By Staff Sgt. Amanda Callahan, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 28, 2008 - A top Air Force officer here praised the joint-service effort that has made Operation Marne Thunderbolt successful. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon and B-1B Lancer crews, Navy F/A-18 Hornet pilots, Army 3rd Infantry Division soldiers and Iraqi forces integrated with Army intelligence to shape the battlefield to protect ground soldiers in southern Iraq, Air Force Maj. Gen. David M. Edgington, director of Multinational Force Iraq's Air Component Coordination Element, told reporters here yesterday.
He described how the Air Force uses intelligence in operations to shape the battlefield for an Army advantage, recounting one mission in which Air Force B-1B Lancers and F-16 Fighting Falcons disposed of improvised explosive devices, which were a significant threat to ground forces.
"The Air Force provides air components to synchronize with joint-force commanders," Edgington said. "We develop target sets to figure out what targets we're able to strike that will make the battle space safer for ground troops who follow."
The general explained that, with today's technology, much consideration is given to the types of munitions used on specific targets, as well as ways to reduce or eliminate collateral damage.
"Technology has advanced to where we can now drop bombs with great precision," he said.
Targets included houses booby-trapped with explosives and deeply buried improvised explosive devices.
"We hit the targets (the Army) asked us to hit to make it more safe for them to achieve their mission," Edgington said. "By taking out IEDs with air strikes, we're saving the lives of soldiers on the ground."
The emphasis on precision strikes and a focus on reducing civilian casualties also has helped battlefield commanders gain ground with local populations, the general said.
"Concerned local citizens have stepped up because they are tired of the violence and want to secure their areas," he said. "They want to be legitimate members of society, and they want their children to go out and play soccer without fear."
At the same meeting with reporters, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of 3rd Infantry Division and Multinational Division Center, emphasized the joint nature of modern combat.
"It is a joint battlefield," he said, outlining the coalition's three main goals of blocking accelerants of violence into Baghdad, securing the population, and defeating sectarian violence.
"We turned to our brothers in the U.S. Air Force," he said, for help with intelligence gathering and target mapping using intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets such as the unmanned MQ-1A Predator.
Both generals said operational success depends on the ability of warfighters to team up in the joint environment.
"At the captain level, at the master sergeant level, it is inspiring to see how the services work together to get the mission done," Edgington said.
(Air Force Staff Sgt. Amanda Callahan serves in public affairs with 447th Air Expeditionary Group.)
Showing posts with label u.s. air force. Show all posts
Showing posts with label u.s. air force. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Coalition Forces Detain Dozens of Terrorists in Iraq Operations
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 7, 2007 - Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and seven additional suspects during an operation today to disrupt al Qaeda networks in Iraq's capital city. The wanted individuals reportedly are al Qaeda leaders in the Karkh area and are believed to have been involved in planning a future car-bombing attack in the city. The two wanted individuals allegedly are close associates of several other senior leaders involved in the network's car-bombing operations. In addition to the wanted individuals, the ground force detained seven suspects without incident.
Recent successful coalition forces operations have left the Karkh terrorist network in a severely degraded state, officials said. Over the last month, coalition forces have captured four other wanted individuals tied to the Karkh network who reportedly were involved in attacks against coalition forces and trying to re-establish the city's car-bombing operations.
"We're continuing to go after the terrorists who threaten Baghdad's security," said Navy Cmdr. Scott Rye, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "We want to make sure that terrorist cells cannot recover from their degraded state and carry out their brutal attacks."
In other operations this week:
-- Iraqi special operations soldiers and U.S. Special Forces soldiers conducted a raid near Balad to capture a known terror cell leader reported to have conducted indirect-fire attacks against Logistics Support Area Anaconda. The cell also is suspected to have been involved in attacks against Iraqi security forces, coalition forces and Iraqi civilians in the area. Reporting indicates this cell was directly responsible for emplacing an improvised explosive device that killed three U.S. Air Force airmen near LSA Anaconda in November. During the operation, the al Qaeda leader was killed, and eight suspected terrorists were captured. Several 82 mm mortar rounds, assault rifles and loaded magazines, hand grenades, and body armor were found and destroyed during the operation.
-- In a separate operation, Iraqi security forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces soldiers, detained 47 suspects for questioning during a cordon-and-search operation of Aswad village. Iraqi forces conducted the operation to disrupt terrorist cells, safe houses and weapons-storage areas in the vicinity. All detainees were placed in the custody of Khalis Iraqi police. Two improvised explosive devices were discovered and destroyed on site.
-- Coalition forces captured a suspected "special groups" criminal element leader, killed two armed men in self-defense, wounded two others and detained five suspects during operations in the Hayy area, southeast of Baghdad. During the operation, ground forces came under assault by small-arms fire and engaged the armed men, killing two and wounding two others. The targeted individual and four others were detained. "Each capture of one of these criminals brings us one step closer to a secure future for Iraq," said Army Capt. Vic Beck, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
-- Coalition forces detained two suspected criminals during operations early Dec. 5 in the Kut area, southeast of Baghdad. The operations targeted an individual who reportedly received special weapons and tactics training, including in sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, the construction of IEDs, and operational security. He also was suspected of being involved in training "special group" criminal element members on weapons and operational tactics. The individual reportedly is an associate of several other senior criminals involved in attacks on coalition forces. While in the target area, ground forces came under assault by small-arms fire. Two suspects were detained.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Dec. 7, 2007 - Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and seven additional suspects during an operation today to disrupt al Qaeda networks in Iraq's capital city. The wanted individuals reportedly are al Qaeda leaders in the Karkh area and are believed to have been involved in planning a future car-bombing attack in the city. The two wanted individuals allegedly are close associates of several other senior leaders involved in the network's car-bombing operations. In addition to the wanted individuals, the ground force detained seven suspects without incident.
Recent successful coalition forces operations have left the Karkh terrorist network in a severely degraded state, officials said. Over the last month, coalition forces have captured four other wanted individuals tied to the Karkh network who reportedly were involved in attacks against coalition forces and trying to re-establish the city's car-bombing operations.
"We're continuing to go after the terrorists who threaten Baghdad's security," said Navy Cmdr. Scott Rye, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "We want to make sure that terrorist cells cannot recover from their degraded state and carry out their brutal attacks."
In other operations this week:
-- Iraqi special operations soldiers and U.S. Special Forces soldiers conducted a raid near Balad to capture a known terror cell leader reported to have conducted indirect-fire attacks against Logistics Support Area Anaconda. The cell also is suspected to have been involved in attacks against Iraqi security forces, coalition forces and Iraqi civilians in the area. Reporting indicates this cell was directly responsible for emplacing an improvised explosive device that killed three U.S. Air Force airmen near LSA Anaconda in November. During the operation, the al Qaeda leader was killed, and eight suspected terrorists were captured. Several 82 mm mortar rounds, assault rifles and loaded magazines, hand grenades, and body armor were found and destroyed during the operation.
-- In a separate operation, Iraqi security forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces soldiers, detained 47 suspects for questioning during a cordon-and-search operation of Aswad village. Iraqi forces conducted the operation to disrupt terrorist cells, safe houses and weapons-storage areas in the vicinity. All detainees were placed in the custody of Khalis Iraqi police. Two improvised explosive devices were discovered and destroyed on site.
-- Coalition forces captured a suspected "special groups" criminal element leader, killed two armed men in self-defense, wounded two others and detained five suspects during operations in the Hayy area, southeast of Baghdad. During the operation, ground forces came under assault by small-arms fire and engaged the armed men, killing two and wounding two others. The targeted individual and four others were detained. "Each capture of one of these criminals brings us one step closer to a secure future for Iraq," said Army Capt. Vic Beck, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
-- Coalition forces detained two suspected criminals during operations early Dec. 5 in the Kut area, southeast of Baghdad. The operations targeted an individual who reportedly received special weapons and tactics training, including in sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, the construction of IEDs, and operational security. He also was suspected of being involved in training "special group" criminal element members on weapons and operational tactics. The individual reportedly is an associate of several other senior criminals involved in attacks on coalition forces. While in the target area, ground forces came under assault by small-arms fire. Two suspects were detained.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Monday, December 03, 2007
Leaflets Urge Iraqis to Help Capture Insurgent Militia Members
By Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 3, 2007 - More than 1 million leaflets were pushed out of a 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules over 10 designated drop zones in Iraq, urging local citizens to provide information on three top leaders of an armed insurgent militia. The leaflets are the "wanted posters" of the region and were requested by a Polish psychological operations unit in Multinational Division Center-South.
They ask local citizens not to harbor the three high-visibility targets, who are wanted for using improvised explosive devices and sniper attacks on U.S. and coalition forces.
