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Change of Command coming to Ali Base

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Elizabeth Gilbert
  • 407th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
ALI BASE, Iraq --  A change of command for Col. Lou Danner, commander, 407th Air Expeditionary Group, from Channel Islands, California Air National Guard, is scheduled for Thursday, April 22, 2010, here at Memorial Plaza, Ali Base, Iraq.

Col. James M. Linder from the 439th Operations Group, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass., is stepping in as the new commander of the 407th AEG.

"We are at the tip of the transition period. Our mission and transition will still continue as planned." Colonel Danner explained, "We are in line with everything we said we will do, while continuing our drawdown, and that is exciting!"

Along with the change of command, the 407th AEG is realigning from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Joint Base Balad to the 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Wing, Iraqi Training Advisory Mission - Air Force at Victory Base Complex.

Under the new wing, whose mission is to train and advise the Iraqi air force, the 407th AEG will begin to welcome an advance team of Iraqi airmen as soon as April 2010. The integration of the Iraqi airmen at Ali Base is a homecoming event for the Iraqi air force.
Ali Base, formerly known as Tallil Air Base and also known as Contingency Operating Base Adder to the U.S. Army, was built in the 1970's and served as the busiest military airfield during Iraq's war with Iran. The last Iraqi aircraft flown out of Tallil Air Base was in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm when U. S. Forces bombed the base.

"We have accomplished significant strides in preparing to turn over Ali Base back to the Iraqi people," said Colonel Danner. "All Airmen here have been instrumental in accomplishing this mission. They have helped their Iraqi teammates in securing stability and training their counterparts to conduct security, emergency and basic services through these successful elections."

As the Presidentially-mandated drawdown gets closer, Airmen from the 407 AEG continue their progress of drawdown, change-over and realignment. As Operation Iraqi Freedom comes to a close in August 2010; on the horizon emerges Operation New Dawn.