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ITAM facilitates IqAF armory opening

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Levi Riendeau
  • 321st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
ALI AIR BASE, Iraq --  The Iraqi air force is aiming to expand their security forces capabilities with the opening of their own armory May 16.

With help from Tech. Sgt. Jason Ross, 321st Expeditionary Mission Support Advisory Group base transition team member, Iraqi airmen have spent the past three months setting up a fully functional armory.

"In order to provide force protection they need weapons and with that, a place to secure their weapons," said Sergeant Ross, deployed from Aviano Air Base, Italy.

The Iola, Kansas, native coordinated between the Iraqi air force, the U.S. Army and the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron to ensure mission success.

While they were working the approval process, the question arose as to who would run the armory.

Sergeant Ross worked with the U.S. Army to generate the approval for the Iraqi air force to have their own armory, then coordinated with the 407th ESFS to provide armory training to 12 Iraqi air force security forces members.

Lastly, Sergeant Ross found a facility to use and ensured it was up to U.S. standards for storing weapons and ammunition.

With the completion of the armory and transfer of weapons comes more responsibility for the Iraqi air force.

With the ability to distribute their own weapons, the Iraqis will start providing entry control point security and patrols in the areas they are responsible for.

"Right now they have a section of base that belongs to them, and it's their proving grounds," said Sergeant Ross. "It's a big step."

With the forward momentum from this step,the Iraqis will expand their capabilities to take on more security-orientated tasks around the base as U.S. forces transition out.