"Within hours of the drop, reports were received of individuals arriving at Iraqi police stations with leaflets in hand," said Air Force Lt. Col. Elizabeth Kavanagh, an information operations planner at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Southwest Asia. "Iraqi citizens are calling the tip lines with information about planted IEDs and suspected local militia members. Through this feedback, we know that these leaflets worked, and we hope that efforts by the local populace will continue in the months to come."
"It feels really good to be helping (the multinational division) out," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alex Garrett, deployed to the 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. "If they capture any one of these guys because we threw the leaflets out, it's a huge deal. It's like our little piece of the pie. We played a part in bringing these three bad guys down."
The leaflets show images of men U.S. and coalition forces are looking to capture along with instructions for citizens to report information they may have to assist in the capture or arrest of those individuals.
Garrett said a prior leaflet drop mission he participated in over Afghanistan advised civilians to clear the area because of an impending operation to take down insurgents. One of the reports received back was that the civilians took heed of the leaflets and left the area. Coalition forces were able to clear the area and capture or kill the insurgents with minimal risk of civilian casualties.
"It's pretty cool that we get to help out the civilian population. We are only here to get the bad guys, not the good guys," he said.
The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army work closely together to print and disseminate leaflet drops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries in the region as a way to make mass contact with locals that are in rural and less established areas. The leaflets are used for both informational purposes to educate citizens on events and operations going on and to gather information on insurgents and militia in an area.
"The simplest things, such as a picture and basic information, get the meaning across very quickly and increase the probability of contacting a large portion of the populace in the targeted area at one time" Kavanagh said.
(Air Force Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez is assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 3, 2007 - More than 1 million leaflets were pushed out of a 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules over 10 designated drop zones in Iraq, urging local citizens to provide information on three top leaders of an armed insurgent militia. The leaflets are the "wanted posters" of the region and were requested by a Polish psychological operations unit in Multinational Division Center-South.
They ask local citizens not to harbor the three high-visibility targets, who are wanted for using improvised explosive devices and sniper attacks on U.S. and coalition forces.
"Within hours of the drop, reports were received of individuals arriving at Iraqi police stations with leaflets in hand," said Air Force Lt. Col. Elizabeth Kavanagh, an information operations planner at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Southwest Asia. "Iraqi citizens are calling the tip lines with information about planted IEDs and suspected local militia members. Through this feedback, we know that these leaflets worked, and we hope that efforts by the local populace will continue in the months to come."
"It feels really good to be helping (the multinational division) out," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alex Garrett, deployed to the 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. "If they capture any one of these guys because we threw the leaflets out, it's a huge deal. It's like our little piece of the pie. We played a part in bringing these three bad guys down."
The leaflets show images of men U.S. and coalition forces are looking to capture along with instructions for citizens to report information they may have to assist in the capture or arrest of those individuals.
Garrett said a prior leaflet drop mission he participated in over Afghanistan advised civilians to clear the area because of an impending operation to take down insurgents. One of the reports received back was that the civilians took heed of the leaflets and left the area. Coalition forces were able to clear the area and capture or kill the insurgents with minimal risk of civilian casualties.
"It's pretty cool that we get to help out the civilian population. We are only here to get the bad guys, not the good guys," he said.
The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army work closely together to print and disseminate leaflet drops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries in the region as a way to make mass contact with locals that are in rural and less established areas. The leaflets are used for both informational purposes to educate citizens on events and operations going on and to gather information on insurgents and militia in an area.
"The simplest things, such as a picture and basic information, get the meaning across very quickly and increase the probability of contacting a large portion of the populace in the targeted area at one time" Kavanagh said.
(Air Force Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez is assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs.)
Monday, November 05, 2007
Coalition Air Component 'Remains Strong,' General Says
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
The coalition air component in Iraq "remains strong," airlifting supplies and troops, providing surveillance and assisting ground forces with kinetic support, a senior air force officer in Iraq said today. During a news conference with reporters in Baghdad, Air Force Maj. Gen. David M. Edgington, director of Multinational Force Iraq's Air Component Coordination Element, referred to air lift forces as "the backbone of the air component."
"The number of pallets that we bring into this country keep at least 100 vehicles off the roads every day that would otherwise be delivered via convoys," he said. "This keeps the risk to the coalition forces down by avoiding those trucks being on the road."
The air lift component is also responsible for transporting some 3,500 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines into theater per day. Edgington said air forces delivered 5,500 troops in one day last month, the highest number since Operation Iraqi Freedom began.
The general said air lift forces play a vital role by providing medical evacuations of injured servicemembers, calling their success rate "very noteworthy."
"For any of the injured troops – coalition troops, Iraqi security forces as well as civilians – if we can get them to a regional cache within one hour, we have a 98 percent survival rate," he said, noting that the high survival rate is also a credit to coalition medics.
The 24-hour-a-day requirements placed on the air component creates significant demand for fuel. Aircraft involved in operations over Iraq and Afghanistan use an average of 3.5 million gallons of gas per day, Edgington said.
Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance are essential operations provided by the air component. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, placed greater demand on surveillance when he requested the U.S. Air Force to accelerate its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or UAV, capability. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approved the request.
"The United States Air Force has accelerated by one year with the deployment of several Predator (UAV) systems," Edgington said. "In fact, this week we are increasing our capability of the Predators overhead in Iraq in support of the mission here."
In terms of kinetic support, the air component has maintained a "robust presence" throughout the troop surge, synchronizing air and land efforts, the general said.
Compared to previous years of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the air component this year has dropped four times the number of munitions. This month, however, Edgington said there has been a marked decline. The general said the decreased need for air support suggests improved conditions on the ground.
"The security system is such that we are noticing that from the air as well. We are having less calls for kinetic operations," he said. "We're still there, we're still available to do that as necessary as called for by the ground commander, but there is a significant reduction in the number of weapons that have been called for."
American Forces Press Service
The coalition air component in Iraq "remains strong," airlifting supplies and troops, providing surveillance and assisting ground forces with kinetic support, a senior air force officer in Iraq said today. During a news conference with reporters in Baghdad, Air Force Maj. Gen. David M. Edgington, director of Multinational Force Iraq's Air Component Coordination Element, referred to air lift forces as "the backbone of the air component."
"The number of pallets that we bring into this country keep at least 100 vehicles off the roads every day that would otherwise be delivered via convoys," he said. "This keeps the risk to the coalition forces down by avoiding those trucks being on the road."
The air lift component is also responsible for transporting some 3,500 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines into theater per day. Edgington said air forces delivered 5,500 troops in one day last month, the highest number since Operation Iraqi Freedom began.
The general said air lift forces play a vital role by providing medical evacuations of injured servicemembers, calling their success rate "very noteworthy."
"For any of the injured troops – coalition troops, Iraqi security forces as well as civilians – if we can get them to a regional cache within one hour, we have a 98 percent survival rate," he said, noting that the high survival rate is also a credit to coalition medics.
The 24-hour-a-day requirements placed on the air component creates significant demand for fuel. Aircraft involved in operations over Iraq and Afghanistan use an average of 3.5 million gallons of gas per day, Edgington said.
Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance are essential operations provided by the air component. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, placed greater demand on surveillance when he requested the U.S. Air Force to accelerate its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or UAV, capability. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approved the request.
"The United States Air Force has accelerated by one year with the deployment of several Predator (UAV) systems," Edgington said. "In fact, this week we are increasing our capability of the Predators overhead in Iraq in support of the mission here."
In terms of kinetic support, the air component has maintained a "robust presence" throughout the troop surge, synchronizing air and land efforts, the general said.
Compared to previous years of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the air component this year has dropped four times the number of munitions. This month, however, Edgington said there has been a marked decline. The general said the decreased need for air support suggests improved conditions on the ground.
"The security system is such that we are noticing that from the air as well. We are having less calls for kinetic operations," he said. "We're still there, we're still available to do that as necessary as called for by the ground commander, but there is a significant reduction in the number of weapons that have been called for."
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Common-Sense Recruiting, Cutting-Edge Training Lift Iraq's Air Force
By David Mays
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 30, 2007 - Recruiting experienced pilots and implementing unprecedented training methods are the best ways to fast-track Iraq's infant air force, a coalition commander said today. "In order for the Iraqi air force to get off the ground, we need to bring pilots on board," U.S. Air Force Col. Mike Wobbema said. "The only way we're really going to successfully do that on a timely basis is to re-recruit those pilots who were in the air force prior to (the Gulf War in) '91, because they really haven't had an air force since then."
Wobbema, who commands the "Happy Hooligans" of North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Maintenance Group, 119th Fighter Wing, volunteered to deploy to Iraq earlier this year to help stand up Iraq's air force from scratch and recently was assigned as chief of staff for the Coalition Air Force Transition Team. He told online journalists and "bloggers" during a conference call from Baghdad's International Zone that recruiting pilots once loyal to Saddam Hussein can be a tough sell.
