Special Operations Weather Technicians and Officers Special Operations Weather Technicians (SOWT) are Air Force meteorologists with unique training to operate in hostile or denied territory. They gather, assess, and interpret weather and environmental intelligence from forward deployed locations, working primarily with Air Force and Army Special Operations Forces. They collect weather, ocean, river, snow and terrain intelligence, assist mission planning, generate accurate mission-tailored target and route forecasts in support of global special operations and train joint force members and coalition partners to take and communicate limited weather observations. Additionally, Special Operations Weathermen conduct special reconnaissance, collect upper air data, organize, establish and maintain weather data reporting networks, determine host nation meteorological capabilities and train foreign national forces. Every Special Operations Forces mission is planned using the intelligence and coordination of special operations weathermen. Air Force Combat Weathermen (CWT) are meteorologists with additional ground combat training and accompany conventional Army units. CWT and SOWT Officers manage the organization and training and deploy as team leaders or mission commanders as direct combatants or as operations planners. Click here to return to the Battlefield Airmen Overview.