Hurlburt Field is the home to the 1st Special Operations Wing (1SOW) and also the Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), and is basically the home base for all the Special Operations Squadrons.

This was the first time the base had ever hosted a media contingent and the thoroughness of the briefs put on by the various members of the base was mind blowing.

The importance of this major step that they took for our visit was cemented by the fact that we were hosted and briefed by the Commander of 1SOW Colonel Norman J. Brozenick Jr. himself.

Their motto "Any Time Any Place" is backed up by a dizzying array of aircraft types at their disposal.

These are split between 3 bases (Hurlburt Field and Eglin in Florida and Creech, Nevada) and consist of 86 individual aircraft and at least 25 aircraft types including:
MQ-1 Predator
AC-130U Spooky Gunship
AC-130H Spectre Gunship
C-130E Hercules
MC-130W Hercules
MC-130P Combat Shadow
MC-130H Combat Talon
U-28 (Pilatus PC12)
DHC-6 Twin Otter
OV-10 Bronco
CASA 212
An-2
An-26
C-47
CV-22 Osprey
UN-1H/N Huey
Mil 8/17
MH-53J/M Pave Low
AS332 Super Puma
Bel 212/412
H-60 Blackhawk/Pavehawk

The biggest surprise for me was that fact that they operate Russian built aircraft, which on reflection makes sense in the field, but that they are here in the US was probably more unexpected.

Another surprise was when speaking to the guy in charge of the Mil that he was only born and bred in England! Small world.

Our original itinerary was cut down very much and we were restricted to an ramp on the East side of the base where they had prepared some aircraft for us to crawl over and ask the crew questions.

We didn’t get a chance to wander on the C-130 ramps or the vast heritage park – maybe next time.

Thanks to Jay Miller, Amy Oliver, Colonel Brozenick and all the crew of the 1SOW.