"The concern of security is one of the biggest things," he said. "That probably is the largest pole in the tent with regard to getting these guys on board."
But after an experienced pilot is vetted and cleared, Wobbema explained, that individual is jump-started for success in the sky.
"Once we get them going, then they are already qualified pilots, they already have wings, and so the timeline to get them mission-capable in their respective airframes will be reduced," he said. "That's the only way we're going to grow the air force to a size and capability on a timely enough basis that we need to have to accomplish the tasks that we have."
Besides common-sense pilot recruiting, coalition trainers are employing education efforts never before attempted, the colonel explained, like taking the basic United States airman course, previously taught only at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, overseas.
"I'm really impressed with the airmen we brought in. The guys that we have in Taji are people who don't normally get the opportunity to deploy, per se, in their current career field as instructors," Wobbema explained. "Never before has the Air Force brought people to a foreign country to do their basic enlisted training program like this, so it's really unique, and it's been really interesting to watch it manifest itself."
U.S. and coalition partners conduct basic airman training, run a technical school and operate an officer candidate program from sprawling Taji Air Base, just north of Baghdad, the colonel said. Coalition trainers also are embedded with more experienced Iraqi air force teams in Kirkuk, Basra and elsewhere in Iraq, where they can offer continuing field education, primarily in maintenance, he said.
"Keep in mind, we've only been working this Iraqi air force piece strongly since about the first of this year, the actual building and equipping and 'plussing-up' of the personnel," he said.
Iraq's air force continues to grow, Wobbema said. So far, more than 1,280 airmen have been recruited, including 140 pilots whose enthusiasm sometimes has to be curbed, the colonel explained.
"I've been a fighter guy my whole career, and a lot of the Iraqi air force pilots are all former fighter pilots, and of course if they had an unlimited budget and didn't want to worry about anything else, we'd be buying F-16s, F-18s for them, or they would be buying them for themselves; that's what they'd be wanting to do," the colonel said. "But we have to walk before we can run."
For now, Iraqi pilots successfully are conducting intelligence and surveillance missions with a specially equipped Cessna Caravan turboprop, Wobbema said. Soon they will be flying an armed Caravan and a propeller-driven light attack aircraft to help handle Iraq's most pressing problem: the insurgency taking place within the country's own borders, the colonel explained.
"From there, it will migrate to being able to develop an air-defense capability to protect their borders from outside influence and then from there, who knows?" he mused. "At some point in time, I suspect that they will ultimately migrate to becoming a fully integrated part of the world community."
(David Mays works in New Media at American Forces Information Service.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 30, 2007 - Recruiting experienced pilots and implementing unprecedented training methods are the best ways to fast-track Iraq's infant air force, a coalition commander said today. "In order for the Iraqi air force to get off the ground, we need to bring pilots on board," U.S. Air Force Col. Mike Wobbema said. "The only way we're really going to successfully do that on a timely basis is to re-recruit those pilots who were in the air force prior to (the Gulf War in) '91, because they really haven't had an air force since then."
Wobbema, who commands the "Happy Hooligans" of North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Maintenance Group, 119th Fighter Wing, volunteered to deploy to Iraq earlier this year to help stand up Iraq's air force from scratch and recently was assigned as chief of staff for the Coalition Air Force Transition Team. He told online journalists and "bloggers" during a conference call from Baghdad's International Zone that recruiting pilots once loyal to Saddam Hussein can be a tough sell.
"The concern of security is one of the biggest things," he said. "That probably is the largest pole in the tent with regard to getting these guys on board."
But after an experienced pilot is vetted and cleared, Wobbema explained, that individual is jump-started for success in the sky.
"Once we get them going, then they are already qualified pilots, they already have wings, and so the timeline to get them mission-capable in their respective airframes will be reduced," he said. "That's the only way we're going to grow the air force to a size and capability on a timely enough basis that we need to have to accomplish the tasks that we have."
Besides common-sense pilot recruiting, coalition trainers are employing education efforts never before attempted, the colonel explained, like taking the basic United States airman course, previously taught only at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, overseas.
"I'm really impressed with the airmen we brought in. The guys that we have in Taji are people who don't normally get the opportunity to deploy, per se, in their current career field as instructors," Wobbema explained. "Never before has the Air Force brought people to a foreign country to do their basic enlisted training program like this, so it's really unique, and it's been really interesting to watch it manifest itself."
U.S. and coalition partners conduct basic airman training, run a technical school and operate an officer candidate program from sprawling Taji Air Base, just north of Baghdad, the colonel said. Coalition trainers also are embedded with more experienced Iraqi air force teams in Kirkuk, Basra and elsewhere in Iraq, where they can offer continuing field education, primarily in maintenance, he said.
"Keep in mind, we've only been working this Iraqi air force piece strongly since about the first of this year, the actual building and equipping and 'plussing-up' of the personnel," he said.
Iraq's air force continues to grow, Wobbema said. So far, more than 1,280 airmen have been recruited, including 140 pilots whose enthusiasm sometimes has to be curbed, the colonel explained.
"I've been a fighter guy my whole career, and a lot of the Iraqi air force pilots are all former fighter pilots, and of course if they had an unlimited budget and didn't want to worry about anything else, we'd be buying F-16s, F-18s for them, or they would be buying them for themselves; that's what they'd be wanting to do," the colonel said. "But we have to walk before we can run."
For now, Iraqi pilots successfully are conducting intelligence and surveillance missions with a specially equipped Cessna Caravan turboprop, Wobbema said. Soon they will be flying an armed Caravan and a propeller-driven light attack aircraft to help handle Iraq's most pressing problem: the insurgency taking place within the country's own borders, the colonel explained.
"From there, it will migrate to being able to develop an air-defense capability to protect their borders from outside influence and then from there, who knows?" he mused. "At some point in time, I suspect that they will ultimately migrate to becoming a fully integrated part of the world community."
(David Mays works in New Media at American Forces Information Service.)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Coalition General Notes Progress in Building Iraqi Air Force
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 11, 2007 - Building an Iraqi air force will take years, but the service already is contributing to the counterinsurgency effort in the country, the chief of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team said today. The Iraqi air force has made tremendous strides since January, Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert R. Allardice told defense experts today via a conference call from Baghdad.
The Iraqi air force now has around 1,200 personnel and about 50 aircraft. The force is involved with intelligence and surveillance missions today, but "they will be shooting rockets next year," Allardice said.
The general leads a coalition group of 325 people helping the Iraqi air force rebuild itself. In the late 1980s, Iraq had the sixth-largest air force in the world, with more than 1,000 planes, he said. Operation Desert Storm and a decade of sanctions obliterated that force. In 2003, no Iraqi aircraft flew against the coalition, and the training infrastructure had been dismantled. "Air force personnel scattered to the wind," he said.
The Iraqi government needs the air force to fight the insurgency. The Iraqi army has taken precedence in the rebuilding effort, but in the last 10 months, the air force has taken off. "In January 2007, the Iraqi air force flew about 30 sorties a week," Allardice said. These sorties were largely surveillance and reconnaissance missions, with an occasional cargo flight thrown in.
"This last week the Iraqi air force flew 231 sorties," the general said. "Over the last four weeks, the air force flew an average of 180 sorties per week."
Iraqi airmen fly a mix of helicopter and fixed-wing missions. "They have a small but growing impact," Allardice said.
The general said he sees the number of Iraqi airmen quadrupling in the next year and the number of aircraft more than doubling by October 2008.
Ultimately, the Iraqi air force will have between 6,000 and 12,000 servicemembers, depending on the number of planes it has.
The Iraqis received three C-130E aircraft from the United States and have asked for three more. They also fly single-engine CH-2000 aircraft. The eight aircraft they have are used for infrastructure patrols. The crews, for example, spotted a smuggler tapping into an oil pipeline and radioed the Iraqi police officers, who arrested the smugglers.
The force has three Cessna Caravan bush airplanes that have a day-night surveillance capability. The aircraft also have a live downlink capability.
In addition, the air force flies 16 recently refurbished Huey-2 helicopters from the United States and will receive another 20 aircraft soon. The force also has 14 Mi-17 Russian-built choppers and will add another 14 next year.
"The purpose right now is to build an air force that has the capabilities for the counterinsurgency mission," Allardice said.
Coalition air forces will handle the air defense mission for Iraq for the time being. "When people think of an air force, they think of jets blowing through the air," he said. "That's not for today; that's for the out-years."
The Iraqi air force is having an effect just by its presence. Allardice said that when he flies over Baghdad in a coalition helicopter, people look up and look away. But when he flies in an Iraqi helicopter, all of which have the Iraqi flag painted on the bottom, "it's amazing to watch the Iraqis look up, see the Iraqi flag and start waving and jumping up and down."
