The Grey Berets

[Nizark]

I was flipping through the cable channels today and I saw a military program on, of all channels, the weather channel. Anyone ever heard of the Grey Berets? Apparently they are Air Force combat weather forecasters.

Anyone have more info on these guys?

[tacticalmanta]

http://www.campbell.army.mil/19thAirSpt/weat19thAirSptOpSq.htm
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=91702355
http://www.luke.af.mil/weather/links.asp
http://home.nc.rr.com/usafsowt/cwt/cwt.html
http://www.specwarnet.com/americas/10th_cws.htm

[DE_Six]

Here's a (very) small gallery from specialoperations.com

http://www.specialoperations.com/USAF/Combat_Weather/Default.htm

A list of CWT units:

http://www.specwarnet.com/americas/sowt.htm

And the big one, Specialtactics.com's CWT page:

http://www.specialtactics.com/combatwx.shtml

Cheers p-)

[Tane Angle]

That's incredible! Someone finally giving them some credit! Sorry, I work with some folks who used to be with them and it's a running joke that people always talk about Green Berets but never Combat Weather Teams.

[tacticalmanta]

Blah, just the airsoft punks.

I've done a lot of training with USAF guys and all of them were really good to work with.. a very sharp group of people on the whole.

[Tane Angle]

They are good at what they do, indeed. Though the CWTs are relatively lesser known even within the US military. Just a bit more Quiet to their Professionals.

[Flagg]

Question for anyone in the know:

I can FULLY understand the relevance and capabilites that both PJs and Combat Controllers bring to the table, be it CSAR, combat medicine, air traffic control, FAC, terminal guidance, or any other skillset they maintain.

But I do not fully understand the capability/relevance a Combat Weatherman unit performs as it's name implies.

Doesn't the advent of modern meteorology(with all the big money weather sats) make localised weather info collection redundant?

And doesn't the advent of FLIR/TI make even a fog/visibility report irrelevent?

Not meant to disrespect anyone performing the role......just has me scratching my head......

[Tane Angle]

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure, though the ones I work with always seem busy. Maybe they're just faking being busy? p-) I think that sensors on the ground can do things that those up above cannot. Also, aircrews often need specific information regarding their LZs, DZs, etc. Satellites are good, but they can't always tell a pilot how fast the wind is blowing and towards what direction at exactly Point X. But that kind of information is necessary for things like airdrops, otherwise the drops go haywire. And things like if the tarmac is wet (which can affect the brakes, among other things), direction and speed of crosswinds, all those fun things that can make aircraft crash. I think that's the jist of it, but anyone who has better information on this is more than welcome to share it.

[haze99]

the 19th ASOS has a weather flight (20 airmen) not a CWT.

CWT's are assigned to AFSOC STS's, Special Forces Groups & the 75th Ranger Regt.

[Nizark]

I think its pretty damn interesting that these guys exist. And of all channels to have a piece on them, its the weather channel. Are they really considered SOF though? I know of combat cameramen, and they arent considered SOF, are they?

[Praetorian 05]

Combat Weather Team - Spec Ops. :roll:

So I guess the mechanics that work on the support vehicles are "Spec Ops" in this day and age.
Don't forget the Admin "Specialists". Hey they got Berets too!

[Tane Angle]

I think they deserve their "Spec Ops" title. They go on some tough insertions alongside their counterparts.

[Hullebullen]

"Men who mean, just what they say, men who wear the grey beret"...

Hmm..was thinkin' about some witty comment including Johnny Cash but I lost it...

[shrek]

We called the guy assigned to us "Doppler", he was kind of a goober. He lost a radio with crypto in it and we had to pay some local boys to find it, A platoon of 82nd couldn't. Whatever he said, you planned for the opposite. Late in the game we got another guy and he was as sharp as a tack and right on the money every time. We took him on some missions with us just because he wanted to go, we wouldn't have taken Doppler!

[Pandy]

A Weather Team with Dopplers are assigned to Artillery Batteries so they can land rounds around the area their firing at, like bullets from a rifle, shells from an artillery piece will do the same, so if they have weather teams with the crews so that they can put rounds correctly on targets.

[Praetorian 05]

I think they deserve their "Spec Ops" title. They go on some tough insertions alongside their counterparts.

