USAF Special Operations School - Forty years of educating AFSOC’s Air Commandos

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Mark LeSage
  • USAFSOS
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Next week marks the 40th anniversary of the formal founding of the U. S. Air Force Special Operations School at Hurlburt Field.

On April 12, 1967, the secretary of the Air Force established the USAF Special Air Warfare School, later redesignated USAFSOS, under what was then Tactical Air Command.

With the war in Vietnam reaching its peak, the first three subjects taught at the school in its opening year were counterinsurgency, special operation forces fundamentals and Southeast Asia orientation. They were offered to meet the needs of the warfighter deploying to the conflict.

Today, the Contemporary Insurgent Warfare Course, Introduction to Special Operations Course and various regional courses find their roots in those initial three offerings.

As troops deploy to a different conflict in another part of the world, those subjects remain more relevant than ever.

Other courses were added over the years, and today, USAFSOS conducts Air Commando indoctrination and education on a wide range of topics included under the general categories of regional orientation, asymmetric warfare, and SOF command and control.

Thursday, 40 years after its inception, the school celebrates its history and accomplishments with a ceremony to honor those who laid the foundation for educational excellence, and those who have since built on that foundation to make the school what it is today.

The event will include remarks from distinguished guests who have made their mark on the school, a luncheon and a cake cutting ceremony at The Soundside. The presentation of the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award by Lt. Gen. Michael Wooley, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, is one of the highlights of the celebration.

Over the past four decades, USAFSOS has evolved to meet the changing educational needs of AFSOC.

The men and women of USAFSOS are justifiably proud of their school's history and of what they currently bring to the fight in the present day Global War on Terrorism.