Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      The family of U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Roland unveils a sign during a building dedication ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, May 6, 2021. The Special Tactics Training Squadron facility was renamed in honor of Roland, a 23rd STS special tactics officer who died protecting his teammates during an ambush at an Afghan-led security checkpoint near Camp Antonik, Afghanistan, Aug. 26, 2015.210506-F-KO270-1170
                        
                        
                        The family of U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Roland unveils a sign during a building dedication ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, May 6, 2021. The Special Tactics Training Squadron facility was renamed in honor of Roland, a 23rd STS special tactics officer who died protecting his teammates during an ambush at an Afghan-led security checkpoint near Camp Antonik, Afghanistan, Aug. 26, 2015.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Amanda A. Flower-Raschella)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Members of the Hurlburt Field Honor Guard present the colors during a dedication ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, May 6, 2021.Members of the Hurlburt Field honor guard present the colors during a dedication ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., May 6, 2021. The special tactics training squadron training facility was named after Capt. Matthew Roland, a special tactics officer who was killed in combat near Camp Antonik, Afghanistan, Aug. 26, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Miranda Mahoney)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Special tactics training complex dedicated to fallen STOPublished May 9, 2021
                    
                    By 1st Lt. Alejandra Fontalvo
                    
                    
                    24th Special Operations Wing
            **HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) --**In a split second while on a mission in 2015, Capt. Matthew Roland made the last leadership decision he would ever make. Without hesitation, he chose to protect his team and give them the best shot at overcoming an insider attack in Afghanistan, sacrificing his life in the process.
To honor the fallen special tactics officer’s actions and courageous leadership, the**24th Special Operations Wing** along with friends and family hosted a dedication ceremony in Roland’s honor, May 6 at **Hurlburt Field**.“Today I have the privilege of dedicating the Roland Field Leadership Training Complex,” said**Col. Matthew Allen**, 24th SOW commander. “It’s particularly meaningful to dedicate this training site to Matt as he spent years of his life honing his leadership expertise.”The wing chose to dedicate one of the special tactics training squadron facilities used for training and assessing special tactics officers just like Roland.“It means everything to be a part of his legacy,” said one of the young STOs attending the ceremony and finishing the training pipeline. “I think he embodies a lot of what a lot of people in our position are trying to do and why we joined. Guys like him paved the way for us and have shown us an example of who we should strive to be like. We’re honored to be walking in his footsteps and everyone who came before us.”In the audience were also several distinguished guests, friends and family members of Matthew Roland including his sister, nieces, fiancé, mother and his father, retired Col. Mark Roland.“Matthew was a patriot, he believed in his nation and was dedicated to service,” Mark said. “He loved serving as a STO and leading his team. This complex is a testament that he was good at what he did and respected for how he did it.”Roland graduated from the**U.S. Air Force Academy** in 2010 and then entered the rigorous special tactics officer training pipeline to earn the coveted red beret. His last assignment was at the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field.Members of the fallen Airman’s former squadron watched as the Roland family unveiled the new sign to the Roland Field Leadership Training Complex followed by the special tactics tradition of memorial pushups.“He never quit, he never gave up. Be strong in the face of adversity,” Mark said. “To us, this complex dedicated to selecting and training special tactics officers represents three things that Matthew valued ... service, strength and sacrifice.”As a special tactics officer, Roland was a qualified battlefield commander prepared to lead reconnaissance, strike and recovery missions, as well as a military static-line and free-fall jumper, an Air Force combat scuba diver, and a joint terminal attack controller. For his actions during his deployment, Roland was posthumously awarded the nation’s third highest honor for valor, the**Silver Star Medal**, in June of 2016.“At his core, [Matthew] was concerned with loving and protecting his family, being a leader in our Air Force and living out his warrior ethos,” Allen said. “If there was a hardship, he’d endure it. If there was a burden, he’d help lift it. If there was a challenge ... he’d meet it.”For future special tactics leaders, the complex will forever stand as inspiration to the selfless leadership and determination Roland displayed throughout his time in service.Special tactics is the Air Force’s most highly decorated community since the Vietnam War specializing in global access, precision strike, personnel recovery and battlefield surgery. Since 9/11, special tactics Airmen have received one**Medal of Honor**, 12 Air Force Cross(es) and 50 Silver Star Medal(s).AFWN 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Special Tactics 



Air Force Special Operations Command 



AFSOC 



Hurlburt Field 



dedication 



ceremony 



Afghanistan 



USAFA 



U.S. Air Force Academy Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil