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21st Special Tactics Squadron
A squadron combat controller supporting a cargo and personnel airdrop during an exercise
Active	1984–1993; 1996–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Special Operations
Part of	Air Force Special Operations Command United States Special Operations Command
Garrison/HQ	Pope Field
Motto(s)	First There (1988-1993)
Engagements	Persian Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Gallant Unit Citation Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander	Lt. Col. Jeffrey T. Falcon
Insignia
21st Special Tactics Squadron emblem (approved 18 March 1999)
1721st Combat Control Squadron emblem (approved c. April 1988)

The 21st Special Tactics Squadron is one of the special tactics units of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command. It is garrisoned at Pope Field, North Carolina.

Mission

Special Tactics Squadrons are organized, trained and equipped specifically for various special operations missions facilitating air operations on the battlefield. They conduct combat search and rescue missions, collect intelligence, as well as call in close air support or airstrikes against enemy combatants and are often partnered with other U.S. special operations forces overseas.

Lineage

• Designated as the 1721st Combat Control Squadron and activated on 1 July 1984

Redesignated 624th Combat Control Squadron on 1 June 1992

Inactivated 1 October 1993

• Redesignated 21st Special Tactics Squadron on 1 May 1996 and activated

Assignments

• Twenty-First Air Force, 1 July 1984
• 1725th Combat Control Group, 1 March 1991
• 624th Airlift Support Group, 1 June 1992 – 1 October 1993
• 720th Special Tactics Group, 1 May 1996 – present

Stations

• Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina , 1 July 1984 – 1 October 1993
• Pope Air Force Base (later Pope Field), 1 May 1996 – present

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device	20 December 1989 - 9 January 1990	1721st Combat Control Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device	1 September 2001 - 31 August 2003	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	Gallant Unit Citation	1 January 2006 - 31 December 2007	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award	1 July 2006 – 31 May 2008	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1985 - 30 June 1987	1721st Combat Control Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 August 1995 - 31 July 1997	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 August 1997 - 31 July 1999	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 October 2012 - 30 September 2014	21st Special Tactics Squadron

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Defense of Saudi Arabia	2 August 1990 – 16 January 1991	1721st Combat Control Squadron
	Liberation and Defense of Kuwait	17 January 1991 – 11 April 1991	1721st Combat Control Squadron
	Consolidation II	1 November 2006 – 30 November 2006	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	Consolidation III	1 December 2006 – 30 June 2011	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	Iraqi Sovereignty	1 January 2009 – 31 August 2010	21st Special Tactics Squadron
	New Dawn	1 September 2010 – 31 December 2011	21st Special Tactics Squadron

Notable members

• Senior Airman Zachary Rhyner, a Combat Controller, was the first living recipient of the Air Force Cross during the War in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Air Force Cross for his actions during the Battle of Shok Valley on 6 April 2008 in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. According to the citation, during the battle he directed Close air support and Airstrikes totalling 4,570 cannon rounds, nine Hellfire missiles, 162 rockets, a dozen 500-pound bombs and one 2,000-pound bomb. As a result of the same battle ten U.S. Army soldiers, nine Special Forces and one Combat Cameraman, received the Silver Star.
• 20 September 2011 21st Special Tactics Squadron Combat Controller Staff Sgt. Robert Gutierrez received the Air Force Cross for extraordinary heroism. On 5 October 2009 Gutierrez was embedded in a joint US/Afghan National Army Special Forces 30 man unit as the only qualified joint terminal attack controller on a mission in Afghanistan when the unit came under intense enemy fire. Despite being shot, Gutierrez called in three danger close air strikes on the enemy.
• Senior Airman Dustin Temple, a Combat Controller, received the Air Force Cross for his actions during a 48-hour battle 27–29 September 2014 against Taliban forces in the Kajaki district of Helmand province. He was attached to U.S. Army Special Forces team from the 7th Special Forces Group with two other 21st STS members and accompanied by Afghan commandos. Temple called in dozens of airstrikes from various aircraft, among them, F-16s, AH-1s, AC-130s and an MQ-1. Over the course of the battle he controlled 28 helicopters and 20 fixed wing aircraft in a total of 26 engagements. After 45 hours of fighting a resupply helicopter dropped critically needed ammunition to the U.S. and Afghan forces. Temple and two other teammates braved enemy fire across open terrain multiple times to recover the ammunition. The Army team-leader Captain Evan Lacenski carried a critically wounded Green Beret over 300 meters in open terrain to the MEDEVAC helicopter. He was credited with saving 80 lives as a result of his actions. Along with Temple receiving the Air Force Cross, the other two 21 STS members received the Silver Star for their actions during the battle.

