10 Things You Might Not Know About AFSOC

Air Force Special Operations Command, there's more than meets the eye.

1. Shh....Quiet Professionals at work

1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs / Via hurlburt.af.mil

AFSOC does frequent joint training excercises and global humanitarian missions with Special Operations Forces in each service. What we are trying to say is "if you know we are there, it's already too late."

2. How "Air Commando" came to be

AFSOC History Office / Via afsoc.af.mil

Like a lot of things...we ripped it off from the Brits. In 1943, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold met with British Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten to discuss plans for the American air support of British commando expeditions in the China-Burma-India theater of operations. It was then that he coined the term "air commando" to honor Lord Mountbatten. Wish we still had those cool uniforms (nice sash) like the gentleman on the right.

3. USSOCOM and AFSOC

1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs / Via afsoc.af.mil

AFSOC serves a dual role as an Air Force Major Command and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) air component. That means AFSOC derives its core missions from USSOCOM core activities and operations. This means we get to be both Airmen AND Air Commandos. Pictured in the photo is Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, the USSOCOM commander. As you can see we hang on his every word.

4. The CV-22 vs the MV-22

AFSOC Public Affairs / Via YouTube

Think of the CV as a SpecOps tricked out V-22. The CV-22 is actually an Air Force Special Operations Command variant of the V-22 Osprey. The CV-22 is equipped with advanced avionics, terrain-follow radar sensors and weapons systems not found on the V-22. The Marines use their MV-22 Osprey as a ship to short rotary-life platform, while the Air Force uses it for infiltration and exfiltration of special operations forces.

5. Anytime, anyplace

AFSOC Public Affairs / Via afsoc.af.mil

If you are on the map, we can find you--and--if we want--extract you. AFSOC participates in humanitarian missions at home and abroad, like the former 374th Rescue Wing's relief effort in New Orleans, LA during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

6. The Skyhook system

youtube.com / Via YouTube

Sure, it's cool, and you've seen it a million times in the movies...but we don't use it anymore. The MC-130E entered the Air Force inventory in 1966, and was outfitted with a unique asset. The Fulton recovery system could pick up personnel or equipment (think back to 2008's The Dark Knight) and haul them into the aircraft.

7. 24/7/365

AFSOC Public Affairs / Via youtube.com

The AFSOC mission doesn't rest. Our quiet professionals are engaged in over 40 countries, every day. Want to know what one day in AFSOC is like? Check out the video.

8. AFSOC in the movies

AFSOC Public Affairs / Via afsoc.af.mil

Speaking of movies film makers love SpecOps and AFSOC. Aspects of AFSOC have even been in blockbusters like Transformers: Dark of the Moon, filmed at Hurlburt Field, Florida and Lone Survivor, filmed at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.

9. Special Tactics

AFSOC Public Affairs / Via YouTube

Chair Force? Guess again. Special Tactics is comprised of Special Tactics Officers, Combat Controllers, Combat Rescue Officers, Pararescuemen, Special Operations Weather Officers and Airmen, Air Liaison Officers, Tactical Air Control Party operators, and a number of combat support Airmen, which comprise 58 Air Force specialties. Do you have what it takes to become one?

10. Our enemies know who we are

Via YouTube

Most feared weapon system in the world? Let's ask the bad guys.