https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN45732-ALARACT_0032026-000-WEB-1.pdf
ALARACT 003/2026
DTG: R 091420Z FEB 26
UNCLAS
SUBJ/ALARACT 003/2026 - JOINT FIRES OBSERVER QUALIFICATION
THIS ALARACT MESSAGE HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED BY JSP ON BEHALF OF
HQDA, DCS, G–3/5/7
1. (U) REFERENCES:
1.A. (U) JOINT FIRES OBSERVER MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING,
(AVAILABLE AT HTTPS://ARMYEITAAS.SHAREPOINT-MIL.US/SITES/TR-FCOE-
AMTC/SITEPAGES/JOINT-FIRES-OBSERVER.ASPX?PROMOTEDSTATE=0)
1.B. (U) TC 3–09.8, FIRE SUPPORT AND FIELD ARTILLERY CERTIFICATION AND
QUALIFICATION
2. (U) THIS MESSAGE OUTLINES REQUIREMENTS FOR UNITS TO MAINTAIN
THEIR JOINT FIRES OBSERVER (JFO) PROGRAM AND DOCUMENTATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL REQUIRED JFO TRAINING.
3. (U) JOINT FIRES WITHIN LARGE SCALE COMBAT OPERATIONS
DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING QUALIFIED JFOS SO UNITS
CAN SAFELY EXPLOIT AND INTEGRATE FIXED WING, ROTARY WING, AND
SURFACE DELIVERED FIRES. JFOS ARE CRITICAL TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT (CAS), WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH JOINT TERMINAL
ATTACK CONTROLLERS (JTACS) AND FORWARD AIR CONTROLLERS-AIRBORNE
(FACS(A)). BEFORE UNITS BECOME AVAILABLE FOR OPERATIONS,
COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE THAT PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO MODIFIED
TABLE OF ORGANIZATION AND EQUIPMENT DUTY POSITIONS CODED WITH THE
ADDITIONAL SKILL IDENTIFIER (ASI) L7 REMAIN QUALIFIED.
3.A. (U) QUALIFIED JFOS CAN––
3.A.1. (U) REQUEST, CONTROL, AND ADJUST SURFACE-TO-SURFACE FIRES,
NAVAL SURFACE FIRE SUPPORT, AND ATTACK AVIATION CALL-FOR-FIRE.
3.A.2. (U) PROVIDE TIMELY AND ACCURATE TARGETING INFORMATION TO A
JTAC/FAC(A) IN SUPPORT OF CAS OR DIRECTLY TO AIRCRAFT WHEN
AUTHORIZED BY THE CONTROLLING JTAC/FAC(A).
3.A.3. (U) CAN PERFORM TERMINAL GUIDANCE OPERATIONS.
3.A.4. (U) JFOS CANNOT ISSUE CLEARANCE FOR WEAPONS RELEASE TO
ATTACKING AIRCRAFT. TERMINAL ATTACK CONTROL AUTHORITY IS MAINTAINED
BY A QUALIFIED JTAC OR FAC(A).
4. (U) INITIAL CERTIFICATION. PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO AN ASI L7 CODED
POSITION RECEIVE INITIAL CERTIFICATION BY ATTENDING AN ACCREDITED
TRAINING COURSE. UNITS CAN SCHEDULE ATTENDANCE TO AN ACCREDITED
ARMY COURSE, 2E-SIL7/250-ASIL7-(MC), THROUGH THE ARMY TRAINING
REQUIREMENTS AND RESOURCES SYSTEM (ATRRS).
5. (U) SUSTAINMENT TRAINING.
5.A. (U) COMMANDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THEIR JFOS REMAIN
QUALIFIED BY CONDUCTING THE SEMI-ANNUAL TRAINING TASKS AND
EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN REFERENCE 1.B., CHAPTER 6. IN
ACCORDANCE PARAGRAPH 6–42, “A JFO CERTIFIED FIRE SUPPORTER IS NOT
CONSIDERED FIRE SUPPORT CERTIFICATION COMPLETE UNTIL THE JFO HAS
COMPLETED ALL ANNUAL CURRENCY EVENTS, SEMI-ANNUAL CURRENCY
EVENTS, AND AN EVALUATION.” SEMI-ANNUAL TRAINING AND EVALUATIONS
CAN BE CONDUCTED EITHER LIVE OR SIMULATED, AND MUST BE
ADMINISTERED BY A DESIGNATED JFO EVALUATOR (JFO-E), OR A JFO-
INSTRUCTOR (JFO-I) AT AN ACCREDITED JFO TRAINING INSTITUTION OR A JFO-
I/E THAT IS A JTAC OR FAC(A) AND MAINTAINS QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ARE PRESCRIBED IN REFERENCE 1.B. AND THE JFO
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.
5.B. (U) FOR ALL LIVE CAS TRAINING, A JTAC OR FAC(A) IS REQUIRED TO
CONDUCT TERMINAL GUIDANCE OF THE CAS CONTROL.