Building an air force is a long-term project. The Iraqis opened their first flight-training school earlier this month. Four lieutenants are enrolled today, but the general said the school will turn out 130 pilots a year.
Pilots from the former regime's air force also are stepping forward now. In May, the Iraqi air force had 138 pilots in total. Since then, more than 150 pilots stepped forward to serve. Allardice said the improved security situation in the country is the reason the pilots are volunteering now.
The coalition team also is working to train senior Iraqi air force leaders. "It takes 30 years to grow a general officer in the U.S. Air Force," he said. Iraq doesn't have the luxury of time. The coalition team is working with Iraqi leaders to see what competencies are needed to command and control the force. Senior coalition officers are advising Iraqi airmen on all aspects of command, he said.
The Iraqi air force is doing "rudimentary work with (Iraqi) ground forces." While the helicopters are armed, they do not provide close-air support. The choppers do provide medical evacuation capability and are superb for reconnaissance work. "What we are doing is working with them to move troops to the battlespace and then provide operational overwatch for the (Iraqi) troops," Allardice said.
The Iraqi air force use bases near Kirkuk and Basra, at Baghdad International Airport, and in Taji. A squadron of helicopters flew from Taji to Basra last month and operated with ground forces there.
"Every day, as they become more successful, they take on more of the mission," Allardice said. "It still will take years to establish the service, but I think we can move faster than I first thought. They will be shooting rockets within six months. I would be shocked if they aren't."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 11, 2007 - Building an Iraqi air force will take years, but the service already is contributing to the counterinsurgency effort in the country, the chief of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team said today. The Iraqi air force has made tremendous strides since January, Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert R. Allardice told defense experts today via a conference call from Baghdad.
The Iraqi air force now has around 1,200 personnel and about 50 aircraft. The force is involved with intelligence and surveillance missions today, but "they will be shooting rockets next year," Allardice said.
The general leads a coalition group of 325 people helping the Iraqi air force rebuild itself. In the late 1980s, Iraq had the sixth-largest air force in the world, with more than 1,000 planes, he said. Operation Desert Storm and a decade of sanctions obliterated that force. In 2003, no Iraqi aircraft flew against the coalition, and the training infrastructure had been dismantled. "Air force personnel scattered to the wind," he said.
The Iraqi government needs the air force to fight the insurgency. The Iraqi army has taken precedence in the rebuilding effort, but in the last 10 months, the air force has taken off. "In January 2007, the Iraqi air force flew about 30 sorties a week," Allardice said. These sorties were largely surveillance and reconnaissance missions, with an occasional cargo flight thrown in.
"This last week the Iraqi air force flew 231 sorties," the general said. "Over the last four weeks, the air force flew an average of 180 sorties per week."
Iraqi airmen fly a mix of helicopter and fixed-wing missions. "They have a small but growing impact," Allardice said.
The general said he sees the number of Iraqi airmen quadrupling in the next year and the number of aircraft more than doubling by October 2008.
Ultimately, the Iraqi air force will have between 6,000 and 12,000 servicemembers, depending on the number of planes it has.
The Iraqis received three C-130E aircraft from the United States and have asked for three more. They also fly single-engine CH-2000 aircraft. The eight aircraft they have are used for infrastructure patrols. The crews, for example, spotted a smuggler tapping into an oil pipeline and radioed the Iraqi police officers, who arrested the smugglers.
The force has three Cessna Caravan bush airplanes that have a day-night surveillance capability. The aircraft also have a live downlink capability.
In addition, the air force flies 16 recently refurbished Huey-2 helicopters from the United States and will receive another 20 aircraft soon. The force also has 14 Mi-17 Russian-built choppers and will add another 14 next year.
"The purpose right now is to build an air force that has the capabilities for the counterinsurgency mission," Allardice said.
Coalition air forces will handle the air defense mission for Iraq for the time being. "When people think of an air force, they think of jets blowing through the air," he said. "That's not for today; that's for the out-years."
The Iraqi air force is having an effect just by its presence. Allardice said that when he flies over Baghdad in a coalition helicopter, people look up and look away. But when he flies in an Iraqi helicopter, all of which have the Iraqi flag painted on the bottom, "it's amazing to watch the Iraqis look up, see the Iraqi flag and start waving and jumping up and down."
Building an air force is a long-term project. The Iraqis opened their first flight-training school earlier this month. Four lieutenants are enrolled today, but the general said the school will turn out 130 pilots a year.
Pilots from the former regime's air force also are stepping forward now. In May, the Iraqi air force had 138 pilots in total. Since then, more than 150 pilots stepped forward to serve. Allardice said the improved security situation in the country is the reason the pilots are volunteering now.
The coalition team also is working to train senior Iraqi air force leaders. "It takes 30 years to grow a general officer in the U.S. Air Force," he said. Iraq doesn't have the luxury of time. The coalition team is working with Iraqi leaders to see what competencies are needed to command and control the force. Senior coalition officers are advising Iraqi airmen on all aspects of command, he said.
The Iraqi air force is doing "rudimentary work with (Iraqi) ground forces." While the helicopters are armed, they do not provide close-air support. The choppers do provide medical evacuation capability and are superb for reconnaissance work. "What we are doing is working with them to move troops to the battlespace and then provide operational overwatch for the (Iraqi) troops," Allardice said.
The Iraqi air force use bases near Kirkuk and Basra, at Baghdad International Airport, and in Taji. A squadron of helicopters flew from Taji to Basra last month and operated with ground forces there.
"Every day, as they become more successful, they take on more of the mission," Allardice said. "It still will take years to establish the service, but I think we can move faster than I first thought. They will be shooting rockets within six months. I would be shocked if they aren't."
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Iraqi Air Force Conducts First Mission Without U.S. Help
By Spc. Nathan Hoskins, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 30, 2007 - The Iraqi air force flew its first mission without the assistance of its American partners over the weekend. Iraqi pilots flew a mission to survey and monitor the power lines in Iraq in a mission called "Operation Power Line" Aug. 25, said Brig. Gen. Sati, commander of the Iraqi air force's Taji Wing, who asked to be identified by only his last name.
"We did our duties today for the very first time, and it was a 100-percent Iraqi mission," he said. Sati announced the mission at a partnership event later that day between the Iraqi air force and the U.S. Army's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, in which the American and Iraqi servicemembers enjoyed dinner.
The mission came about because insurgents have been causing unrest throughout Iraq by cutting power lines, thus cutting off electrical power to the Iraqi people, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bryan Bartlett, commander of the 770th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and the Coalition Air Force Transition Team.
"There's (a proposed) Iraqi law about people keeping their distance from power lines, since there are so many dropped," said Bartlett. The Iraqi air force is taking action on this problem by surveying for downed lines and watching for anyone violating the stand-off distance, he said.
"The mission is to go outside and patrol the Iraqi power lines and to get the word out that the Iraqi air force is flying," Bartlett said.
Sati cited two reasons why the Iraqi air force has had this recent success.
"No. 1 is because of the ability of our Iraqi pilots to understand and digest the information and because of their (aviation background)," the Iraqi general said proudly. "The second reason is because of the continuous day and night help from our American brothers, who did everything we asked them for. They didn't deny us any efforts to accomplish what we wanted."
Sati said the first unaided mission represented an important milestone.
"The whole base is very happy today - extremely happy. We feel like a graduate who just graduated and got his diploma," he said.
The progress is obvious when one looks at the numbers, Bartlett said.
"To put it in context, last year this wing flew a total of 300 hours. Most of those hours were on a couple of these (Bell 206) Jet Rangers," he said. "Last month, they flew 200 hours just in the (Bell UH-1H) Huey II alone. So far, they've got about 700 hours on the aircraft, and they've only really been flying them since the end of February, first of March."
Along with keeping a watchful eye over the power lines, the Iraqi air force also has moved soldiers, dignitaries and visitors across Iraq. "They've moved about 500 passengers so far this year," Bartlett noted.
Sati and other officers of his command commemorated their milestone mission with their American partners. The Iraqi pilots and crewmembers set up three helicopters in a hangar. U.S. pilots crawled in and out of the helicopters with an Iraqi aviator close by to answer any questions, and aviators from both nations talked about their common bond of flying. Afterward, the mix of Iraqi and U.S. aviators went to the U.S. side of the forward operating base for a celebratory dinner.
(Army Spc. Nathan Hoskins is assigned to the Public Affairs Office of 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 30, 2007 - The Iraqi air force flew its first mission without the assistance of its American partners over the weekend. Iraqi pilots flew a mission to survey and monitor the power lines in Iraq in a mission called "Operation Power Line" Aug. 25, said Brig. Gen. Sati, commander of the Iraqi air force's Taji Wing, who asked to be identified by only his last name.
"We did our duties today for the very first time, and it was a 100-percent Iraqi mission," he said. Sati announced the mission at a partnership event later that day between the Iraqi air force and the U.S. Army's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, in which the American and Iraqi servicemembers enjoyed dinner.
