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Iraqi air force's first step to transition

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tong Duong
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  Members of the Iraqi Air Force visited JBB as part of an initial advance team to begin transition activities and eventually take over of the base.

According to Maj. Clay Bartels, 321st Expeditionary Mission Support Advisory Group's Base Transition Team chief, who is deployed from the Pentagon, Va., the visit was part of a crawl, walk and run approach.

"In a matter of days the Iraqi air force will have a full time presence on JBB until the end of mission," Major Bartels, a native of Upton Wyo., said.

According to the major, the objective from the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air Force prospective is the sooner the Iraqi air force gets here, the quicker training can begin.

"As ITAM air advisors, we are direct advisors to the Iraqi air force as well as a liaison between the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, U.S. Army 103rd Sustainment Command and everyone else on JBB."

Iraqi air force director of operations, Staff Brig. Gen. Wamidh and several key staff members visited to get the lay of the land and to begin building relationships on base. General Wamidh was assigned here to the then-Al Bakir Air Base as an Iraqi fighter pilot in 2001.

Major Bartels said in time, the initial advance team will bring another 50 Iraqi airmen to fill key functional areas such as security, civil engineering and base infrastructure. They will lay the groundwork for their main force to arrive.

The Iraqi airmen will learn by observing U.S. forces across the spectrum from civil engineers, operation support squadron, communications, airfield and security. Eventually as time goes on they will becomes more familiar on how the base operates and will be a seamless transition when it's time for U.S. forces to leave.

"Their presence here helps the transition of U.S. forces and would make it much easier and less complex," Major Bartels said. "It's a vital step to building strategic partnership and long term relationships the U.S. Air Force will have with the Iraqi air force."