References

Media related to 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Wikimedia Commons

Notes

1. "Jeffrey T. Falcone". Team Pope. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
2. ^ Dollman, David (18 October 2016). "21 Special Tactics Squadron (AFSOC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
3. ^ "720th Special Tactics Group". Air Force Special Operations Command. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
4. "Valor awards for Zachary J. Rhyner". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
5. Lyle, Amaani (11 March 2009). "Combat controller receives Air Force Cross, Purple Heart". Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Office. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
6. Cavallaro, Gina (15 December 2008). "Valor of combat cameraman earns him Silver Star". Army Times. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
7. "Air Force Cross recipient: 3 minutes to change the world". Retrieved 31 March 2020.
8. "Valor awards for Dustin H. Temple". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
9. Lamothe, Dan (5 May 2015). "These U.S. airmen refused to be taken hostage in Afghanistan. Now they'll get valor awards". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
10. Everstine, Brian (11 May 2015). "The heroics behind combat controller's Air Force Cross, Silver Stars". Air Force Times. Retrieved 24 September 2017.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

v t e Military Airlift Command (MAC)
Air Forces	Twenty-First Twenty-Second Twenty-Third
Air Divisions Named Units	2d 76th 322d 834th Air Weather Service Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service Special Air Mission Air Photographic Service Aeromedical Transport
Wings	MAW 60th 62d 63d 436th 437th 438th 443d TAW 314th 316th 317th 433d 463d
Bases	Altus AFB Andrews AFB Charleston AFB Dover AFB Dyess AFB Hurlburt Field Kelly AFB Langley AFB Little Rock AFB McChord AFB McGuire AFB Norton AFB Pope AFB Scott AFB Sewart AFB Travis AFB
Aircraft	C-5 Galaxy C-9 Nightingale C-47 Skytrain C-54 Skymaster C-119 Flying Boxcar C-121 Constellation C-130 Hercules C-133 Cargomaster C-135 Stratolifter C-141 Starlifter VC-25

v t e Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)
Bases	Cannon Hurlburt Field
Wings	1st SOW 24th SOW 27th SOW 137th SOW 150th SOW 193rd SOW 352nd SOW 353rd SOW 492nd SOW 919th SOW
Groups	720th STG 724th STG
Squadrons	Operations 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 15th 16th 17th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 33rd 34th 43rd 49th 65th 67th 71st 73rd 193rd 318th 319th 427th 512th 522nd 524th 550th 551st 711th 919th Special Tactics 17th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 26th 123rd 125th 320th 321st other 18th Flight Test 23rd Special Operations Weather

v t e United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
United States Army USASOC	Units 1st Special Forces Command 75th Ranger Regiment Army Special Operations Aviation Command John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Types Special Forces Rangers Civil Affairs Psychological Operations
United States Marine Corps MARSOC	Units Marine Raider Regiment Marine Raider Support Group Marine Raider Training Center Types Critical skills operator
United States Navy NAVSPECWARCOM	Units Naval Special Warfare Group 1 Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Naval Special Warfare Group 4 Naval Special Warfare Group 8 Naval Special Warfare Group 11 Naval Special Warfare Center Types Navy SEALs Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen
United States Air Force AFSOC	Units 1st Special Operations Wing 24th Special Operations Wing 27th Special Operations Wing 137th Special Operations Wing 193rd Special Operations Wing 352nd Special Operations Wing 353rd Special Operations Wing 492nd Special Operations Wing 919th Special Operations Wing Types Pararescue Combat Control Team Special Reconnaissance Combat Rescue Officer Special Tactics Officer Combat Aviation Advisors Psychological Operations
Special mission units JSOC	Army 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force) Intelligence Support Activity (ISA / The Activity) Navy Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU / SEAL Team Six) Air Force 24th Special Tactics Squadron (24 STS) Joint Communications Unit
Theater Special Operations Commands	SOCAFRICA SOCCENT SOCEUR SOCKOR SOCPAC SOCNORTH SOCSOUTH
Source: SOCOM 2013 Fact Book

• Military units and formations in North Carolina
• Special tactics squadrons of the United States Air Force