The mission came about because insurgents have been causing unrest throughout Iraq by cutting power lines, thus cutting off electrical power to the Iraqi people, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bryan Bartlett, commander of the 770th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and the Coalition Air Force Transition Team.
"There's (a proposed) Iraqi law about people keeping their distance from power lines, since there are so many dropped," said Bartlett. The Iraqi air force is taking action on this problem by surveying for downed lines and watching for anyone violating the stand-off distance, he said.
"The mission is to go outside and patrol the Iraqi power lines and to get the word out that the Iraqi air force is flying," Bartlett said.
Sati cited two reasons why the Iraqi air force has had this recent success.
"No. 1 is because of the ability of our Iraqi pilots to understand and digest the information and because of their (aviation background)," the Iraqi general said proudly. "The second reason is because of the continuous day and night help from our American brothers, who did everything we asked them for. They didn't deny us any efforts to accomplish what we wanted."
Sati said the first unaided mission represented an important milestone.
"The whole base is very happy today - extremely happy. We feel like a graduate who just graduated and got his diploma," he said.
The progress is obvious when one looks at the numbers, Bartlett said.
"To put it in context, last year this wing flew a total of 300 hours. Most of those hours were on a couple of these (Bell 206) Jet Rangers," he said. "Last month, they flew 200 hours just in the (Bell UH-1H) Huey II alone. So far, they've got about 700 hours on the aircraft, and they've only really been flying them since the end of February, first of March."
Along with keeping a watchful eye over the power lines, the Iraqi air force also has moved soldiers, dignitaries and visitors across Iraq. "They've moved about 500 passengers so far this year," Bartlett noted.
Sati and other officers of his command commemorated their milestone mission with their American partners. The Iraqi pilots and crewmembers set up three helicopters in a hangar. U.S. pilots crawled in and out of the helicopters with an Iraqi aviator close by to answer any questions, and aviators from both nations talked about their common bond of flying. Afterward, the mix of Iraqi and U.S. aviators went to the U.S. side of the forward operating base for a celebratory dinner.
(Army Spc. Nathan Hoskins is assigned to the Public Affairs Office of 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.)
Sunday, August 05, 2007
U.S. Airmen Mentor Afghan Air Corps Counterparts
By Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 5, 2007 - From firefighters to aircraft mechanics to squadron commanders, a group of U.S. Air Force airmen are mentoring and training their Afghan National Army Air Corps counterparts here in the Afghanistan's capital. It's a job like no other, said Master Sgt. Michael Stoller, a vehicle maintenance craftsman from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, who's been deployed here for almost a year.
"This job is definitely more exciting than the work I do back home," he said. "I got here and had to start things from scratch to build up their maintenance shop from nothing. It's extremely rewarding to look around and see how far they've come since then."
In nearly a year's time, Stoller, along with other airmen, helped the Afghans build up a logistics and transportation area with a state-of-the-art vehicle maintenance facility. They also now have equipment to sustain their transportation fleet, which includes cars, trucks and emergency vehicles.
"When I showed up here, they pretty much had a box of wrenches, and that was it," he said. "Yet these guys really know their jobs. Most have been mechanics for more than 20, 30 years. They just needed the resources. I realized my mission was to try to get them equipped to do their jobs and to help them wherever needed."
Stoller said the relationship he's developed with the Afghan maintainers has left a lasting impression on him.
"Sure, there is a bit of a language issue," he said, "but we've overcome it. We work together, share tea together. Some of them were working in sandals, so I gave them some of my boots. I consider these guys my friends, so I want to see them succeed."
That type of camaraderie is common among the mentors and Afghans, and its value is not lost on either group.
"We work like one team," said Lt. Col. Abdul Shafi, commander of the Afghan National Army Air Corps senior aircraft maintenance engineer operations group. "[The mentors] help us with any problems. We are learning a lot. My idea is that we have a good future, and I feel that one day, we will have a very strong air corps."
Shafi's senior aircraft maintenance advisor, Capt. Ronald Stencel, said he also feels confident for the Afghan's air corps future.
"They are all very committed over here, very professional airmen," said Stencel, who is deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. "Many are well-educated from air universities. Every day, they take more and more ownership of their mission and resources, and it's very rewarding to watch that happen."
Other Air Force mentors are helping in different areas of the base, too. Air Force medical officers assist with training in the base's medical clinic while U.S. Air Force firefighters help build up the Afghan air corps's firefighter squadron. Another airman mentors at the base's front gate.
"The other day, one of the [Afghans] told me to go away [back to my office], that guarding the gate was his mission," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Slonecker, security forces mentor from Fort Dix, N.J. "I felt good when he said that. That tells me he's taking pride in his work, that he's getting the bigger picture."
Brig. Gen. Jonathan George, deputy commanding general of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, said he is not surprised by the success of the airmen mentors.
"As a commander, I expect our airmen to rise to the occasion," he said. "However, there is a tremendous satisfaction to see the courage and professionalism of the airmen working over here. There is a common bond in the fraternity of airmen and air power, and our airmen are building very strong relationships with the Afghan air corps."
(U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein is a journalist assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 5, 2007 - From firefighters to aircraft mechanics to squadron commanders, a group of U.S. Air Force airmen are mentoring and training their Afghan National Army Air Corps counterparts here in the Afghanistan's capital. It's a job like no other, said Master Sgt. Michael Stoller, a vehicle maintenance craftsman from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, who's been deployed here for almost a year.
"This job is definitely more exciting than the work I do back home," he said. "I got here and had to start things from scratch to build up their maintenance shop from nothing. It's extremely rewarding to look around and see how far they've come since then."
In nearly a year's time, Stoller, along with other airmen, helped the Afghans build up a logistics and transportation area with a state-of-the-art vehicle maintenance facility. They also now have equipment to sustain their transportation fleet, which includes cars, trucks and emergency vehicles.
"When I showed up here, they pretty much had a box of wrenches, and that was it," he said. "Yet these guys really know their jobs. Most have been mechanics for more than 20, 30 years. They just needed the resources. I realized my mission was to try to get them equipped to do their jobs and to help them wherever needed."
Stoller said the relationship he's developed with the Afghan maintainers has left a lasting impression on him.
"Sure, there is a bit of a language issue," he said, "but we've overcome it. We work together, share tea together. Some of them were working in sandals, so I gave them some of my boots. I consider these guys my friends, so I want to see them succeed."
That type of camaraderie is common among the mentors and Afghans, and its value is not lost on either group.
"We work like one team," said Lt. Col. Abdul Shafi, commander of the Afghan National Army Air Corps senior aircraft maintenance engineer operations group. "[The mentors] help us with any problems. We are learning a lot. My idea is that we have a good future, and I feel that one day, we will have a very strong air corps."
Shafi's senior aircraft maintenance advisor, Capt. Ronald Stencel, said he also feels confident for the Afghan's air corps future.
"They are all very committed over here, very professional airmen," said Stencel, who is deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. "Many are well-educated from air universities. Every day, they take more and more ownership of their mission and resources, and it's very rewarding to watch that happen."
Other Air Force mentors are helping in different areas of the base, too. Air Force medical officers assist with training in the base's medical clinic while U.S. Air Force firefighters help build up the Afghan air corps's firefighter squadron. Another airman mentors at the base's front gate.
"The other day, one of the [Afghans] told me to go away [back to my office], that guarding the gate was his mission," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Slonecker, security forces mentor from Fort Dix, N.J. "I felt good when he said that. That tells me he's taking pride in his work, that he's getting the bigger picture."
Brig. Gen. Jonathan George, deputy commanding general of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, said he is not surprised by the success of the airmen mentors.
"As a commander, I expect our airmen to rise to the occasion," he said. "However, there is a tremendous satisfaction to see the courage and professionalism of the airmen working over here. There is a common bond in the fraternity of airmen and air power, and our airmen are building very strong relationships with the Afghan air corps."
(U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein is a journalist assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs.)
Air Force Chaplain Shares Faith in Afghanistan
By Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 5, 2007 - From sitting down to lunch with Afghan mullahs, or Islamic leaders, to performing Catholic Mass for international servicemembers, one Air Force chaplain is experiencing a deployment here in Kabul that is very different than others he's had in the past. "I've been deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey, amongst others," said Lt. Col. Michael Weber, garrison chaplain for Camp Eggers. "But this is the first time I've deployed to a war zone for a mission this diverse."
As the garrison chaplain for this camp, in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city, Weber provides religious and spiritual support for the joint military population serving the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan.
He also supports Navy Capt. James Fisher, the command chaplain, who dedicates his time to the religious and cultural affairs ministry, which mentors and trains the Afghan military and police chaplain corps.
