JASON KINNEY
(Nominated by Staci Richardson)
The National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base
June 24, 2011
SSgt Jason Robert Kinney entered the Air Force in 1999 and began to serve as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) directing the actions of combat aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air operations. In his twelve years of service for the United States Air Force, he has served four extended deployments, three times in Iraq and once in Afghanistan. The level of knowledge and training expected from these men is immeasurable. It takes a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) specialist two years of additional forward air control and ground operations training to become a JTAC. As a lead or Senior JTAC, SSgt Kinney is now expected to know, in detail, US and Coalition aircraft and weapons systems capabilities to employ them with the greatest advantage. A JTAC must also ensure that potential targets are valid to prevent unnecessary causalities. The work that Staff Sergeant Kinney has accomplished is enough to make him worthy of the honor of stitching the National 911 Flag.
