U.S. Air Force TACP Airmen compete in Best Ranger Competition 2019

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kip Sumner
  • Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs
FORT BENNING, Ga. --  This year marks the 36th anniversary of the U.S. Army Best Ranger Competition; a grueling three-day competition of tactical and survival skills designed to discover the best two-man team in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Although it originally started as an Army competition, this year’s event featured something unique; an Air Force Special Warfare team.

Master Sgt. Sean Deam and Staff Sgt. Marcos Silverio, Tactical Air Control Party specialists from the 10th Air Support Operations Support Squadron at Fort Riley, Kansas, represented the service in this year’s event. The TACPs, or Team 54, were one of the only non-Army competitors and the first Air Force TACP team to compete in at least five years.

The Best Ranger competition consists of various events ranging from basic physical fitness and soldiering skills, to airborne operations, weapons marksmanship, water confidence, land navigation and much more. The details provided before the events are scarce and competitors are expected to perform during the day and night, often operating on little to no sleep.

In order to compete in the event, members must be incredibly physically and mentally resilient. To prepare, Team 54 worked closely with their unit and Fort Riley partners.

“We leaned on our Army counterparts at the 1st Infantry Division,” Silverio said. “We were able to practice using some machine guns, to do some refamiliarization.”

“The 10th ASOS has two exercise physiologists that we can lean on,” Deam said. “They created programs for us, and we tailored them as we saw fit. I think we both put our own spin on it.”

On top of competition training, the team was also responsible for continuing daily operations at their unit. Thankfully, this isn’t new for TACP Airmen, who frequently embed with Army units while deployed to coordinate air support.

“A lot of [our job] is just really knowing and understanding the Army,” Silverio said. “Being a TACP, we work very closely with the Army. Plus we have our own skillset we bring to the fight.”

A special breed of Airmen, not everyone can be a TACP specialist. There are currently only 1200 TACPs in the Air Force, with the Air Force needing to recruit at least 300 by the end of Fiscal Year 2019. Individuals who want to apply to the career field must be able to pass a specialized Physical Ability and Stamina Test, or PAST, in order to even be considered. And it’s not just about physical fitness.

“You have to be well-rounded,” Silverio said. “Understand that as a TACP, you’re in the Air Force, but when you’re out there doing the job as a [Joint Terminal Air Controller], you work for the Army. Be prepared to do everything you can to build strong relationships.”

“We advise and assist the Army maneuver commander on the application of Air Power to support his troops,” Deam said. “When you’re deployed, you’re living with the Army, the unit you’re deployed with. You get to know everyone, you become really good friend. Here [at Best Ranger], it’s just a really condensed 24-hour version of that.”

The TACP team was a formidable duo, outpacing several Army teams and finishing all of the first day’s event. Despite not winning the competition, they felt honored to be able to compete and build the relationships that they did.

“Everyone who showed up to do this competition, I have nothing but respect for,” Silverio said. “It was just an absolutely grueling event…I met a lot of awesome people here, one of those things you’ll never forget.”

With knowledge and some new life lessons, Team 54 plans to go back to their home station and prepare to support any future Air Force teams that want to compete.

“I would tell next year’s Air Force team, six months prior to the date, start training. You should be there physically already,” Silverio says. “Have a plan for how you’re going to train on all the technical aspects. Have a nutrition plan and reach out to someone who has been through it to get good expectations. It’s going to take no less than four months of dedicated work to compete in this.”

While Team 54 didn’t rename the event the “Best TACP Competition,” they opened the door for future Air Force participation, and showcased what Special Warfare Airmen are capable of.

“The door has been opened before, but I hope we pushed it open a little bit further,” Deam said. “I hope there’s more than one Air Force team that tries to compete next year.”