It's a position that urgently needed to be filled after the Army chaplain originally assigned here suffered a heart attack last month, said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Fred Hays, religious program specialist and Weber's assistant.
"An improvised explosive device detonated on the right side of our vehicle while we were outside the wire," said Hays. "Fortunately, nobody was injured, but the chaplain suffered a heart attack a few days later and was medically evacuated."
That's when Weber volunteered to come here.
"I was fulfilling a deployment obligation in Tampa, Florida [at MacDill Air Force Base at U.S. Central Command], "he said. "Word came back that they needed a chaplain here. I saw this as an opportunity to get some more experience in a war zone, so that later when I counsel war veterans, I would be able to relate better to what they've been through."
Though Weber has been in country only for a few weeks, he's already found himself dressed in full "battle-rattle", or body armor, accompanying Fisher outside the wire to meet with local mullahs as part of the religious and cultural affairs ministry program.
"If we do not win the mullahs, we will not win this war," said Fisher, referring to the Islamic leaders of the local villages. "Once we gain their trust, then the people will trust us, too."
Weber said his first meeting with the mullahs really helped in understanding the Afghan culture.
"This is the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," he said. "Their entire culture and way of life is based upon their religion. Even though mine is a different religion, they saw me as a religious person and they respected that. There was a sense of camaraderie. We both understand the importance of religion in people's lives and because of that, we were able to come together and share ideas."
Sharing ideas is exactly the mission of the religious and cultural affairs ministry with U.S. military chaplains acting as mentors to their Afghan counterparts. Similar to U.S. military chaplains, the Afghan chaplain corps provides religious support to its servicemembers. That includes family services, counseling and morale, welfare and recreation services, all while being mindful of the Islamic way of life.
"We're also helping them develop educational programs within their corps," said Weber. "This country has a high illiteracy rate amongst its population, so the [religious and cultural affairs ministry] is trying to develop programs to help build literacy."
When not traveling for the religious and cultural affairs ministry, Weber is dedicated to providing traditional chaplain support to Camp Egger's population of U.S. and international servicemembers.
"For as long as anyone can recall, there hasn't been a Catholic chaplain here," said Hays. "Yet, there is a large number of Catholics serving here."
Once Weber arrived, he and Hays set up a Catholic Mass schedule. Religious services here are normally held in a room inside a two-story "con-ex" building during the week, but the first weekend Catholic Mass attracted about 70 people, requiring it to be held in the garrison's "clamshell" or large multi-purpose tent.
"With the stress level out here, it's important for people to be around things that are familiar to them," said Weber. "By providing them an outlet for their faith, to bring them the traditions of their faith, that helps them cope with issues of separation."
Weber said that while being in a war zone is stressful, he's thankful for the opportunity to serve here.
"I'm part of a large team which is experiencing similar fears," he said. "There is a distinct mission. It's important that people understand we are not here to occupy this land. Instead, we are supporting the Afghan people and it's a unique experience to see those efforts bearing fruit. You can't get that kind of satisfaction elsewhere."
(U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein is a journalist assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 5, 2007 - From sitting down to lunch with Afghan mullahs, or Islamic leaders, to performing Catholic Mass for international servicemembers, one Air Force chaplain is experiencing a deployment here in Kabul that is very different than others he's had in the past. "I've been deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey, amongst others," said Lt. Col. Michael Weber, garrison chaplain for Camp Eggers. "But this is the first time I've deployed to a war zone for a mission this diverse."
As the garrison chaplain for this camp, in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city, Weber provides religious and spiritual support for the joint military population serving the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan.
He also supports Navy Capt. James Fisher, the command chaplain, who dedicates his time to the religious and cultural affairs ministry, which mentors and trains the Afghan military and police chaplain corps.
It's a position that urgently needed to be filled after the Army chaplain originally assigned here suffered a heart attack last month, said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Fred Hays, religious program specialist and Weber's assistant.
"An improvised explosive device detonated on the right side of our vehicle while we were outside the wire," said Hays. "Fortunately, nobody was injured, but the chaplain suffered a heart attack a few days later and was medically evacuated."
That's when Weber volunteered to come here.
"I was fulfilling a deployment obligation in Tampa, Florida [at MacDill Air Force Base at U.S. Central Command], "he said. "Word came back that they needed a chaplain here. I saw this as an opportunity to get some more experience in a war zone, so that later when I counsel war veterans, I would be able to relate better to what they've been through."
Though Weber has been in country only for a few weeks, he's already found himself dressed in full "battle-rattle", or body armor, accompanying Fisher outside the wire to meet with local mullahs as part of the religious and cultural affairs ministry program.
"If we do not win the mullahs, we will not win this war," said Fisher, referring to the Islamic leaders of the local villages. "Once we gain their trust, then the people will trust us, too."
Weber said his first meeting with the mullahs really helped in understanding the Afghan culture.
"This is the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," he said. "Their entire culture and way of life is based upon their religion. Even though mine is a different religion, they saw me as a religious person and they respected that. There was a sense of camaraderie. We both understand the importance of religion in people's lives and because of that, we were able to come together and share ideas."
Sharing ideas is exactly the mission of the religious and cultural affairs ministry with U.S. military chaplains acting as mentors to their Afghan counterparts. Similar to U.S. military chaplains, the Afghan chaplain corps provides religious support to its servicemembers. That includes family services, counseling and morale, welfare and recreation services, all while being mindful of the Islamic way of life.
"We're also helping them develop educational programs within their corps," said Weber. "This country has a high illiteracy rate amongst its population, so the [religious and cultural affairs ministry] is trying to develop programs to help build literacy."
When not traveling for the religious and cultural affairs ministry, Weber is dedicated to providing traditional chaplain support to Camp Egger's population of U.S. and international servicemembers.
"For as long as anyone can recall, there hasn't been a Catholic chaplain here," said Hays. "Yet, there is a large number of Catholics serving here."
Once Weber arrived, he and Hays set up a Catholic Mass schedule. Religious services here are normally held in a room inside a two-story "con-ex" building during the week, but the first weekend Catholic Mass attracted about 70 people, requiring it to be held in the garrison's "clamshell" or large multi-purpose tent.
"With the stress level out here, it's important for people to be around things that are familiar to them," said Weber. "By providing them an outlet for their faith, to bring them the traditions of their faith, that helps them cope with issues of separation."
Weber said that while being in a war zone is stressful, he's thankful for the opportunity to serve here.
"I'm part of a large team which is experiencing similar fears," he said. "There is a distinct mission. It's important that people understand we are not here to occupy this land. Instead, we are supporting the Afghan people and it's a unique experience to see those efforts bearing fruit. You can't get that kind of satisfaction elsewhere."
(U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein is a journalist assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs.)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Afghan, Coalition Troops Conduct Successful Missions Against Taliban
American Forces Press Service
July 29, 2007 - Afghan National Security Forces, supported by coalition partners, successfully conducted an operation against Taliban fighters in Helmand province this week, military officials reported. Several Taliban fighters were killed during a precise operation July 27, according to reports, and there were no reported civilian casualties or damage.
"This operation follows a series of ... blows against the Taliban command over the last few weeks," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Claudia Foss, International Security Assistance Force spokesman. "They are aimed at impacting the ability of the Taliban to plan and coordinate its attacks."
In other operations this week, Afghan National Police thwarted the attempts of insurgents trying to hijack a United Nations food shipment in Farah province July 27. The shipment, part of the World Food Program, was headed to Herat where more than 100,000 Afghans rely upon it for survival.
The failed attack resulted in one Afghan National Police officer killed and six wounded.
Attacks by the Taliban earlier in the summer along the road linking Kandahar to Herat caused the suspension of the food shipments until July 11. An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 tons of food was shipped weekly during normal operations.
"Once again, the Taliban have proven that their propaganda about caring about the lives of innocent Afghans is a lie," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "Their actions speak louder than their words as they strike at the food deliveries bound for the poorest of this country."
On July 26, Afghan National Police detained three suspects in connection with bombings in Nangahar province. The police initially responded to a call over a land dispute when they were tipped off to the suspicious activities of an individual. Afghan forces discovered 25 bags of explosives, 20 rolls of fusing and more than 11,000 blasting caps while searching the suspect's house.
Afghan forces took three individuals into custody and asked for coalition force assistance in the questioning process. While being questioned, one suspect admitted to illegally purchasing and smuggling all the items from a major supplier in Pakistan to sell within Afghanistan.
"By discovering this bomb-making material, the (Afghan National Police) has made the streets of Nangahar safer for everyone," Belcher said. "The material found could have been used to make up to 11,000 (improvised explosive devices)."
(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force and Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
July 29, 2007 - Afghan National Security Forces, supported by coalition partners, successfully conducted an operation against Taliban fighters in Helmand province this week, military officials reported. Several Taliban fighters were killed during a precise operation July 27, according to reports, and there were no reported civilian casualties or damage.
