550th Special Operations Squadron

Commander:
Lt. Col. Zoltan Kaszas
550th SOS/CC

Mission Statement
To provide USSOCOM and theater commanders the finest special operations and combat search and rescue forces in the world -- BAR NONE!

Unit History
Lineage: Designated the 1550th Flying Training Squadron and activated on 1 Apr 1971. Re-designated as the 550th Flying Training Squadron on 1 Oct 1991 and finally as its current designation on 1 Apr 1994.

Assignments:
1 Apr 1971 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing, 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing, Hill AFB, UT
1 Oct 1991 542d Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, NM
1 Apr 1994 to Present 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, NM

Unit Stations:
1 Apr 1971 Hill AFB, UT
15 Mar 1976 to Present Kirtland AFB, NM

Aircraft Flown:
1971 to 1987 TH-1 and UH-1 Iroquois
1973 to 1975 HH-43 Huskie
1987 to Present HC-130 King Bird
MC-130H Combat Talon II
MC-130P Combat Shadow

Operational Missions:
1971 to 1987 Developed, conducted and monitored helicopter flying training
1976 to 1987 Included search and rescue missions
1987 to Present Conducted special operations training

Unit Awards
Service Streamers:
None

Campaign Streamers:
None

Decorations:
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
1 Apr 1974 to 31 May 1976
1 Apr 1976 to 31 Mar 1978
1 Jul 1985 to 30 Jun 1987
1 Jul 1987 to 30 Jun 1989
1 Jan 1993 to 30 Jun 1994
1 Jul 1994 to 31 Dec 1995
1 Jul 1996 to 30 Jun 1998
1 Jul 1998 to 30 Jun 2000
1 Jul 2001 to 30 Jun 2002
1 Jul 2002 to 30 Jun 2003
1 Jul 2004 to 30 Jun 2005
1 Jul 2006 to 30 Jun 2007
1 Jul 2007 to 30 Jun 2008
1 Jul 2009 - 30 Jun 2011
1 Jul 2011 - 30 Jun 2013

To contact the 550th SOS, call DSN: 263-9654, Commercial (505) 853-9654.