ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, loads a 105 mm round aboard a 1st Special Operations Wing AC-130J Ghostrider during a familiarization flight near Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The ASW(SO/LIC) provides oversight and advocacy for Air Force Special Operations Command modernization initiatives, ensuring the command has the resources and support needed to adapt to future threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, is fitted for a helmet by an aircrew flight equipment technician assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The visit provided the ASW(SO/LIC) with a firsthand immersion into the Air Force Special Operations Command mission, connecting directly with the capabilities and needs of Air Commandos. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, boards a 1st Special Operations Wing AC-130J Ghostrider at Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. As the Air Force component to U.S. Special Operations Command, Air Force Special Operations Command provides specialized airpower capabilities that enable global special operations across the competition continuum. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

A special missions aviator assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing hands Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, a helmet before a familiarization flight at Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The visit provided the ASW(SO/LIC) with a firsthand immersion into the Air Force Special Operations Command mission, connecting directly with the capabilities and needs of Air Commandos. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, operates a sensor aboard a 1st Special Operations Wing AC-130J Ghostrider during a familiarization flight near Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The ASW(SO/LIC) provides oversight and advocacy for Air Force Special Operations Command modernization initiatives, ensuring the command has the resources and support needed to adapt to future threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, speaks with a weapons systems officer aboard a 1st Special Operations Wing AC-130J Ghostrider during a familiarization flight near Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The ASW(SO/LIC) serves as the link between the Office of the Secretary of War and the entire special operations forces enterprise, providing civilian oversight and translating national security policy into actionable guidance, ensuring every mission is directly aligned with the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, controls a 105 mm cannon aboard a 1st Special Operations Wing AC-130J Ghostrider during a familiarization flight near Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The ASW(SO/LIC) provides oversight and advocacy for Air Force Special Operations Command modernization initiatives, ensuring the command has the resources and support needed to adapt to future threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, shakes hands with Lt. Gen. Mike Conley, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, at Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. As the Air Force component to U.S. Special Operations Command, AFSOC provides specialized airpower capabilities that enable global special operations across the competition continuum. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, puts on gloves aboard a 1st Special Operations Wing AC-130J Ghostrider during a familiarization flight near Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The ASW(SO/LIC) serves as the link between the Office of the Secretary of War and the entire special operations forces enterprise, providing civilian oversight and translating national security policy into actionable guidance, ensuring every mission is directly aligned with the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

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ASW(SO/LIC) and SOCOM SEL visit Hurlburt Field for AFSOC Immersion

Published March 27, 2026
By Senior Airman Isabel Tanner
1st Special Operations Wing

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Derrick Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, loads a 105 mm round aboard a 1st Special Operations Wing AC-130J Ghostrider during a familiarization flight near Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 25, 2026. The ASW(SO/LIC) provides oversight and advocacy for Air Force Special Operations Command modernization initiatives, ensuring the command has the resources and support needed to adapt to future threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)