...but...eh, at least there's a ribbon.      

[JohnKachenmeister]

I hate to break this to you all. But nonthing we do in the CAP CD realm is top secreat or that sensative. I was talking to our Wing CD officer and I asked him that while I recruiting for CAP if someone asked me what exactly we do in CD what I could tell them.

He told me to tell them what we do. We fly missions to help law enforcement eradicate weed and look for weed. Thats what we do. Its no secret. Now, obviously, we dont want to go around telling people when exactly we do these missions and where. but I think thats common sense. But for all you folks that think you're doing some top secret squirrel stuff. You arent sorry.

Are you a cadet?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure no one has said anything about them being high speed, top secret, covert or on the cutting edge of teer one units in CAP.  I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".  Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one is really heart broken by you letting us know that CD isn't a covert mission.

CD isn't top secret, covert operations?!  ::CRIES UNCONTROLLABLY::  But...but...eh, at least there's a ribbon.      

Obviously, he's talking about the drug surveillance missions that are flown by CD pilots with the DEA on board.  The 122nd is in the eradication business, and uses napalm for marijuana fields or willie peter to take out the meth labs detected with the hyperspectral imaging.

Those missions are classified, so classified that I didn't tell you about them.

[JC004]

I hate to break this to you all. But nonthing we do in the CAP CD realm is top secreat or that sensative. I was talking to our Wing CD officer and I asked him that while I recruiting for CAP if someone asked me what exactly we do in CD what I could tell them.

He told me to tell them what we do. We fly missions to help law enforcement eradicate weed and look for weed. Thats what we do. Its no secret. Now, obviously, we dont want to go around telling people when exactly we do these missions and where. but I think thats common sense. But for all you folks that think you're doing some top secret squirrel stuff. You arent sorry.

Are you a cadet?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure no one has said anything about them being high speed, top secret, covert or on the cutting edge of teer one units in CAP.  I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".  Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one is really heart broken by you letting us know that CD isn't a covert mission.

CD isn't top secret, covert operations?!  ::CRIES UNCONTROLLABLY::  But...but...eh, at least there's a ribbon.      

Obviously, he's talking about the drug surveillance missions that are flown by CD pilots with the DEA on board.  The 122nd is in the eradication business, and uses napalm for marijuana fields or willie peter to take out the meth labs detected with the hyperspectral imaging.

Those missions are classified, so classified that I didn't tell you about them.

I won't tell anybody.  But I'm not so sure about the hyperspectral imaging part...I don't think that stuff works as well as advertised.

[JohnKachenmeister]

I hate to break this to you all. But nonthing we do in the CAP CD realm is top secreat or that sensative. I was talking to our Wing CD officer and I asked him that while I recruiting for CAP if someone asked me what exactly we do in CD what I could tell them.

He told me to tell them what we do. We fly missions to help law enforcement eradicate weed and look for weed. Thats what we do. Its no secret. Now, obviously, we dont want to go around telling people when exactly we do these missions and where. but I think thats common sense. But for all you folks that think you're doing some top secret squirrel stuff. You arent sorry.

Are you a cadet?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure no one has said anything about them being high speed, top secret, covert or on the cutting edge of teer one units in CAP.  I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".  Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one is really heart broken by you letting us know that CD isn't a covert mission.

CD isn't top secret, covert operations?!  ::CRIES UNCONTROLLABLY::  But...but...eh, at least there's a ribbon.      

Obviously, he's talking about the drug surveillance missions that are flown by CD pilots with the DEA on board.  The 122nd is in the eradication business, and uses napalm for marijuana fields or willie peter to take out the meth labs detected with the hyperspectral imaging.

Those missions are classified, so classified that I didn't tell you about them.

I won't tell anybody.  But I'm not so sure about the hyperspectral imaging part...I don't think that stuff works as well as advertised.

Well, don't tell anybody, but that was how we took out the Chinese Embassy a while back.  HSI had it down as a Meth lab!

[mikeylikey]

Well, don't tell anybody, but that was how we took out the Chinese Embassy a while back.  HSI had it down as a Meth lab!

Awesome!  CAP guys going overseas and blowing stuff up.  Can't get anymore rad than that!

[BillB]

Was taking out the Chinese Embassy an AF mission or a Corporate mission?

[JohnKachenmeister]

Had to be Corporate.  The Chinese were meeting with representatives from Vanguard to try to sell Tony on the idea of a "Nehru jacket" as a Corporate uniform.  Complete with a neck pendant with the new Command Patch in solid gold.

Note to other old farts:  I NEVER wore a Nehru jacket back in the 60's.  I did wear leisure suits in the 70's, though.  Still do, in fact.

[arajca]

Note to other old farts:  I NEVER wore a Nehru jacket back in the 60's.  I did wear leisure suits in the 70's, though.  Still do, in fact.

100% Polyester?

[Nick]

I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".

Well, I must be special ops ... I mean, I'm in the Air Force and have a beret.  That makes me special ops, right?

[JC004]

I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".

Well, I must be special ops ... I mean, I'm in the Air Force and have a beret.  That makes me special ops, right?

The beret absolutely means special ops.  You are automatically special as soon as you put a beret on.   

[DNall]

I won't tell anybody.  But I'm not so sure about the hyperspectral imaging part...I don't think that stuff works as well as advertised.

No kidding.

CD missions aren't a big deal, but it's mostly CD qual'd crew/staff that get tapped for more sensitive stuff, cause they already have the background checks & such done & some experience. In our state, we fly the border a lot, provide comm support for state/fed actions on the border, screen locations for dignitaries, recon helo LZs for state movements, etc. That's mostly what I'm talking about. We also do some radar intercept stuff & attempt to penetrate ground screens, and of course the old low-level route surveys. Certainly there's a lot more that can be done, but having people screened to do it is fairly helpful.

[shorning]

Well, I must be special ops ... I mean, I'm in the Air Force and have a beret.  That makes me special ops, right?

Yeah...you're "special" alright.  But not like you think.

Dang, I need a TDY to Lackland...

[PhoenixRisen]

I think, if anything, people were joking about being "Special Operations".

Well, I must be special ops ... I mean, I'm in the Air Force and have a beret.  That makes me special ops, right?

The beret absolutely means special ops.  You are automatically special as soon as you put a beret on.   

Are NBB Grads SF then?