720th Special Tactics Group

The 720th Special Tactics Group is a United States Air Force special operations formation headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It is one of the ground components of the 24th Special Operations Wing and operates within Air Force Special Operations Command. Rather than being a commercial brand, the group is an operational military organization whose identity is associated with the U.S. Air Force Special Tactics community. The group was activated on 1 October 1987 as the 1720th Special Tactics Group and was redesignated the 720th Special Tactics Group on 31 March 1992. Its principal role is to organize, train, equip, and manage specialized personnel who enable airpower in difficult or contested environments. Its personnel include special tactics officers, combat controllers, combat rescue officers, pararescuemen, special reconnaissance specialists, air liaison officers, tactical air control party personnel, and supporting airmen from numerous Air Force specialties. The group's operational capabilities cover a broad range of missions. Depending on the unit and deployment, personnel can establish and control landing zones and air traffic in austere areas, coordinate close air support and airstrikes, conduct combat search and rescue, perform battlefield trauma care and surgical support, gather and report intelligence, and integrate air operations with other U.S. special operations forces. These capabilities are designed for situations in which conventional airfield infrastructure, communications, or medical support may be unavailable or threatened. The 720th comprises four geographically separated special tactics squadrons and the 720th Operations Support Squadron. Its primary subordinate squadrons are the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Field, North Carolina; the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field; and the 26th Special Tactics Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The operations support squadron, also at Hurlburt Field, provides planning, training, intelligence, logistics, and other enabling functions. The group also serves as the functional manager for the 320th Special Tactics Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and the 321st Special Tactics Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, England. In addition, Air National Guard special tactics units in Kentucky and Oregon augment its training and deployment requirements. This structure gives the group a broad geographic reach while preserving specialized local capabilities. A notable organizational change occurred in 2014, when special operations weather personnel were integrated into the special tactics structure. The 10th Combat Weather Squadron was inactivated after its weather technicians were transferred into other special tactics squadrons. The change reflected an effort to integrate environmental and weather expertise more closely with special operations teams. The group has supported U.S. military operations worldwide, although detailed operational activities are often classified or only partially described publicly. Its personnel have received high-level recognition for combat actions. In one publicly documented incident, Chief Master Sergeant Aaron of the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron received the Air Force Cross for actions in Afghanistan on 10 December 2013, when he protected and treated wounded allied personnel while under intense enemy fire. The 720th was assigned to Twenty-Third Air Force, later Air Force Special Operations Command, from its activation until 2012. On 12 June 2012 it became part of the 24th Special Operations Wing. The lineage record identifies Air Force Special Operations Command as its assignment from 16 May 2025 onward. The group remains an active U.S. military special operations organization rather than a consumer-facing or commercial enterprise.

The 720th Special Tactics Group traces its formal lineage to 1 October 1987, when the 1720th Special Tactics Group was activated at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The formation was created to consolidate and manage Air Force personnel whose specialized skills enabled special operations forces to conduct air operations in austere or hostile environments. On 31 March 1992, it received its current designation as the 720th Special Tactics Group. During its early decades, the group operated under Twenty-Third Air Force, the predecessor organization associated with Air Force special operations command structures. Its subordinate elements developed complementary capabilities in combat control, rescue, tactical air control, reconnaissance, weather, and operational support. The group’s fixed station at Hurlburt Field served as its headquarters, while its squadrons were distributed across other U.S. bases to remain close to major special operations and conventional force formations. The 21st Special Tactics Squadron was established within the group in 1996, followed shortly afterward by the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron. The group’s historical component list also records the 1723rd Combat Control Squadron, later redesignated as the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, and the 1724th Combat Control Squadron, later associated with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron. The 24th Special Tactics Squadron lineage entry ends in 2011. The 720th Operations Support Squadron was activated in 2004 to provide dedicated support for planning, readiness, intelligence, logistics, and related activities. A special tactics training squadron was also present briefly during 2008. In 2008, the 17th Air Support Operations Squadron became associated with the group and was later redesignated the 17th Special Tactics Squadron. The group added the 26th Special Tactics Squadron in 2014 at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, expanding the organization’s geographic distribution and special tactics capacity. A significant organizational adjustment took place in May 2014. Special operations weather technicians had previously been assigned to the 10th Combat Weather Squadron. The Air Force decided to integrate those specialists more directly with special tactics squadrons, and the 10th Combat Weather Squadron was inactivated after the transfer. This change reflected the operational importance of weather information to infiltration, aviation, rescue, reconnaissance, and battlefield air-control missions. The group’s squadrons have supported overseas U.S. military operations and have frequently worked alongside other special operations forces. Public descriptions emphasize that its personnel may control aircraft and landing zones, direct close air support, conduct combat rescue, collect intelligence, and provide emergency medical care. The nature of these missions means that many operational details are not publicly disclosed. The group also has a functional management role beyond its directly assigned units. It oversees or supports the special tactics mission relationship with the 320th Special Tactics Squadron at Kadena Air Base in Japan and the 321st Special Tactics Squadron at RAF Mildenhall in England. Kentucky and Oregon Air National Guard special tactics squadrons augment the group for training and deployments, creating a wider reserve and partner network. From 1987 until 12 June 2012, the group was assigned to Twenty-Third Air Force, later associated with Air Force Special Operations Command. On 12 June 2012, it was assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing. The lineage record identifies Air Force Special Operations Command as its assignment from 16 May 2025. The group remains headquartered at Hurlburt Field and continues to function as a specialized ground component supporting airpower and special operations missions.

