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Operations town demobilization

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Hannah Landeros
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --  For over a decade U.S. armed forces have worked side by side with Qatari Emir Air Force at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, providing air superiority throughout the region.

In May 2011, it was decided that the area of Ops Town, where U.S. forces and their allies house airlift squadrons, be returned back to the Qataris. The 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron leads the way to accomplish the project called Ops Town Demobilization with a crew of nearly 320 Airmen.

"The host nation has plans to build another ramp and their flying academy in the space that we are currently occupying," said Capt Anna Narduzzi, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron chief of portfolio optimization, deployed from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and a Glendale, Calif., native. "This is where the Qataris have plans to bring their cadets and educate them, similar to our Air Force Academy."

The 379th ECES is currently working demobilization of Ops Town which consists of moving all equipment, personnel and temporary facilities, such as tents, to a new location on base.

The biggest challenge during the move out of Ops Town is the airlift mission doesn't stop, explained Narduzzi.

"This is their base and we are only here to borrow it," said Senior Master Sgt. Roddy Martin 379 ECES superintendent deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and an Ash Fork, Ariz., native. "We know the move is stressful to a lot of units, but we are ensuring that there is no mission impact and that we honor the host nation's request."

The surface area of the first two zones takes up nearly 150,000 square meters, and makes up a little less than half of Ops town.

"We are currently turning over two out of four zones in Ops Town and looking to have all assets of the first two zones moved out of there in 30 days," said Narduzzi.

The 379th ECES has seven shops which are working together to ensure the one month deadline is met.

"While the primary mission of the 379th ECES is to maintain the base infrastructure, our goal here is to help meet the needs of our host nation," said Martin. "We want to keep a good working relationship with them and assist them in any way we can."

The demobilization benefits not only the Qataris, but all coalition forces that come here. A new ramp will have more space for aircraft, explained Narduzzi.

"I believe this move will do nothing but build a stronger relationship between us and our host nation," said Martin.