Top Airman in Iraq reflects on 18 months in country

Published Aug. 25, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Sanjay Allen
Air Component Coordination Element-Iraq

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq -- Editor's note: This is part three of a five part series highlighting the Air Force's involvement during the Responsible Drawdown of Forces in Iraq.

After spending more than 18 months coordinating and synchronizing airpower for U.S. Forces-Iraq and helping to ensure U.S. Forces reached their goal of less than 50,000 boots on ground, the top Airman in Iraq is headed home.

Serving as the Air Component Coordination Element-Iraq director; U.S. Forces-Iraq director of the force strategic engagement cell; and 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Baghdad, Iraq, Detachment 2 commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Reynes has seen the number of military members dwindle from 148,000 to almost 50,000 and the number of Airmen fall from more than 12,000 to fewer than 6,000 in his time here.

Even with the drop in personnel, Airmen will still conduct the same missions as they transition into Operation New Dawn.

General Reynes, who hails from an Air Force lineage, explained the complex and integrated mission the Air Force has had in Iraq during his time here.

"We've provided timely and precise air mobility," he said. "We've had 24/7 unblinking (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) to cover and work with our joint force partners. And then of course we've had kinetic and non-kinetic operations at the discretion of the commanders in support of their missions.

"It's been an awesome mission that we've executed over and over again and we've just gotten better every day," he proudly added.

Although U.S. Forces are shifting from Operation Iraqi Freedom into Operation New Dawn, the Air Force's mission primarily stays the same. However, it will continue to evolve. An evolution the General believes is "truly incredible."

"What's evolved is how we translated those missions and how we've drawdown at the same time," he said. "(We're) executing the same missions, 24/7, 365, in support of the ground force commander. And they've done that while we've done one of the most historic drawdowns, while executing the mission at the same time."

Moving into New Dawn means adapting to a smaller footprint for American Airmen and growing capabilities for Iraqi airmen. It's a new beginning for Iraq and their air force as it continues to grow from 1,500 airmen and 28 aircraft two years ago to 7,000 airmen and more than 100 aircraft now.

The Iraqi air force is expected to grow to eventually more than 10,000 members by 2012. And as they grow, Iraqi airmen are beginning to integrate onto bases such as Joint Base Balad, Ali and Sather Air Bases.

"We'll continue to support and do the same missions we've done, but at the same time we're handing more and more off to our Iraqi partners," General Reynes said. "And over the next year you're going to see more partnering with our Iraqi brothers and sisters, but also we'll be doing more training.

"(It's a) mission they want to do and execute," he said. "And we're working with them to ensure they are the best they can be."

As the drawdown has moved along, approximately 6,000 Airmen will remain in Iraq. The air Force footprint has gotten smaller, but Airmen will retain the same capabilities to execute a variety of missions in support of ground forces.

"Operation New Dawn really doesn't change anything for our Airmen," General Reynes said. "They are still going to be executing the same missions as they were before but there will be fewer Airmen. We're still going to be providing ISR. We're still going to be providing timely and precise cargo and passenger movement. And of course, everyday and every night there is going to be aircraft airborne just in case kinetics are needed, and in more cases, just for that presence over the battlefield for 24/7, 365 overwatch.

While doing all this, Airmen will be training Iraqi airmen throughout the country so they can take over the mission completely at the end of 2011.

"Airmen will be partnering with our Iraqi brothers as we develop the Iraqi air force, as we continue to work to develop those partnerships and engagements with our Iraqi brothers and sisters as we move toward end of mission," he said.

"(The mission) is a very complicated, a very demanding mission," he said. "But one that our Airmen and our command here at USF-I are ready to execute."

Serving with the combined team during his stay in Iraq has been a great experience for General Reynes, who speaks what he calls "sware arabea," understanding more than he speaks. He says his Arab and Iraqi friends have been key to the relationships he has developed in strategic engagement and moving Iraq forward.

"It's been an honor and pleasure to serve with the members of the ACCE team and be the Director of Strategic Engagement. This is a joint combined team that executes a very complicated and critical mission. Serving with the ACCE team has been just wonderful. To see our brothers and sisters in the AF integrate into the USF-I joint command as team members and players to execute the mission of RDoF. And as the Director of Strategic Engagement I have been honored to serve on the joint team as we have tried to push reconciliation and tried to move forward with taking people off the battlefield not just with kinetics but with hope for a future of a brighter Iraq."