Environmental Reconnaissance in OEF: Special Operations Weather's Leading Role

From his seated position behind the M-2 heavy machine gun in his vehicle's turret, TSgt Ray Decker could see everything. His lofted perch offered him vistas of the sharp profile of distant mountains to the north, a meandering river flowing from northeast to southwest, an unimpeded view of the horizon and the jagged rocky outcrops which flanked the dusty trail. Riding above his four teammates, TSgt Decker, a special operations weatherman, was in the ideal position to conduct environmental reconnaissance, exactly his purpose on this combat patrol. Moving out from his firebase in the Uruzgan Province on that day in August 2008, Ray could not have imagined the impact of his collection. Introduction Since 9/11, environmental reconnaissance (ER) has become special operations weather's (SOWT) leading role. SOWT personnel conducting ER were among the first U.S. military into Afghanistan in October 2001. Since that time, SOWT personnel have operated in every corner of the country, in both non-permissive and politically sensitive areas. The data they collect, whether near-target, in advance of assaulting forces or on a routine patrol, have proven pivotal in securing mission success. Today, time and effort placed on the ER mission far exceed that which is spent on the more traditional weather functions, such as forecasting and mission briefings. ER training consumes the lion's share of time during the SOWT predeployment and certification training phase, a phase that lasts over six months of the 10th Combat Weather Squadron's (CWS) 15-month Phased Operational, Refit/Retool and Training cycle.