6. (U) TRAINING RECORDS. COMMANDERS ARE REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF INITIAL JFO TRAINING/CERTIFICATION AND SEMI-
ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. COMMANDERS MUST MANAGE JFO
RECERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION AT UNIT LEVEL AND WILL INPUT
REQUIRED DATA INTO THE ARMY TRANSFORMATION AND TRAINING COMMAND
(T2COM) JFO COLLABORATION WEBSITE.
7. (U) ARMY SERVICE LEVEL JFO OVERSIGHT. THE FIELD ARTILLERY (FA)
COMMANDANT SUPPORTED BY THE ARMY MULTI-DOMAIN TARGETING CENTER
(AMTC) IS THE OVERSIGHT AGENCY FOR THE ARMY JFO SERVICE LEVEL
PROGRAM. THE FA COMMANDANT WITH THE SUPPORT OF AMTC OVERSEES
JFO COMPLIANCE TRAINING STANDARDS, CONDUCTS SERVICE-LEVEL
ACCREDITATIONS ON ARMY JFO TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, AND CONDUCTS JFO
STAFF ASSISTANCE VISITS AND COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENTS OF OPERATIONAL
UNITS. THE JFO OVERSIGHT TEAM ASSESSES AND REPORTS UNITS AS ONE OF
THREE CATEGORIES:
7.A. (U) CATEGORY (1) COMPLIANT. THE UNIT JFO PROGRAM IS IN FULL
COMPLIANCE WITH REFERENCE 1.B., CHAPTER 6 REQUIREMENTS. POSITIVE
AND NEGATIVE OBSERVATIONS HAVE BEEN NOTED AND REPORTED TO UNIT
LEADERSHIP. AREAS OF RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENT TO JFO PROGRAM
EXECUTION, QUALITY OF TRAINING OR COMBAT CAPABILITY ARE ADDRESSED
IN THE COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT.
7.B. (U) CATEGORY (2) COMPLIANT WITH DEFICIENCY. COMPLIANT WITH
REFERENCE 1.B., CHAPTER 6 REQUIREMENTS WITH NOTABLE ISSUES THAT
DETER FROM THE EXECUTION OF THE UNIT JFO PROGRAM, QUALITY OF
TRAINING, OR COMBAT CAPABILITY THAT DOES NOT WARRANT NON-
COMPLIANCE. RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WILL BE
ACCOMPLISHED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE UNIT JFO PROGRAM MANAGER
AND UNIT LEADERSHIP AS TIME AND FUNDING PERMIT. DEFICIENCIES WILL BE
ADDRESSED IN THE COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT AND REVIEWED FOR
CORRECTION IN SUBSEQUENT COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT REVIEWS.
7.C. (U) CATEGORY (3) NON-COMPLIANT. ISSUE OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH
REFERENCE 1.B., CHAPTER 6 REQUIREMENTS WHICH, IF NOT CORRECTED BY
PRESCRIBED FOLLOW-ON ACTIONS WITHIN SPECIFIED TIMELINES, WILL LEAD
TO RECOMMENDATION TO STOP ALL JFO TRAINING UNTIL A CORRECTIVE PLAN
CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. BASED ON WHEN THE DISCREPANCY OCCURRED,
JFOS AND JFO-ES MAY LOSE QUALIFICATION ISSUED DURING THE IDENTIFIED
PERIOD. THE DIVISION ARTILLERY FIRE SUPPORT MASTER GUNNER WILL
PROVIDE DISCREPANCY STATUS UPDATES TO THE JFO OVERSIGHT TEAM, AND
THE JFO OVERSIGHT TEAM TRACKS DISCREPANCIES FOR THE FA
COMMANDANT UNTIL RESOLVED BY THE UNIT.
8. (U) T2COM’S JFO COLLABORATION WEBSITE WILL BE THE CENTRAL
LOCATION TO STORE TRAINING TRACKERS FOR OVERSIGHT PURPOSES UNTIL
ARMY TRAINING INFORMATION SYSTEM (ATIS) IS OPERATIONAL. THE DIVISION
ARTILLERY FIRE SUPPORT NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER/JFO PROGRAM
MANAGER WILL UPLOAD THEIR UNIT JFO TRAINING TRACKER QUARTERLY TO
THE JFO COLLABORATION WEBSITE IN THE APPROPRIATE UNIT FOLDER. THE
UNIFORM RESOURCE LOCATOR (URL) FOR THE JFO COLLABORATION WEBSITE
IS HTTPS://ARMYEITAAS.SHAREPOINT-MIL.US/SITES/TR-FCOE-
AMTC/SITEPAGES/JOINT-FIRES-OBSERVER.ASPX?PROMOTEDSTATE=0.
9. (U) POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS MESSAGE IS LTC JACOB S. LOFTICE, CHIEF
JOINT INTEGRATION DIVISION, FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, VIA EMAIL:
JACOB.S.LOFTICE.MIL@ARMY.MIL OR DSN 639–1407.
10. (U) THIS ALARACT MESSAGE EXPIRES ON 26 JANUARY 2027.