467th AEG provides world-class support to IA, JET Airmen

Published Nov. 22, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Sanjay Allen
Air Component Coordination Element-Iraq Public Affairs

CAMP VICTORY, Baghdad -- During a ceremony Nov. 12 at Al Faw Palace, the 732nd Air Expeditionary Group -- located at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia -- was deactivated and the 467th AEG was activated, giving the group commander full administrative and operational control over Individual Augmentee, or IA, Airmen along with the joint expeditionary tasked, or JET, Airmen they already had ADCON and OPCON of in the Iraq Joint Operations Area.

According to 467th AEG leadership, this change shouldn't affect JET Airmen -- they will receive the same support they always have. However, IA Airmen are now going to get the full support JET Airmen are familiar with, from a fully unified chain of command backed up by a dedicated staff.

"For the JET Airmen, it means they're going to get the same world-class support we've been giving them all along," said Col. Dave Marttala, 467th AEG commander, deployed from Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. "But what we're going to do now for the IA Airmen is provide them more active command support because we've got a staff that is focused on nothing but managing joint deployed Airmen from their initial tasking and pre-deployment training all the way through their arrival into theater; how they're used while they're here -- to include any adjustments to their mission that we need to do during that deployment; and all the way through getting them out the door back home."

This means having a one-stop-shop for Airmen administrative support. Actions like letters of evaluation, performance reports and Red Cross notifications will now be taken care of in one location. Disciplinary actions will also be handled by the 467th along with other items that may not be recognized as administrative.

"There are other pieces of administrative control that include things you might not think of right off. Those include such things as individual and unit training," said Colonel Marttala, who hails from San Antonio. "That's why we monitor their pre-deployment training from the time they first get their deployment tasking. Things like resources and logistics support as well. So it's not just the things that you might inherently assume are administrative, but they are all included under ADCON."

With the activation of the 467th AEG, all IA and JET Airmen will be fully supported regardless of their operating location.

"For a little while we tried to manage that from desks in the Pentagon and the component headquarters without a commander in theater to support those Airmen and the (tactical) supervisors, those directors and commanders that they're serving to ensure our Air Force was consistently matching the right Airman to the right position, ensuring they were trained, prepared, deployed and employed in an optimum manner in support of these joint commanders," said Brig. Gen. Russ Handy, 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Iraq commander. "Beginning right now, Dave Marttala and his team will provide that same vital service for the nearly 400 Individual Augmentees here in Baghdad and their commanders, ensuring that an Airman's perspective is brought to the joint forces commander giving those directors and commanders an Airman on speed dial at the field grade officer and chief level who's going to work their problems."

This move puts a dedicated focus on many of the Airmen who are in theater embedded with joint partners and gives the Air Force the opportunity to maintain more active monitoring and care of these Airmen.

"Airmen like Dave who have direct tasking authority back to AFCENT, back to our Air Force leadership to fix their problems, ensure JET and IA Airmen have leadership that care about them, that love them, that are there for them when they need it and stand ready to provide whatever support they need while they're serving here in Iraq," said General Handy.