BAHGDAD, Iraq -- Throughout his career, U.S. Air Force Col. James Howard has spent a lot of time in the skies over Iraq as a career F-15 Strike Eagle master navigator. However, for the past year he has led the 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, which required him to see the country from a new perspective.
Howard began his command while there was still heavy combat in many areas of Iraq. The Iraqi forces fought against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in certain strongholds across the country. The battle for Mosul, which has been compared to the battle of Stalingrad from World War II, was especially challenging. Progress there was based on mere meters gained each day. Iraq eventually declared victory over Daesh in December 2017 but their Airmen continue to fight ISIS in the region.
While U.S. Air Advisors aren’t directly tasked with fighting in those battles, their guidance and knowledge assisted their counterparts through advising the Iraqi Air Force, Iraqi Army Aviation Command and Iraqi Air Defense Command.
“Our job is to train, advise and assist the Iraqi Aviation Enterprise,” said Howard. “The first four months I was here we were really focused on the operational combat portion. After Mosul, the focus shifted, not completely from combat ops, but shifted focus to aggressive training.”
The 370th AEAG is a small group made up of roughly 70 Airmen spread across the country at eight geographically separated locations. They come from a variety of career fields to help encourage the Iraqi Air Force to become the best it can be.
“Back in 2011 there were 1,200 advisors in Iraq,” said Howard speaking about the withdrawal of U.S. Forces from Iraq. “With the limited number of advisors we have now, it is a much more surgical and concentrated mission today.”
Before heading to Iraq, U.S. Air Advisors go to the Air Advisory Academy at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, to learn the specialized skills required to create relationships with their Iraqi counterparts and hopefully assist them throughout their deployment.
“This is a niche capability that we provide,” added Howard. “There isn’t a squadron of advisors anywhere in the states, we get trained up for about six weeks, we come over here and do six months, and then you go back to your day job.”
American Airmen aren’t the only ones on the ground advising Iraqi’s on a day-to-day basis. In February, the Coalition Aviation Advisory and Training Team was established. Comprised of U.S. and coalition Airmen from multiple specialties, the team is specifically designed to leverage existing resources and coalition partner capabilities.
“The key with the CAATT was to try and expand out and cover areas we weren’t able to hit before,” said Howard. “It doesn’t need to be “Airman Jim.” They can be from whichever country does professional development and professional air academy curriculum.”
The advisory mission relies heavily on building relationships with respective counterparts, but without a strong bond as a foundation, the Iraqi Airmen they are advising won’t take what is said to heart, said Howard.
“The first step they teach us is the relationship,” said Howard. “Having [relationships] established is critical. To go and drink chai with our partners, sounds hokey, but it’s awesome. You get to know them one-on-one, they trust you, you trust them and you get a lot of work done that way.”
These relationships are valued by both sides, leaving lasting impressions on everyone involved.
“I believe this legacy will not be for the short term, it will be here for a while,” said Lt. Gen. Falah Hassan, Iraqi Air Force deputy commander. “We will not forget Col. Howard. I am going to miss him too much.”
He has seen many changes during this deployment, yet there is still more he wanted to do, said Howard. Continuing this effort will fall to his replacement and to the 370 AEAG advisors who remain, because on Saturday, May 26, he officially relinquished command of the 370 AEAG and headed back to the states for some well-deserved time with his wife and kids, and his next assignment to Air Education and Training Command.
During the ceremony he was awarded the Bronze Star and a Foreign Service Medal from the Czech Republic and received special recognition from the Iraqi Air Force Chief. He recognized that all his success in Iraq are from the relationships that were built and called the assignment the “most rewarding” of his career.
“The advisor team’s success is measured by the enduring relationships of our established partners,” said Howard. “Those relationships matter and you can get a heck of a lot done when you maintain them and keep them going.”
The inbound commander for the 370th AEAG, Col. Eduardo Defendini will arrive later this summer.