"This operation follows a series of ... blows against the Taliban command over the last few weeks," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Claudia Foss, International Security Assistance Force spokesman. "They are aimed at impacting the ability of the Taliban to plan and coordinate its attacks."
In other operations this week, Afghan National Police thwarted the attempts of insurgents trying to hijack a United Nations food shipment in Farah province July 27. The shipment, part of the World Food Program, was headed to Herat where more than 100,000 Afghans rely upon it for survival.
The failed attack resulted in one Afghan National Police officer killed and six wounded.
Attacks by the Taliban earlier in the summer along the road linking Kandahar to Herat caused the suspension of the food shipments until July 11. An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 tons of food was shipped weekly during normal operations.
"Once again, the Taliban have proven that their propaganda about caring about the lives of innocent Afghans is a lie," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "Their actions speak louder than their words as they strike at the food deliveries bound for the poorest of this country."
On July 26, Afghan National Police detained three suspects in connection with bombings in Nangahar province. The police initially responded to a call over a land dispute when they were tipped off to the suspicious activities of an individual. Afghan forces discovered 25 bags of explosives, 20 rolls of fusing and more than 11,000 blasting caps while searching the suspect's house.
Afghan forces took three individuals into custody and asked for coalition force assistance in the questioning process. While being questioned, one suspect admitted to illegally purchasing and smuggling all the items from a major supplier in Pakistan to sell within Afghanistan.
"By discovering this bomb-making material, the (Afghan National Police) has made the streets of Nangahar safer for everyone," Belcher said. "The material found could have been used to make up to 11,000 (improvised explosive devices)."
(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force and Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Terrorism, Poetry and Memoirs
Editor's Note: Michael Aman's work is applicable to domestic law enforcement efforts on counterterrorism and homeland security.
July 17, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers who have written books: Richard L. Allen; Michael Aman; and, Anthony J. Carbo.
Richard L. Allen was born in Gary, Indiana and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He served four years as an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Air Force, including six months in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. After 24 years in the Air Force Reserves, Allen joined the Newark Police Department where he served until his retirement in 2001. Richard Allen is the author of Lock and Key; Poetic Police Food for Thought; and, A New Ark Police Officer's View of Poetic Just Ice/Justice.
According to the book description of Lock and Key, “with enough episodes to fill a season of televised police dramas, author and former police officer Richard Allen provides readers with a candid look into the nature of police work and the daily challenges an officer must face. In his memoir, "Lock and Key," Allen recalls some of the most unforgettable incidents and individuals of his experience. He depicts the humanity, compassion, and courage of those who serve their community as officers of the peace while revealing his deepest gratitude and appreciation for his fellow police officers. "Lock & Key" will definitely leave readers a greater appreciation of police work and a deeper respect for those who work to keep us safe.”
Michael Aman was a commissioned officer in the German Air Force from 1984 to 1993. Upon immigrating to the United States he joined the El Paso Police Department and has risen to the rank of detective. Michael Aman has served in the Gang Unit, Cold Case Squad, Criminal Investigations Division, Dignitary Protection Unit, and the Patrol Division.
Michael Aman has an MBA from the German Armed Forces University. During his law enforcement career, Michael Aman Developed a course for law enforcement officials called “Defense Against Terrorist Suicide Attacks.” Eventually, that course let to the book Preventing Suicide Terrorist Attacks.
He described the book as a self-study training manual for law officers or for civilians who want to be informed about the topic. According to an interview in the El Paso Times Michael Aman said, “It's really written for police officers, specifically patrol officers who might come in contact with these guys. That's the main target audience.”
According to the book description of Preventing Suicide Terrorist Attacks, “It won't happen here, is a common belief when it comes to suicide attacks by terrorists, but unfortunately-it can. This text provides essential information for law enforcement officers on techniques for recognizing potential terrorists and preventing suicide attacks. Information discussed is applicable to preventing attacks that are domestic and international in origin. This resource is ideal for self-study or as a four-hour training course.”
In 1964, Anthony J. Carbo joined the Newark Police Department. During his career he worked patrol, traffic and the Patrol Division Crimes Prevention Unit. He retired in 1979. He is the author of Memoirs of a Newark, New Jersey Police Officer. According to the book description, his book is “a story from a police officer telling of his personal thoughts. These are fast moving episodes that go from one incident to another at a quick and moving pace telling of life, death, unrest and riots during some of the most turbulent years from 1964 to 1979 in the City of Newark.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 648 police officers (representing 284 police departments) and their 1382 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
July 17, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers who have written books: Richard L. Allen; Michael Aman; and, Anthony J. Carbo.
Richard L. Allen was born in Gary, Indiana and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He served four years as an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Air Force, including six months in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. After 24 years in the Air Force Reserves, Allen joined the Newark Police Department where he served until his retirement in 2001. Richard Allen is the author of Lock and Key; Poetic Police Food for Thought; and, A New Ark Police Officer's View of Poetic Just Ice/Justice.
According to the book description of Lock and Key, “with enough episodes to fill a season of televised police dramas, author and former police officer Richard Allen provides readers with a candid look into the nature of police work and the daily challenges an officer must face. In his memoir, "Lock and Key," Allen recalls some of the most unforgettable incidents and individuals of his experience. He depicts the humanity, compassion, and courage of those who serve their community as officers of the peace while revealing his deepest gratitude and appreciation for his fellow police officers. "Lock & Key" will definitely leave readers a greater appreciation of police work and a deeper respect for those who work to keep us safe.”
Michael Aman was a commissioned officer in the German Air Force from 1984 to 1993. Upon immigrating to the United States he joined the El Paso Police Department and has risen to the rank of detective. Michael Aman has served in the Gang Unit, Cold Case Squad, Criminal Investigations Division, Dignitary Protection Unit, and the Patrol Division.
Michael Aman has an MBA from the German Armed Forces University. During his law enforcement career, Michael Aman Developed a course for law enforcement officials called “Defense Against Terrorist Suicide Attacks.” Eventually, that course let to the book Preventing Suicide Terrorist Attacks.
He described the book as a self-study training manual for law officers or for civilians who want to be informed about the topic. According to an interview in the El Paso Times Michael Aman said, “It's really written for police officers, specifically patrol officers who might come in contact with these guys. That's the main target audience.”
According to the book description of Preventing Suicide Terrorist Attacks, “It won't happen here, is a common belief when it comes to suicide attacks by terrorists, but unfortunately-it can. This text provides essential information for law enforcement officers on techniques for recognizing potential terrorists and preventing suicide attacks. Information discussed is applicable to preventing attacks that are domestic and international in origin. This resource is ideal for self-study or as a four-hour training course.”
In 1964, Anthony J. Carbo joined the Newark Police Department. During his career he worked patrol, traffic and the Patrol Division Crimes Prevention Unit. He retired in 1979. He is the author of Memoirs of a Newark, New Jersey Police Officer. According to the book description, his book is “a story from a police officer telling of his personal thoughts. These are fast moving episodes that go from one incident to another at a quick and moving pace telling of life, death, unrest and riots during some of the most turbulent years from 1964 to 1979 in the City of Newark.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 648 police officers (representing 284 police departments) and their 1382 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Military Authors
Military-Writers.com is a website committed to listing active, former and retired military personnel who have authored books. The website added two former servicemembers who have authored books.
Elmer L. Snow, III is a retired Sergeant from the Prince George’s County Police Department (Maryland). During his career in law enforcement he was a recipient of the Police Officer of the Year Award, Chief’s Award for Valor, Police Officer of the Month Award, and 42 letters of Commendation for Outstanding Performance of Duty. Prior to his law enforcement career, Elmer Snow honorably served in the United States Army from 1961-1964. He was a Military Policeman in the 101st Airborne Division. He achieved the rank of E-4 Specialist.
Following his retirement, Elmer Snow was employed for five years by the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware where he provided personal protection for the Chairman of the Board, the DuPont Board of Directors, and Key Management. During this time he became involved in terrorism, counter terrorism programs, and counter terrorist driving techniques.
In 2003 he was contacted by Halliburton Corporation to provide personal protection services during the reconstruction of Iraq. As a Security Coordinator with KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, Snow worked in numerous high risk positions throughout Iraq, including Mosul, Baghdad, Tikrit, Balad, and culminating at Camp Anaconda. Upon his return to the United States, Elmer Snow wrote A View from Iraq.
According to the book description, A View from Iraq “is a must read for soldiers who have served, curious citizens, families of those who served or are in Iraq, as well as security practitioners who are constantly searching for tactics that are used by terrorists and insurgents. The book details various individual acts of courage and bravery that were demonstrated by members of our armed forces, methods of identifying problems that occur, and ways of reducing the level of threat to an acceptable level.” Elmer Snow is also the author of two fiction books Overkill- A Detective’s Story and Revenge Served Cold.