• 2025

  Air Force Special Operations Command assignment recorded

  [1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The lineage record identifies Air Force Special Operations Command as the group’s assignment from 16 May 2025.

• 2014

  26th Special Tactics Squadron added and weather function reorganized

  [1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 26th Special Tactics Squadron was established, while special operations weather personnel were integrated into other special tactics squadrons after the 10th Combat Weather Squadron was inactivated.

• 2012

  Assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing

  [1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group transferred to the 24th Special Operations Wing on 12 June 2012.

• 2004

  720th Operations Support Squadron established

  [1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  A dedicated operations support element was added to provide enabling functions for the group’s special tactics units.

• 1996

  21st and 22nd Special Tactics Squadron lineages established

  [1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group’s geographically distributed special tactics structure expanded with the establishment of the 21st and 22nd squadrons.

• 1992

  Redesignated as the 720th Special Tactics Group

  [1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization adopted its current numerical designation on 31 March 1992.

• 1987

  Group activated as the 1720th Special Tactics Group

  [1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The formation was activated at Hurlburt Field, Florida, establishing the lineage that became the 720th Special Tactics Group.

Military special operations ground formation focused on integrating specialized personnel and airpower with U.S. and allied special operations missions.

• Military special operations · 1987

  Special Tactics Squadron operations

  The group’s core operational capability is delivered through special tactics squadrons containing combat controllers, pararescuemen, special reconnaissance personnel, special tactics officers, tactical air control party personnel, and related support specialists. These teams enable air operations and integrate with other special operations forces in challenging environments.

• Rescue operations

  Combat search and rescue

  Special tactics personnel conduct or support recovery of isolated, injured, or endangered personnel in combat and other high-risk environments. The capability combines specialized insertion, rescue, communications, navigation, and emergency medical skills.

• Air-ground integration

  Battlefield air-control support

  Combat controllers and tactical air-control personnel help establish access to austere landing areas and coordinate aircraft, close air support, and airstrikes. Their work links air assets with ground commanders and special operations teams.

• Reconnaissance

  Special reconnaissance and battlefield information

  The group’s special reconnaissance capability contributes intelligence collection and reporting in support of special operations. Such work can provide commanders with environmental, tactical, and operational information in areas where conventional access is limited.

• Military support · 2004

  Operational support and training management

  The 720th Operations Support Squadron and the group headquarters provide planning, readiness, intelligence, logistics, training, and administrative support. The group also manages functional relationships with selected special tactics squadrons outside the continental United States.

• 2014

  Integrate special operations weather personnel into special tactics squadronsStrategy

  Background

  Weather information is important to aviation, infiltration, rescue, reconnaissance, and air-ground operations. Before the reorganization, special operations weather technicians were assigned to the 10th Combat Weather Squadron.

  Action taken

  The 10th Combat Weather Squadron was inactivated after its personnel were transferred into other special tactics squadrons, bringing the weather function closer to operational teams.

  Aftermath

  The change made weather specialists part of the integrated special tactics force structure. Public material does not provide quantitative measures of the reorganization’s effects.

  Source

• 2014

  Special operations weather personnel integrated into special tactics units[1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The 10th Combat Weather Squadron was inactivated after its special operations weather technicians were transferred into the broader special tactics structure.

• 2013

  22nd Special Tactics Squadron member receives Air Force Cross for Afghanistan action[1]720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Chief Master Sergeant Aaron was recognized for defending wounded teammates under heavy enemy fire and providing life-saving trauma care during an operation in Kandahar Province.

1. 1720th Special Tactics Groupen.wikipedia.org