That makes sense. I was thinking the water survival school might have been sufficient without the water con since their "indoc" is so short.

Here is what the STTS Chief Enlisted Manager sent:

Currently the SOWT members are required to take the initial PAST test to include the 500m swim. Once qualified they are required to meet the standard ST PT test to include the 1500m swim. They attend the 4 day water survival training at Pensacola as well. For the STTS piece they have to swim 100m with bdu's and boots as well as tread water in bdu's and boots for 15 minutes. They do not have a water confidence program, but are provided one on one assistance to meet requirements if required.

That should clear it up a bit.

If you guys haven't read it in the news section, Tony (the STTS CEM) was one of the 100 most influential people selected by Time magazine for his work in Haiti...we served together in Okinawa.

TE,

One last question on the topic of water con for SOWT. Do they split off from the CCT trainees during water con, and what do they work on if so?

Edit: That's great news. It's good to see people who do something worthwhile being recognized for the rest of the world to see.

dcvl-

have you looked atthe forum on http://www.combatweather.org/InstantForum/ yet? They may be able to answer your questions.

SN,

I have checked that site, the links didn't work before, but they seem to be working now.

It's to my understanding that SOWT trainee's were on CCT teams during the training at Keesler. Swam/Ran/Rucked with them. One problem I noticed is because the ATC training is shorter than Wx, SOWT were going through mutliple teams. As there are more SOWT going into the pipeline they are working on having SOWT only teams. Not sure how this will work if you get in trouble. They usually bump you to a baby team to get smoked again, but if there aren't many SOWT in the pipe, there might not be a baby team.

Yea the SOWT guys are on teams with CCT members through the training. Confirmed by my friend in the CCT pipeline right now.

Yeah, my resource is a good friend of mine who was pipeline and in my class. Actually, the first through the new pipeline. Good luck A1C G

The original discussion regarding all of this was at AST...not during the SOWT pipeline...I'm working on getting specifics on that.

Back to the Pipeling itself, I have a question about family PCS'ing. Like Pararescue's last schools of the Pipline, do spouses and children PCS to Keesler AFB or any of the other schools with the SOWT Trainee? If so, where does the family go when the trainee is in Airborne, Dive, etc? We're stationed at Kirtland AFB, NM at this moment.

Thanks,

Nik

Nik

Your family will stay where they currently are, as you will be in training status. Once you have completed the pipeline, then your family will PCS with you. The AF will not pay to PCS your family from school to school and you will be required to live in the AF dorms/lodging during training. Also to note between schools you will return to Kirtland and your current unit.

I believe you PCS once you get to Hurlburt, but have to check. Are you in weather now? or cross training?

I've been talking to different people. My career advisor says since CW school is longer then 6 months then he thinks we'd be PCS'ing there. I also heard from some PJ's here on kirtland that we'd definitely be PCS'ing to AST. SN, I'm done with all the paper work for crosstraining and just waiting for my scheduled PAST. With it being such a new afsc, its hard to find concrete answers.

Thanks,

Nik

Oh, and this crosstraining is going to happen either way. It would be nice to shed some light on the wife so we can get her prepared when shes solo with our 3 month old son.

Well first you will have to make it through the crosstrainee selection at Hulbert field which is currently a 3 day course. Once you have completed that and have been selected to continue to the pipeline you get a class date to start. I think your career advisor may not be aware of what you will be doing, SOWT is multiple schools. I already answered your questions above by the way and yes your family will PCS to Hulbert for AST.

A question just to satisfy my own curiosity if I may:

Does this mean that SOWTs are qualified both as Weather Technicians _and_ Combat Controllers?

No, CCT attends Air Traffic Control School while SOWT does weather school. It's simply named CCT school because that's what it's been for the last 10 years. Now that SOWT has joined their pipeline, they attend this school as well.

CCT school teaches students the tactics, techniques, and procedures and the respective jobs (CCT and SOWT)...lots of it overlaps, where it doesn't, they simply concentrate on their parts of the mission.