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Air ForceCombat ArmsRank #11 of 101 by 4-year cost
1C4X1

Tactical Air Control Party (TACP)

52-week pipeline · BMT + TACP Initial Skills + JFO Course + CAS Qualification · Fort Liberty, NC + Nellis AFB, NV
Training Pipeline
$138K
52 weeks
Annual MILPERS
$78K
E-5, 3 years service
Equipment Burden
$12K
per year (amortized)
4-Year Total Cost
$498K
DoD investment
4-Year Cost Breakdown
Training Pipeline
$138K28%
Military Personnel (MILPERS × 4yr)
$312K63%
Equipment Burden (× 4yr)
$48K10%
Training: 28% · MILPERS: 63% · Equipment: 10%= $498K
By the Numbers

A TACP's radio call can direct a $75M F-35 to drop a $28,000 JDAM on a target identified by a ground sergeant. They bridge the tactical ground picture and the airborne fires ecosystem — a linkage that has saved thousands of lives in modern warfare.

One JTAC radio call can coordinate $500K+ in aircraft and munitions. The JTAC earns $45K/year.

Training Pipeline
Duration
52 weeks
Type
BMT + TACP Initial Skills + JFO Course + CAS Qualification
Location
Fort Liberty, NC + Nellis AFB, NV
Pipeline Cost
$138K

TACPs are Air Force personnel who embed with Army and Marine ground units to call close air support. They are Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) — the only personnel legally authorized to direct lethal air strikes on ground targets.

Equipment & Annual Burden
Assigned Equipment
  • ·ROVER Terminal ($18K)
  • ·AN/PRC-117F/G SATCOM Radio
  • ·Laser Designator/Rangefinder
  • ·M4A1 Carbine
  • ·Army-Standard Combat Equipment
Annual Equipment Burden
$12K/yr
JTAC equipment suite amortized — ROVER + designator + radios
Military Personnel Cost (Annual)
Grade BenchmarkE-5, 3 years service
Base MILPERS$73K/yr
Specialty Pay(Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP), Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay)+$5K/yr
Total Annual MILPERS$78K/yr
Specialty pays account for $5K annually (6% of total compensation).
Force Structure Context
Annual Accessions~400
Avg Career Length8 years
Annual Training Bill$55.2M
Total Force 4yr Cost$199.0M
Other Air Force Profiles

Cost estimates derived from DoD Comptroller per-soldier analysis, RAND Corporation military personnel studies, CBO military compensation reports, service-specific training cost testimony, and published equipment unit costs. Error margin ±15%. Individual costs vary by duty station, assignment, and deployment tempo. This is Phase 3 of the Honest MOS DoD Budget Intelligence Roadmap.