COMMANDO CHAPTER (HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA)

The Commando Chapter is proud to provide a professional development forum for a truly unique logistics organization. Our membership includes senior leadership from Air Force Special Operations Command, who provide insight into Air Force-wide logistics issues, as well as local civilian contractors, who bring a completely different perspective to our organization. We are proud to have a Regional Supply Squadron, Red Horse, and the only active associate maintenance unit in the Air Force, the 716th Maintenance Squadron. Logistics professionals here support 11 different types of aircraft, to include such exotic airframes as the AN-2 Colt, AN-32 Kline, Casa 212, MI-8 Hip, and the Bossler C-47. Our logistics professionals are key players in the execution of a variety of special operations missions worldwide to include Aviation Assistance to Developing Nations, Interdiction and Close Air Support, Combat Search and Rescue, Psychological Operations, and "Deep Battlefield" Resupply. In this past year our units have won multiple Maintenance Effectiveness Awards at both the MAJCOM and USAF levels and we are finalists for the 2003 Daedalian Trophy. We are also fortunate to have the unique opportunity to partner with the Emerald Coast Chapter of Eglin AFB in many of our efforts. The unique missions at Hurlburt Field provide a number of excellent opportunities for professional development. Our membership includes logisticians who are involved in the development of the CV-22 Osprey, those who have established forward operating locations in the War on Terrorism, and many who have performed their duties in the joint environment, supporting the sister service and coalition partners who have teamed with AFSOC to execute special operations. We have the opportunity to interact with engineers from the depot who are assigned right here at Hurlburt Field to support our unique fleet of aircraft. The Commando Chapter is actively working to take advantage of these opportunities to help our membership develop a broader understanding of the scope and impact of logistics on the special operations mission. We are updating our chapter website to assist in the recruiting of new members, explain the different professional development opportunities available here at Hurlburt Field, and to provide a useful set of tools and references for logisticians supporting the special operations mission. We have recognized the need for a professional development seminar to introduce our membership to disciplines within logistics that may be outside of the scope of their experience, and are establishing a committee of officers to develop that program. We continue to host monthly luncheons featuring guest speakers from within our own membership, as well as such notable figures as Lt Gen Leo Marquez, who have provided us with the kind of mentoring that is the basis of the LOA mission. In closing, the Commando Chapter is taking an active role in meeting the vision of the LOA...we are striving to provide every opportunity possible to develop logistics professionals with an understanding of their unique role in the application of special operations combat power, Any Time...Any Place!