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Al Udeid reflects back on OIR accomplishments

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kia Atkins
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --  Six months ago, U.S. military operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or Da’ish, in Iraq and Syria were officially designated as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. The name was intended to reflect the unwavering resolve and deep commitment of the U.S. and partner nations in the region and around the globe to eliminate Da’ish targets and the threat they pose to Iraq, the region and the wider international community.

In the past six months since OIR was officially named, the four groups assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing have supported and continue to support the operation’s objectives.

Airmen of the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group have worked around the clock to ensure aircraft and munitions are ready to go whenever and wherever they are needed. The continuous work of these maintenance Airmen ensured aircraft are constantly prepared for take-off, leading to over 1,600 sorties on average per month. Well-maintained aircraft were not the only thing these Airmen provided though; they also supplied the required munitions for combat air support against Da’ish targets. The amount of munitions provided by these Airmen led to breaking the record for most munitions employed in a single rotation here at Al Udeid.

“Our Airmen are true professionals, and I could not be more proud. Their consummate professionalism is indicative of the hard work they put in every day to provide safe, compliant and well-maintained aircraft,” said Maj. Jay Bertsch, 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander. “The mission never stops which is evident by the amount of sorties these aircraft are flying every month. Our Airmen are continuously breaking records out here with their support of airlift, close air support, Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance and refueling missions.”

Serving the largest community of deployed service members, the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group employs a Mobile Field Surgical Team to support OIR and other operations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. This team is charged with ensuring injured warfighters, whether they are U.S. military, coalition partners or host nation forces, receive necessary emergency medical care no matter where they are. During the previous rotation, the 379th EMDG’s Mobile Field Surgical Team forward deployed to Iraq to set up and provide medical care for those injured in combat. Currently, the Mobile Field Surgical Team here at Al Udeid is ready to rapidly move forward anywhere in the world where servicemembers are in combat.

“We train persistently here to provide top-level medical care to the men and women at the tip of the spear at a moment's notice,” said Maj. Ryan Earnest, 379th EMDG Mobile Field Surgical Team chief. “Our predecessors who went forward to Iraq accomplished that mission setting a glowing example for us to emulate.”

Aircraft providing air support throughout the region in support of OIR wouldn’t make it far though without the much needed fuel distributed by the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, who have continuously broken records in the last six months ensuring rapid global mobility, agile combat support and precision engagement.

“Over the past six months, we have supported over 18,000 sorties ensuring expedited transportation to more than 90,000 aircrew members,” said Senior Master Sgt. Andre Tompkins, 379th ELRS vehicle operations superintendent. “Consequently, during the month of March, we smashed our own record by delivering 3,631 permanent and transient aircrews while staying under the Air Force’s 10-minute response time standard. In addition to this, our team has played an integral role in sustaining the wing’s 24/7 operations tempo and varied mission sets having shuttled more than 450,000 coalition force members over the same 6-month timeframe. This team is a proud and dedicated group of professionals.”

Over the last six months the highlight of the wing's OIR efforts was the liberation of Kobani, an important battle because the coalition campaign ultimately stopped and repelled ISIL's movement there.

"The B-1s, in conjunction with other Combat Air Forces assets, were able to help turn the tide in Kobani," said Maj. Brian, 379th Expeditionary Operations Group B-1 weapons systems officer. "The B-1, along with the assistance of indigenous friendly forces, was the determining factors in turning what looked to be an unavoidable humanitarian disaster into what will become a significant defeat for ISIL."

The air campaign isn't over yet and the 379th's efforts continue to support the comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy ISIL by limiting the terrorist group's ability to lead, control, project power and conduct operations.

Although these were the major mission accomplishments from groups across the wing, every day Airmen here are constantly providing support for OIR and other operations in the region.