USAF ROMAD / TACP Beret

TACP Flash Patch as worn on the USAF Black Beret.
Members of the TACP ranks are now considered to
be members of the US Air Force Special Operation Units.

ROMAD has stood for a number of different acronyms over the
years. For example a short list:
Radio Operator, Maintenance And Driver (ROMAD) - Short Lived.
Recon, Observe, Mark, And Destroy (ROMAD) and
known today as a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP).

We were also know in the early days of Vietnam as "Pack Rats"
because we carried our equipment into combat beside the
US Army, US Marines, Korean Army,  Korean Marines, and
South Vietnams Army.  The "Pack Rats" were highly respected by
any unit that was under fire by the enemy.  We were one of the
parts of the special operations of / in the USAF.

We were the only USAF troops to go headlong into combat
conditions and conduct air strikes while under enemy fire
and never receive a combat ribbon or any recognition for our
service!  Which most of us think was totally unfair. The USAF
did NOT have a combat ribbon till 2001 and is now very hard
to earn. Most of us know that today it takes a Purple Heart to
get it if you are lucky enough to live through it.

The primary Airman's AFSC (Army MOS) that was picked to start
up this field was 304X4 - Ground Radio Maintenance.  These
airmen were then teamed up with an officer who was called a
FAC or Forward Air Controller.  Each were assigned to one of
the 7 different DASF units. In addition, as the war continued,
other AFSC's such as radio operators were also pulled into
these units between 1965 ~ 1976.

Today, the TACP's AFSC is now know as 1C4X. You must be at
least a SSgt. or E-5 rank to be considered eligible to join the
TACP ranks.  Training is rough and take more than one year
to complete.  There are several versions of the TACP depending
on what you are trained to do.  E-TAC's and TAC's are just
several that come to mind. If you would like to see the
requirements necessary to enter the ranks then visit this address
www.romad.com.  They list all of the schools that you must go
to. The time required for training is over a year and has many
areas that are very demanding. This field is now considered the
Special Forces of the US Air Force or Special Operations Division.

DASF National Registry

Please check your information in the Vietnam Era
DASF / ROMAD PERSONNEL REGISTERY.
If your information is not correct, please update it.
This includes all Officers and Airmen.

to either Register or Update your information in the
Registry on this form. Your entry will be entered
or updated and posted with in 48 hours. Please
remember to check either the New or Update box.
 
Several new fields have been added to allow you to receive
notification of the next reunion information via email.
If you want this information then you need to keep your
email address current.  If your email is bounced then
your email address is removed from the listing and then
no one can get in touch with you including your buddies.

   to View and / or look up all anyone listed in the registry.
The registry was last updated on 06/18/2013. 

This new memorial is in honor of All Tactical Air Control Party Personnel,
FAC and ROMAD's both past and present.  This memorial is located at the
home of the TACP Training Center located at Hulbert Field in Florida.
This memorial may be moved to Lackland AFB in the very near future
since the training center will be moving there shortly and this base will
then be closed down.  As stated the location of this memorial is in question.

USAF Command announces that Lackland AFB has been selected as the new TACP training site.  Staff reporter via Air Force Times.  Posted : Monday, Jan. 14, 2013

The Air Force has selected Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, as its preferred base to relocate its tactical air control party and air liaison officer training.

Air Force officials had considered Lackland and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., as candidate bases for the new school. Keesler is now considered a reasonable alternative, the Air Force announced Jan. 9.

The service released its basing criteria in 2011 when officials determined that the existing schoolhouse at Hurlburt Field, Fla., no longer had enough capacity. Hurlburt turns out about 273 graduates a year, but the Air Force needs 371 graduates to continue to support Army units.

Air Education and Training Command evaluated Lackland and Keesler based on mission requirements, capacity, cost and timing. A final decision on the new school location will be made after an environmental analysis is complete.

TACPs are usually two-man teams that work in an Army ground unit directing close-air support firepower toward enemy targets on the ground. An air liaison officer is the senior member of tactical air control party who functions as the primary adviser to the ground commander on air operation matters.

The two jobs are among eight war-zone jobs — including combat rescue officer, special tactics officer pararescue jumper, combat controller, and enlisted and officer special operation weather technician — in which the training is so grueling that the Air Force has struggled to fill those career fields.

TACPs and ALOs endure a nearly 30-week training course that includes combat survival skills and special tactics.

To see the entire collection of pictures taken at the dedication
of this memorial, please click on this