The United States began to train air weapons controllers as early as 1942 as a joint project between the U.S. and Great Britain. The original controller school was established in Orlando, Florida, as part of the Army Air Corps School of Applied Tactics.

On 5 December 1947, Headquarters USAF ordered the Aircraft Controllers Course be established at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and the school began operations in February 1948 under the Air Tactical School, Air University Command.

While the primary mission of the school was to train aircraft controllers, it was given the secondary mission of providing demonstrations to students attending Air Tactical School. This secondary mission was discontinued in October of 1950.

The original length of the course was established as 10 weeks, and the school was geared to produce 3 classes annually, consisting of 35 students each class. This output remained relatively unchanged until 1950 when the school was established under Headquarters, Flying Training Air Force, ATC, and became the 3625th Squadron.

As student input increased, the Squadron was elevated to Group status and in 1951 was authorized to operate as a regular USAF School. By this time, the annual student load had gradually increased to 600 students per year which included the training of foreign nationals under the Mutual Defense Air Pact and North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries. Because of this additional student load, the school duration was reduced to eight weeks.

In March of 1951, Headquarters USAF requested that the school increase the student output to 800 and this goal was achieved by reorganizing the course to a block system of instruction.

By 1953, the school was geared to produce 1,700 graduates yearly. This included inputs in the TAC/MSQ Course which graduated eight students every two weeks and the Ground Observer Corps with an input of 16 students every two weeks.

In June of 1958, with the inception of GPA-37 training, student input was reduced to approximately 900 students per year and the length of the course was extended to 10 weeks. With the elimination of the GPA-37 training in 1962, the school was again reduced to an 8-week course.

It is interesting to note that during the period of 1950 through 1964, the 3625th Technical Training Group provided its own air support aircraft and pilots for "live" intercept training. The number of aircraft supported and available for these missions decreased during this period from a maximum of 95 T-33s to a minimum of 11. This was accomplished through reduction of student input and the availability of improved synthetic trainers.

In mid 1964, the Group was reduced to a Squadron and Air Training Command transferred the live training requirement to the Air Defense Command (ADC), since ADC required that live training be continued. The last 11 aircraft assigned to the school, along with the support pilots, were transferred to the 4756th Air Defense Wing. Tyndall Air Force Base has continued to support the live mission requirements since the transfer of aircraft.

The Basic and Refresher Courses became self-paced programs in the fall of 1971 and spring of 1972 respectively. Programmed texts were accomplished at the student's own pace and on his/her own time. The proficiency portion of self-pacing involved pairing two students of like abilities with one instructor. The students progressed through the course by accomplishing stated criteria within a maximum allowable time, but without a minimum time limit. The self-paced program reduced the basic course length from 40 days to approximately 33 training days (average length). The maximum time to satisfactorily complete the refresher courses became 14 days. The lock-step concept of instruction replaced the self-paced program for the basic course in the fall of 1977. The refresher course, however, continues to be self-paced.

From 1978 through 1980, the 3625th Technical Training Squadron (TTS) conducted a maximum effort campaign to improve, upgrade, and expand its equipment, facilities, and overall operational capabilities.

The 3625 TTS was recognized as a control facility on 16 May 1978 when a letter of agreement was signed between the squadron, Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center, and the Air Defense Weapons Center. The agreement enables the squadron to control aircraft in Federal Aviation Administration airspace.

In December 1979, 14 AN-UPA 62 radarscopes were received by the squadron to replace the older UPA 35 models. The new scopes offered many advantages over the old ones, including ease of maintenance and energy efficiency. The AN-UPA 62 utilizes digital integrated circuits instead of the bulkier, less efficient vacuum tube circuits in the UPA 35. This resulted in less down time and training loss, plus the capability for technicians to rapidly troubleshoot and repair the scopes, if necessary, by simply replacing a circuit board. Energy savings have been realized, since the power used by the UPA 62 is less than one-third of that used by the UPA 35.

In addition to the new scopes, two GPA-122 decoders were received and installed in December 1979 for use during live intercept training. The decoders have allowed students to use equipment which they later encounter during assignments to manual systems.