Cory B. Harris has over 13 years of military and law enforcement experience. He has served with The United States Air Force, Little Rock Police Department (Arkansas), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Marshal Service. Cory Harris served in the U.S. Air Force from 1992 to 1996 and was honorably discharged at the rank of E-4. He has training and experience in field training, crime prevention, investigations, operations, apprehension, and protection. He is also a recipient of the Little Rock Police Department’s Medal of Merit.
Cory B. Harris is the author of Zipper Le Series One: Outlook on Leadership And Liability Issues in the Criminal Justice System. According to the book description, Cory B. Harris’ book, “takes you behind the badge to examine tough issues in the criminal justice system. It tackles civil liability, race, and leadership issues to name a few from the outlook of the author. The author gives examples using his own experiences that are simple and easy to understand to give the reader unique insight. The book contains many case studies, and stories that are interesting yet they have a simple meaning. The book explores how different groups of people look at these issues in different ways, as well as how important it is for criminal justice officials to stay mentally fit.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 25 current or former military members and their 53 books.
Elmer L. Snow, III is a retired Sergeant from the Prince George’s County Police Department (Maryland). During his career in law enforcement he was a recipient of the Police Officer of the Year Award, Chief’s Award for Valor, Police Officer of the Month Award, and 42 letters of Commendation for Outstanding Performance of Duty. Prior to his law enforcement career, Elmer Snow honorably served in the United States Army from 1961-1964. He was a Military Policeman in the 101st Airborne Division. He achieved the rank of E-4 Specialist.
Following his retirement, Elmer Snow was employed for five years by the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware where he provided personal protection for the Chairman of the Board, the DuPont Board of Directors, and Key Management. During this time he became involved in terrorism, counter terrorism programs, and counter terrorist driving techniques.
In 2003 he was contacted by Halliburton Corporation to provide personal protection services during the reconstruction of Iraq. As a Security Coordinator with KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, Snow worked in numerous high risk positions throughout Iraq, including Mosul, Baghdad, Tikrit, Balad, and culminating at Camp Anaconda. Upon his return to the United States, Elmer Snow wrote A View from Iraq.
According to the book description, A View from Iraq “is a must read for soldiers who have served, curious citizens, families of those who served or are in Iraq, as well as security practitioners who are constantly searching for tactics that are used by terrorists and insurgents. The book details various individual acts of courage and bravery that were demonstrated by members of our armed forces, methods of identifying problems that occur, and ways of reducing the level of threat to an acceptable level.” Elmer Snow is also the author of two fiction books Overkill- A Detective’s Story and Revenge Served Cold.
Cory B. Harris has over 13 years of military and law enforcement experience. He has served with The United States Air Force, Little Rock Police Department (Arkansas), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Marshal Service. Cory Harris served in the U.S. Air Force from 1992 to 1996 and was honorably discharged at the rank of E-4. He has training and experience in field training, crime prevention, investigations, operations, apprehension, and protection. He is also a recipient of the Little Rock Police Department’s Medal of Merit.
Cory B. Harris is the author of Zipper Le Series One: Outlook on Leadership And Liability Issues in the Criminal Justice System. According to the book description, Cory B. Harris’ book, “takes you behind the badge to examine tough issues in the criminal justice system. It tackles civil liability, race, and leadership issues to name a few from the outlook of the author. The author gives examples using his own experiences that are simple and easy to understand to give the reader unique insight. The book contains many case studies, and stories that are interesting yet they have a simple meaning. The book explores how different groups of people look at these issues in different ways, as well as how important it is for criminal justice officials to stay mentally fit.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 25 current or former military members and their 53 books.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Iraqis Working to Build Capable Air Force
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2007 – U.S. and Iraqi officials are working to build an Iraqi air force capable of conducting operations across the entire spectrum of the counterinsurgency fight, a senior U.S. military officer said today. The ultimate goal is to create an Iraqi air force "that's sustainable, and with a force structure that (Iraqis) can maintain," U.S. Air Force Brig Gen. Stephen Hoog, the air component coordination element director for Multinational Force Iraq, told a group of Internet journalists and bloggers during a telephone conference call from Baghdad.
Eighteen years ago, the now-defunct Iraqi air force had 900 modern airplanes, Hoog said. "It's not that they don't know how to run an air force; it's that they don't know how to do an air force in this environment. And we're trying to introduce some Western influence," he said.
Currently, the nascent air force employs 950 Iraqis, including about 83 cadets engaged in English language training, Hoog said.
"Our goal this year is to expand their air force from 950 up to around 1,900 to 2,000," he said.
Skilled cadets from the former Iraqi air force -- including air traffic controllers, maintenance workers, warrant officers, and helicopter and fixed-wing pilots -- will be recruited and rehired, the general said.
"The Iraqi air force has a significant rehire program ongoing ... led by Major General Kamal, chief of their air force," Hoog said.
Enlisted recruits begin their military careers as "jundis," Iraqi army soldiers, then gain experience as security force policemen on an air base before becoming cadets, he said.
"We're not going to recruit a young Iraqi kid off the street to become an Iraqi airman," Hoog said. "It's not a separate pipeline; it's all dovetailed together (with Iraqi army recruit training)."
Officials also are working to set up an initial flight-training program at Kirkuk Air Base, in northern Iraq.
"Sometime late this fall, we'll start the first in-country training of their rotary and fixed-wing aviators," Hoog said. Iraqi cadets have sent pilots abroad for training in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, Hoog said.
The average age of Iraqi pilots is 45 to 47, Hoog said. He added that new training at Kirkuk "would represent the first time we're training the next generation of the new Iraqi air force pilots."
Iraqi airmen will train on one of three helicopters in the rotary-wing fleet, consisting of Bell Ranger 206-B3s, modified UH-1 Hueys and Russian-built MI-17 Hip Helicopters. The Iraqi fixed-wing fleet includes SAMA CH-2000s, Seeker 2000s and C130Es.
"If we can train, over the next three to four years, 200 to 300 new Iraqi aviators and start to inculcate some of the ways we think, this is a wholesale change in the backbone of their Air Force," he said. "This is a chance to make a significant change to the way we do business here and we're looking forward to it."
This article was sponsored by police and military personnel who have written books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2007 – U.S. and Iraqi officials are working to build an Iraqi air force capable of conducting operations across the entire spectrum of the counterinsurgency fight, a senior U.S. military officer said today. The ultimate goal is to create an Iraqi air force "that's sustainable, and with a force structure that (Iraqis) can maintain," U.S. Air Force Brig Gen. Stephen Hoog, the air component coordination element director for Multinational Force Iraq, told a group of Internet journalists and bloggers during a telephone conference call from Baghdad.
Eighteen years ago, the now-defunct Iraqi air force had 900 modern airplanes, Hoog said. "It's not that they don't know how to run an air force; it's that they don't know how to do an air force in this environment. And we're trying to introduce some Western influence," he said.
Currently, the nascent air force employs 950 Iraqis, including about 83 cadets engaged in English language training, Hoog said.
"Our goal this year is to expand their air force from 950 up to around 1,900 to 2,000," he said.
Skilled cadets from the former Iraqi air force -- including air traffic controllers, maintenance workers, warrant officers, and helicopter and fixed-wing pilots -- will be recruited and rehired, the general said.
"The Iraqi air force has a significant rehire program ongoing ... led by Major General Kamal, chief of their air force," Hoog said.
Enlisted recruits begin their military careers as "jundis," Iraqi army soldiers, then gain experience as security force policemen on an air base before becoming cadets, he said.
"We're not going to recruit a young Iraqi kid off the street to become an Iraqi airman," Hoog said. "It's not a separate pipeline; it's all dovetailed together (with Iraqi army recruit training)."
Officials also are working to set up an initial flight-training program at Kirkuk Air Base, in northern Iraq.
"Sometime late this fall, we'll start the first in-country training of their rotary and fixed-wing aviators," Hoog said. Iraqi cadets have sent pilots abroad for training in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, Hoog said.
The average age of Iraqi pilots is 45 to 47, Hoog said. He added that new training at Kirkuk "would represent the first time we're training the next generation of the new Iraqi air force pilots."
Iraqi airmen will train on one of three helicopters in the rotary-wing fleet, consisting of Bell Ranger 206-B3s, modified UH-1 Hueys and Russian-built MI-17 Hip Helicopters. The Iraqi fixed-wing fleet includes SAMA CH-2000s, Seeker 2000s and C130Es.
"If we can train, over the next three to four years, 200 to 300 new Iraqi aviators and start to inculcate some of the ways we think, this is a wholesale change in the backbone of their Air Force," he said. "This is a chance to make a significant change to the way we do business here and we're looking forward to it."
This article was sponsored by police and military personnel who have written books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
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