137th SOW hosts AFSOC course for tactical communicators

Air Commandos who specialize in expeditionary communications completed an intensive, multi-week tactical communicator course at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City, running from March 2 to April 17. Hosted by the 137th Special Operations Wing, the training brought together operators from across Air Force Special Operations Command’s active-duty, Guard and Reserve units to sharpen their ability to establish and sustain secure communications in challenging environments.

“This is our answer to eliminating that training gap,” an AFSOC course instructor said. “The whole idea behind this course is to train people new to AFSOC communications.”

The curriculum builds on lessons from the XCOMM technical training pipeline and layers in AFSOC-specific equipment and doctrine. Instruction centers on three core capabilities—satellite deployable nodes, radio systems and global broadcast systems—with the goal of supporting warfighters anywhere in the world.

Students began with several weeks of classroom sessions to gain familiarity with AFSOC gear before moving into practical exercises. Fieldwork included hiking with radios, operating under austere-like conditions, and securing 20-foot antenna towers, with an emphasis on staying mission-capable when conditions are far from ideal.

“The really cool thing about this job is that you get so many challenges,” a 492nd SOW Airman participating in the course said. “There is no definition. You have to figure it out.”

Leaders at Will Rogers ANGB said the 137th SOW’s communications squadron has played a key role since the course’s inception. The wing is the first Guard unit to host the training and has been tapped to run the next two iterations, selected for its expertise, manpower, facilities and ability to replicate austere environments. The approach integrates local resources and specialized training to advance the wing’s vision and expand its impact at home and abroad.

“AFSOC really has a great relationship with the 137th from the COMM perspective,” said 2nd Lt. Ronald Holey III, 137th Special Operations Communications Squadron director of operations. “We are the first guard unit to host this course and they are going to have us host it again back-to-back.”

“At the end of the day, it is about being able to go out and support the mission,” the AFSOC course instructor said.