A Glimpse into Duke Field
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Updated: 8:16 AM Jul 31, 2009
A Glimpse into Duke Field
Duke Field in Okaloosa County may be the Air Force's only reserve special operations wing. But unlike most reserve units, these highly-trained Airmen are constantly deployed to conduct some of the military's most precise missions. Most of their responsibilities are usually kept quite, until now.
Posted: 8:13 AM Jul 31, 2009
Reporter: Alex Denis

Reservist Special Operations Headquartered At Duke Field
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Duke Field in Okaloosa County may be the Air Force's only reserve special operations wing.
But unlike most reserve units, these highly-trained Airmen are constantly deployed to conduct some of the military's most precise missions.
Most of their responsibilities are usually kept quite, until now.
This small road leads to one of the most decorated reserve units in the Air Force-- the 919th Special Operations Wing.
These reservists provide support for some of the military's top-secret missions.
They're frequently deployed and play an active role in the fight on terrorism.
"It got very busy shortly after 9/11 and has staid pretty consistent with that level of work. Not just home station training, but exercises that we go on as well as deployments," says the 919th SOW Commander, Col. Jon Weeks.
Airmen of this elite wing are cross-trained on a variety of weapons outfitted with specialized equipment.
Special optic lenses allow Airmen to set their sights on a target using a laser invisible to the naked eye.
Although these Airmen have access to high-tech equipment, depending on the mission, they may choose a weapon everyone is familiar with.
"We're in a lot of places where people don't speak the same language and we don't always have an interpreter. So I like to call this the interpreter (cocks shot-gun). When it goes off everyone know there's trouble," says MSgt. William Stapp.
The 919th is best known for the MC-130E Combat Talon.
The plane has the capability to be refueled during flight as well as refuel other aircraft.
This feature allows aircrew to provide a variety of support to other specialized groups.
"We have the capability to refuel ourselves in flight from KC-135s and KC-10s. Which extends our range pretty much indefinitely as long as we can have the aircraft in the air," says 919th Pilot, Lt. Col. Mike Theriot.
The 919th Wing has earned a long list of awards for its part in special operation missions.
But these Airmen remain humble and focused on the fight.
"We don't want to be out there thumping out chests and bragging. I will say that the people in this wing have done some incredible work and that speaks for itself," says Weeks.
The 919th employs about 1,200 reservists.

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