AF officials announce candidate bases for TACP/ALO training Published May 15, 2012 WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials announced Joint Base San Antonio -- Lackland, Texas, and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., as candidate bases for the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) and Air Liaison Officer (ALO) School. The candidate bases were approved by Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton A. Schwartz. Recent and current operations have created an increase in demand for TACPs to support Army units. The current TACP/ALO School at Hurlburt Field, Fla., lacks adequate facilities and ranges to train the required number of TACP Airmen. Headquarters Air Education and Training Command will begin conducting detailed, on-the-ground evaluations of the candidate bases covering a range of operational and infrastructure requirements. The results of the surveys will be briefed to the Secretary of the Air Force and Air Force Chief of Staff, who will then select both a preferred and reasonable location for this mission. "The Air Force uses a deliberate, repeatable and transparent process to address our basing needs," said Kathleen Ferguson, Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Installations. "These candidate bases will be analyzed to determine which location will best host this mission." Air Force TACPs act as the battlefield liaison between ground forces and aircraft overhead. They generally support Army maneuver units and direct close air support firepower toward enemy targets on the ground. The ALO supports intermediate Army tactical ground units and functions as the primary advisor to the ground commander on air and space. Based on the results of these efforts, officials expect to announce the preferred and reasonable locations in the summer of 2012 and the final decision after potential environmental impacts are analyzed.