125th Special Tactics Squadron

The 125th Special Tactics Squadron is a special operations force unit serving as part of the 142nd Wing of the United States Air National Guard. They are based at the Portland Air National Guard Base in Portland, Oregon.

Mission

The squadron provides tactical air and ground integration force and the Air Force's special operations ground force leading global strike, personnel recovery operations and battlefield surgery.
The Special Tactics Squadron consist of:

United States Air Force Combat Control Team - who are FAA-certified air traffic controllers and establish air control and provide combat support.
United States Air Force Pararescue - primary mission is personnel recovery in hostile areas and are expert combat medical professionals.
United States Air Force Special Reconnaissance – Special Reconnaissance Airmen are trained in surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, long-range precision engagement and target interdiction, small unmanned aircraft systems.
United States Air Force Combat Rescue Officer – is a Special Warfare Officer career field in the United States Air Force. Its Air Force Specialty Code is 19ZXC and it was created to strengthen USAF Special Warfare personnel recovery capabilities by providing commissioned officer leadership that possessed an operational skillset paralleling that of the enlisted pararescuemen. The CRO specialty includes direct combatant command and control of Combat Search and Rescue operations. They plan, manage and execute the six tasks of CSAR: prepare, report, locate, support, recover, and reintegrate isolated personnel and materiel. CROs conduct strategic, operational and tactical level planning, provide battle staff expertise, manage theater personnel recovery operations and conduct combat special operations.

Members of the 125th Special Tactics Squadron are trained in numerous infiltration methods that include: static-line and military free-fall parachuting, scuba, small boats, all-terrain vehicles, mountain ski and hiking, rappelling and fast rope.

History

The 125th STS was officially constituted on 1 May 2005, and is one of only two Special Tactics Units in the Air National Guard. On 9 September 2006, the 244th Combat Communications Squadron was re-missioned creating the fully operational 125th Special Tactics Squadron in 2007 at Portland Air National Guard Base, Portland, Oregon.