I suppose to understand what a ROMAD is, you must first understand where we came from. The original use of the term sprouts from the days of the Vietnam Conflict. Fighter pilots would be dispersed to Army manuever units in order to liason and direct close air support (CAS) against enemy targets that were in close proximity to friendlies. Of course, being an officer of the highest caliber and training, these pilots needed enlisted troops to operate, maintain, and transport the massive radio systems used to communicate with aircraft. These enlisted folks were known as ROMADS for Radio Operator, Maintainer, And Driver. These poor souls were usually radio maintenance troops who got stuck living with the Army for a few years instead of an air base. The enlisted guys were limited in their role because the Battalion Air Liason Officer (BALO--that pilot I was talking about) was the only person authorized to control airstrikes. The history of the BALO actually has roots all the way back to WWII. John Wayne in "The Flying Leathernecks" sends one of his pilots forward to control strikes. In Korea, Forward Air Controllers (FACs) controlled countless missions against the Communist North Korea. Vietnam saw the true advancement of the FAC as they were assigned to airborne platforms and ground units. Watch the movie "Bat 21" with Larry Hagman and Danny Glover. You will see ""Bird Dog" marking targets and clearing aircraft "Hot" on the target. The much reknowned RAVENS were infinately brave pilots controlling CAS deep into Laos during the black ops conducted by CIA. Nothing is ever said of the ROMAD although he was there and remained there with the Army even after the BALO went home. ROMADS live and fight with the Army. Even today, most ROMADS know more about the Army than the Air Force. After Vietnam, the Air Force created a seperate AFSC (now the 1C4X1 career field) for the enlisted guy. Now he was no longer a maintainer, he was an operator. Still stuck in the role of assisting the ALO/BALO but trained in CAS and how to control Emergency CAS. In the mid 1980's the Air Force saw a problem in maintaining pilots in the cockpit and the Army units. The result was the Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller (ETAC). The ETAC is a highly trained and proficient ROMAD who takes the controlling aspect away from the officer. The ETAC is the deadliest weapon on the battlefield. He can liason to the Army commander, call for artillery or Naval gunfire, coordinate airspace control measures, and deploy forward to control CAS. He is hostile and mobile and has at his finger tips the ability to lay waste to anything he can see (and some things he can't!). You will find ETACs assigned to Tactical Air Control Parties (TACPs) in all types of manuever units from Airborne, Air Assault, Armor, Mech, Ranger, and Special Forces. You could find them jumping into Panama with the Rangers or racing across the desert with the 1st Cavalry Division in Desert Storm. ROMADS were deployed to establish communications during the Mt. Saint Helens eruption and numerous hurricane disasters. The ROMAD is the most resiliant member of the Air Force even though he is most often forgotten and least recognized. They usually have bad reputations and are looked at as being more green than blue. We are the airman who say "HUA", wear Army patches on our shoulders, and black berets on our heads and we are proud of that fact. We are the only ground combat career field in the Air Force who's sole purpose is to rain destruction on the enemy and kill people. We do our PT every morning and make fun of the regular Air Force guys who don't. We are often called the Army Air Corps or the Air Force infantry but neither of those descriptions are accurate. A ROMAD walks a little taller, talks a little louder, drinks more, cusses more, and has the worst manners in the USAF. All this said though, we are a family. I know that wherever I am in the world, if I am close to a TACP, I have a friend. I am proud to be a part of the greatest job in the Air Force.
This is only a short explanation of what a ROMAD is. For more, click on the link below. |
