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French contingent manages assets in AOR

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Spencer Gallien
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  As efforts continue to progress in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, Coalition partners continue to play a vital role in air operations in Southwest Asia.
A contingent of French airmen here have been managing all French Air Force assets used in Middle Eastern operations. The 10 French Airmen, ranging from officers to non-commissioned officers, perform jobs including liaison officers, legal advisors and information systems managers.

"We handle and coordinate all French missions going on throughout the AOR," said French Air Force Col. Jean-Pierre Duvoisin, Combined Air Operations Center-French senior officer. "Our interaction is very broad, we handle close-air support, aerial refueling, airlift operations, unmanned aerial vehicles - our scope is quite wide and takes a lot of coordination."

The group has been deployed for a few months and has already integrated itself with various Coalition forces here.

"From the day we arrived, we've felt very welcome," said Capt. Kevin Richard, CAOC-French legal advisor. "Any time we need anything, everyone here has been very helpful. I'd really like to thank the Americans for their help."

This has been the first time Colonel Duvoisin has been responsible for all French assets supporting the Global War on Terror.

"It's a very large responsibility," Colonel Duvoisin said. "We review the French rules of engagement, ensuring our assets are proceeding within the French regulations. We basically ensure our assets are doing the job properly."

Once a month, Colonel Duvoisin and his legal advisor travel throughout the USCENTCOM theater examining and evaluating French assets.

"Being in charge of the legal aspects of the French assets here in the AOR, I've been given the opportunity to travel with Colonel Duvoisin during his visits to French units in the Middle East," said Captain Richard. "When we're there, I brief aircrews on the legal aspects of air operations, making sure French assets are used according to the French rules of engagement."

This is Captain Richard's first opportunity to serve as a legal advisor for air operations.
"At home, I handle administrative legal aspects," he added. "This has been a very good opportunity to exchange with crews on air operations - I've been very happy with my deployment."

Colonel Duvoisin supported operations during the first Iraq war and in Bosnia, but this is his first time deploying here.

"I expected a very rich experience," said Colonel Duvoisin. "First, it's a great opportunity to work with many different people, from many different countries. Second, the operational phase of my job is a great experience. Being in the CAOC provides a complex work environment that I will learn a lot from.

"I am pleased to be here, supporting France and the Coalition."