CHAPMAN TRAINING ANNEX, Texas — The Special Warfare Training Wing (SWTW) welcomed the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Mr. Matthew Lohmeier, for an early morning ruck with the inaugural Zulu Course on Friday, Dec. 5. The visit highlighted the wing’s continued progress in pipeline optimization and demonstrated Air Force Special Warfare’s (AFSPECWAR) strong focus on fitness.

Physical training and readiness have always been a foundational cornerstone for AFSPECWAR. Strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, and water confidence are the daily standard for Special Warfare trainees and operators.

Mr. Lohmeier met with cadre and trainees at 0700 for a ruck and physical training session designed to showcase the intensity, discipline and teamwork that define the Zulu Course. The Zulu Course is the new common skills training block that train the foundational competencies across all AFSPECWAR career fields, Combat Control, Pararescue, Tactical Air Control Party, Special Reconnaissance, and their respective officer careers.

Throughout the morning ruck, Lohmeier observed cadre-led instruction, spoke with Airmen about their experience in the revitalized pipeline. He emphasized that the Department of the Air Force remains committed to ensuring the AFSPECWAR enterprise receives the resources and stability needed to meet global mission demands.

The Zulu Course is one of the most significant outcomes of the SWTW’s Pipeline Optimization effort, a multi-year plan to streamline training flow, increase throughput, and align curriculum with operational requirements. The Zulu Course brings together skillsets that were previously taught at multiple locations into a single, cohesive program that’s focused on the basic skills of shoot, move, communicate, casualty care, advanced insertion/extraction skills, individual skills, and small team operations. The course is taught by instructors with operational experience across the AFSPECWAR enterprise, combining expertise from multiple career fields to deliver holistic training.

After the physical training session, which ended with AFSPECWAR’s traditional memorial pushups, Mr. Lohmeier praised both the students’ grit and the wing’s rapid improvements over the past year.

“The motivation I saw with these trainees is exactly what the Department needs,” Lohmeier said. “I loved the chance to get out with the Airmen who are doing some of the real warrior work – it represents a tangible example of peace through strength. I’m impressed by the wing’s initiative to combine “1Z” and “19Z” initial training for effective interoperability and 21st century warfare.”

Wing leadership echoed the Under Secretary’s confidence.

“This was a tremendous opportunity to display the SWTW’s high standards and culture of fitness. Those roots run deep and we carry on the legacy of those that came before us,” said Col. Kaveri Crum, commander of the SWTW. “Mr. Lohmeier’s visit reaffirms that we are moving in the right direction.”

The Under Secretary’s visit concluded in a discussion with wing leadership on the long-term vision for strengthening Special Warfare talent development.

“The work happening here matters,” Lohmeier said. “The Special Warfare Training Wing is leading the way in shaping the warriors our nation relies on. I’m proud to see these initiatives, and I look forward to what comes next.”