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AFCENT commander visits Kirkuk Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Eric Schloeffel
  • 506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq --  U.S. Air Forces Central and 9th Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Gary North toured several base agencies and spoke to hundreds of Airmen during a visit here April 7.

During his commander's call address, the general focused on the vital role each Airman plays to accomplishing the nation's mission on the war on terror.

"As Airmen, we are all truly about service above self and putting our personal lives aside to answer our nation's calling," General North said. "Whether an Airman's job is kinetic or non-kinetic, I'm constantly seeing the amazing synergy of our mission at the operational level which allows AFCENT to stand extremely tall."

General North's visit included stops to the 506th Expeditionary Medical Squadron Freedom Hospital, Control Tower, 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Firehouse, Coalition Air Forces facilities used for training Iraqi student pilots, and a U.S. Army tactical operation center manned by the 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division.

The general mentioned his recent attendance at the memorial service for Staff Sgt. Travis Griffin who was killed by an improvised explosive device during a combat patrol April 3 in Baghdad. He explained how the sergeant's sacrifice is an example of the warrior culture inherent to the services' expeditionary environment.

"Sergeant Griffin was on his fifth combat rotation into the area of responsibility and 83rd combat patrol outside the wire," General North said. "This young security forces staff sergeant gave it his all everyday to protect his squad and was truly answering his nation's call. He was out there doing his job everyday, just like each one of you are doing right here in Kirkuk. We always need to be prepared for whatever our nation asks us to do, which is a part of our Airman's Creed."

He also hailed the efforts of Airmen working for the Coalition Air Forces at Kirkuk to help train Iraqi air force pilots to defend their own country. He emphasized these efforts as a microcosm to the U.S. military mission in Iraq.

"The Air Force has been making progress everyday since we first set foot on the installation in 2003 - while working a program not only for U.S. Airmen, but for Iraqi Airmen who will be here forever," General North said. "The Iraqi air force is flying combat and training sorties each day from this installation; enabling the relationship between Iraqi air force and Iraqi army to progress. They are proud Airmen just as you are."

The general, who was accompanied by U.S. AFCENT Command Chief Master Sgt. Scott Dearduff, also enjoyed lunch with several enlisted Airmen. During his speech and numerous stops throughout the day, General North mentioned the importance of enlisted leadership to mission accomplishment in the deployed environment.

"Our NCO-corp is the brunt, brains, guts and heart of everything we expect our Air Force to be," he said. "I have the opportunity and privilege to represent our Air Force to the military and civilian leadership of 16 other nations in the AOR. As I send our people to the Middle East to exercise, I see our Airmen in training environments working side-by-side with Airmen from these other nations.

"When leaders from these countries talk about our Air Force, they aren't discussing our fancy airplanes or how the exercise went. Instead, they are constantly discussing the efforts of our Airmen who have four, five or six stripes on their sleeve."

While closing out his commanders call speech, the general added the Airmen will likely hold a presence in Iraq until the very last servicemember makes their way back to the states.

"Airmen have fought continuously in this area of responsibility since January 1991, and we will be here longer than anyone else," he added. "Once the last combat mission is accomplished, the last warrior will probably be an Air Force defender on a C-130. Our undertaking here is truly a cannot fail, cannot falter mission and I have no doubt we will succeed."