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9th Air Force commander visits Sather Airmen

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Amanda Callahan
  • 447th Air Expeditionary Group public affairs
SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq --  The commander and command chief of 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central arrived at Sather Air Base, adjacent to Baghdad International Airport, March 13 for a visit with the Airmen who keep the "gateway to Iraq" operational.

Lt. Gen. Gary North and Chief Master Sgt. Scott Dearduff were greeted by members of the 447th Air Expeditionary Group leadership, as well as Maj. Gen. David Clary, the director of the Air Component Coordination Element, and Maj. Gen. Robert Allardice, the outgoing Coalition Air Force Training Team commander, on Sather's bustling flightline.

"The air mobility mission in Iraq is a huge success story that most Americans take for granted," General North stated. "We airlift everyone into Iraq."

Team Sather (pronounced like "laser") is composed of expert Airmen who make those airlifts happen.

The general went on to talk about the progress being made in Iraq. Gen. David Petraeus, Multi-National Force - Iraq commanding general, recently noted, "Going to Iraq, I'm very encouraged from the time I sat here about 10 months ago. I see this on an upward vector."

General North agreed, saying, "You can see the difference in Iraq every day. You, the Airmen of Sather Air Base, are facilitating that and making it happen."

"We're extremely proud of what you do and how you represent the Air Force," Chief Dearduff added.

During the visit, Generals North and Clary, as well as Chief Dearduff, Col. Fred Cheney, the 447th Air Expeditionary Group commander; Lt. Col. Kenneth Anderson, the 447 AEG deputy commander; and the group superintendent, Chief Master Sgt. Richard King; visited several work areas around Sather, highlighting top performers and recognizing hidden heroes.

"There are 80,000 Airmen in the [deployed area of responsibility], and many are on their second, third or fourth deployment," General North explained to a crowd of Airmen and noncommissioned officers during a luncheon at the Tech. Sgt. Walter Moss dining facility here. He explained that each deployed member is responsible for defending about 2,900 Americans. "You are a very small percentage [of Americans]. It is an amazing thing to see what you do."

After the luncheon, the entourage of leadership was given a rundown of the current and planned construction project to improve Sather's passenger terminal, which sees an average of about 6,200 passengers weekly, by Lt. Col. Pat Roemer, the 447th Expeditionary Civil  Engineer Squadron commander, and Capt. Timorah Beales, also from the 447th ECES.

General North and Chief Dearduff also toured parts of the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations center, the 447th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and the Area Defense Operations Center. He spent time recognizing members of all nine of the group's squadrons, adding "It's not always easy [here]. I appreciate what you do, and whatever we can do from our level to make you more efficient, we'll try to do it."

A short stop at the ADOC seemed to bring back memories for Chief Dearduff, a former security forces member.

"I see in the eyes of each of you ... 'I am the ultimate defender,'" the Chief continued talking with the formed-up flight of 447th Expeditionary Security Forces members. He explained how he felt while he was a deployed SFS member, and remembered the well-deserved pride.

After an office call with Generals Clary, Allardice and Brig. Gen. Brooks Bash, the incoming CAFTT commander, General North headed to Camp Victory for additional meetings on air power's contribution to rebuilding Iraq, and how the Air Force can continue to integrate and synchronize with ground forces to meet the MNF-I commander's objectives.

"This [base] is the throughway into Iraq ... and the gateway sets the pace for the rest of the AOR," General North told a crowd of 447th AEG Airmen. "What makes a difference is your professionalism. Thank you for your part."