The only door they're kickin in, might the one on the crapper!

[mi35d]

For the detractors, if I'm "just" a combat medic and I drop in with a Delta Op team, fight through the same crap that they do, live in the same environment, hump my gear through the same woods, etc. I'm not deserving of the title "Special Ops" because I'm not a blood and guts killer? Same goes for the "Grey Berets" - they drop in with TAC controllers and other SO teams so they don't deserve the title? (They're also HALO qualified, btw.)

Meanwhile, jackass paper-pushers who never leave the confines of the orderly room and then say they're part of a "special ops" unit is assinine.

Had a recent argument with a Navy guy who was trying to tell me he was a member of a SEAL team. When I called his bluff on a few wrong points it turns out he was a bowsains mate on a support ship for a SEAL team. Wow! I bet he has stories to tell - scraping paint, cleaning the ****ters, etc.

[shrek]

Yep, part of the time I was in Afgh. I acted as a SOT-A (look it up), it was because of my Morse copying ability. We went out with another ODA, got shot at with them and took our turn at the door kicking, thus deserve the same respect that they got. In most cases the guys on the teams treat them well, however, they're not all as nice as me!

[iflu]

For the detractors, if I'm "just" a combat medic and I drop in with a Delta Op team, fight through the same crap that they do, live in the same environment, hump my gear through the same woods, etc. I'm not deserving of the title "Special Ops" because I'm not a blood and guts killer? Same goes for the "Grey Berets" - they drop in with TAC controllers and other SO teams so they don't deserve the title? (They're also HALO qualified, btw.)
.

they have their own medic...(just joking), btw, pros dont care if everybody knows them. they care much more about their own jobs.

[mi35d]

Medics, etc.: Depends on the unit and the mission of course...

Titles aren't that important but to the people who do the job, its a level of respect from the other military members.

[Scrim]

A Weather Team with Dopplers are assigned to Artillery Batteries so they can land rounds around the area their firing at, like bullets from a rifle, shells from an artillery piece will do the same, so if they have weather teams with the crews so that they can put rounds correctly on targets.

We used to take the piss out of those guys big time. Their job was to fly a balloon and take readings from it.Thus they were called "The Balloon Squad".They are not assigned to every Battery, but rather Headquarters Battery.
Plus the MET report was a big pain in the ass to put into the fire direction computer every time the wind changed! Unfairly causing us to ridicule them some more.

[Pandy]

I thought they were assigned to each Battery Command Point, with like six guys that would check the wind for the Gunners on the Atrillery, etc.

I could be wrong, I don't know all that much about Artillery Batteries and/or Artillery Battalions.

[Scrim]

In our Bn there were three fireing Batteries and one HQ Battery. The Balloon Squad was with HQ Battery only. They sent MET reports to the FDC in each Battery every couple of hours or so, I cant remember exactly how often.

[Praetorian 05]

So, if you strap hang a mission or two, you are now Spec Ops! Sorry, but that don't make the grade. As for the statement about HALO; there are a number of jobs that require the school ie, LRS. That does not make you a Spec Ops guy. If you work in support of these type of missions, sure you will be required the correct clearances, and certain skills needed. But you are just that, SUPPORT.
This day and age everything is hyped. Everyone wants to be Special. You have to look at the fine print. A good example is the cover of the July issue of SOF magazine. You read the discription "Troopers from the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan roust bad guys from a bunker...but if needed, will that M9 fire twice?" The obvious answer "Hell No, that particular one is not going to fire once!" The LT has his trigger finger wrapped by his support hand, AND IT'S ON SAFE! While the cat with the M4 is more prepared to drop the mag than bust a cap and appears to have the dust cap still on the muzzle, as well as the M2's dust cover is blocking the sight. I sure as hell hope the "Bad Guys" don't plan on putting up a fight on their way out. Those 2 amigos are setup in the "Fatal Funnel"! (There is a lot other things in the pic, but that's enough.)
It's obviously a staged shot and these dudes are obviously not shooters. But there are plenty of people that would not notice that, and assume these dudes are in a real "OH ****" situation.
SOF needs to stop the hype. If they can't get the real pics don't fake one!
If you are not a SPEC Operator don't fake it!