In order to house the ever-expanding student and instructor population, the school received approval from ADCOM to construct a 2,665 square foot addition to building 1270. The project was completed in May 1980 at a cost of $94,000. The addition provides the squadron with a conference room and new office space for the orderly room, commander's office, Training Development Branch, and Operations. The addition enabled other sections to relocate and expand their office space and, most importantly, increased available classroom space.

Other physical improvements in the school included the construction of an audiovisual storage room and projection booth used to house projectors, slides, and audiovisual materials. A card catalog was prepared to facilitate the use of audiovisual aids in the training program. A learning center complete with carrels and video tape machines was designed to compliment the basic course, aid in remedial training, and provide students with a further insight into the air weapons controller career field.

Numerous self-help projects by students, instructors, and support personnel alike greatly improved the school's physical appearance, enhanced esprit de corps, and created a training environment more conducive to learning. Ceilings were lowered, classroom lighting was improved and walls were paneled, painted, and decorated with murals and replicas of major air command patches.

The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award was presented to the 3625 TTS as part of the 3390th Technical Training Group, Keesler AFB, Mississippi, for the period 1 May 1978 - 30 April 1979. In addition to this, the squadron was named the outstanding detachment, squadron or operating location in the 3300th Technical Training Wing for 1979.

A major revision of the Air Weapons Controller Course also took place during this period. After a task analysis was conducted in 1978, two courses of 6 and 13 weeks in duration came into being. The 6 week version was for all air weapons controllers, while the 13 week was attended only by those students whose end assignment was to a manual radar facility.

Both of these courses were lock-step with all students completing A (sim) and B (live) crews. Thirteen week students continued into the 2V1 environment on C (sim) and D (live) crews. The 6 and 13 week courses remained virtually unchanged for 6 years.

After three years of planning, the 3625 TCHTS undertook the training of 30,554 students in the Joint Surveillance System (JSS) Data Processor and Display Maintenance Course in April 1982. The course was designed to train experienced 305X4s from field units on ROCC computer equipment. The course has undergone three major revisions since its inception, due mainly to system evolution. The training staff has increased from 6 to 9 as the course has graduated 200 students who have been assigned to ROCCs at Grifffis, McChord, March, Tyndall, Elmendorf, Wheelus, and North Bay. Beginning in 1986, the course assumed the responsibility for training personnel slated to man the Icelandic ROCC.

In January 1984, the school's mission again increased when the Aerospace Control and Warning Systems Operation Course moved from Keesler to Tyndall AFB. Building 656 was added to the squadron's facilities to house the pipeline students from Keesler. Since the course moved to Tyndall it has graduated an average of 8 students every 14 training days.

In June 1984, after a MAJCOM conference that discussed training for air weapon controllers, the present 10.4 week course began. The course was designed for all air weapons controllers, taking them from the basics through 2V1 live intercepts. The school continues its 12 hour per day operation as the students progress through five crews, each 2 weeks in duration. The new course is an unqualified success. Washout rates have decreased in follow-on training to less than 1 percent of all graduates from the basic course.

While the new course has been in existence, equipment and facility upgrades have continued. The T-4 simulator was replaced by the state of the art TM-1B in June 1985, dramatically increasing training realism for student while reducing training down time. The UPA-35 was also phased out of school operations as they were gradually replaced by the UPA-62 during late 1985 and early 1986.

The facility was recarpeted during this period, followed by the refurbishing of the front foyer to match the decor of the Air Weapons Controller Hall of Fame that was dedicated in October 1985, during the annual squadron dining out. Numerous other self-help projects were completed at the same time enhancing training and increasing the morale of all 3625 TCHTS personnel.

In June 1985, the Keesler Technical Training Center underwent a reorganization which aligned the 3625 TCHTS under the 3400 TCHTG.

In November 1985, the JSS Maintenance Course area of responsibility was broadened to include a 3-level training program which awards the 3-level to the 305 AFSC. This new course will provide approximately 40 apprentice computer technicians annually to the ROCCs throughout the world.

The 3625 TCHTS was realigned from under the 3400 TCHTG to the 3300 TCHTW in June 1986. This change was directed by Major General Hickey, Keesler Technical Training Center commander, to improve management and mission effectiveness.

In December 1986, the JSS Maintenance Course area of responsibility was again broadened to include a 7-level orientation program which will familiarize senior enlisted personnel and officers with the operations of the JSS. This new program will provide approximately 120 people annually to supervisory positions in the JSS.