An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

CENTAF leaders visit Airmen at non-traditional places

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ian Carrier
  • 386 AEW/PA
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The Commander and Command Chief for U.S. Central Command Air Forces made a round-robin tour of locations in Southwest Asia where Air Force personnel are performing duties that Airmen have never done before.

Lt. Gen. Gary L. North and Command Master Sgt. Richard T. Small began on April 20 by visiting the 586th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, and in particular, the 70th and 424th Medium Truck Detachments.

The Airmen of the truck detachments run convoys daily through some of the most hazardous parts of the CENTCOM AOR, providing a steady stream of much needed supplies. This is a mission that would normally fall to the Army, but due to the complexity and ever-changing face of the modern battlefield, the Air Force has stepped in to take a vital role in the War on Terror on the ground.

"Here we have young Staffs and Techs taking convoys the equivalent distance of Key West to Bangor, Maine," said Gen. North. "Any second of their day they can be shot at, they could be hit with an IED or faced with a mechanical failure."

The General and Command Chief lauded the members of the 586th for their bravery, professionalism, and incredible ability to adapt in the face of adversity.

The next stop on the tour was Camp Bucca, Iraq, to meet with the 586th and 886th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadrons. Camp Bucca is an Army Base that is home to a Theater Internment Facility, a facility manned and guarded by Airmen of the 886th ESFS.

The 586th ESFS provides Force Protection, runs presence patrols, and conducts IED sweeps to help ensure the safety of coalition military members, civilian contractors, and Iraqi civilians. This has proved to be a very dangerous task in the past, and three Airmen have sacrificed their lives.

The CENTAF leaders toured the areas run by the Air Force and listened to the Airmen's stories. The General and the Command Chief made it clear that the Airmen were the "rock stars," not themselves.

After Gen. North departed for his next destination, Chief Small stayed behind to conduct day two of the tour, a visit to the 586th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, Det. 1 at little known Camp Patriot.

Camp Patriot, situated on a naval base in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility, is run by the 586th EMSG for the Army. 32 Airmen reside and work on Camp Patriot, surrounded by Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guard personnel, and many miles from the nearest Air Force base. A close relationship is also maintained with host-nation officers.

Chief Small made a particular point to visit these Airmen, who are so often overlooked. Most people would never expect to find Air Force personnel on a naval base. According to the Command Chief, this is just one more testament to the adaptability and resilience of today's Airman-warrior.

"You are here on a naval base carrying on 230 years of tradition," said Chief Small. "The Air Force does not write doctrine on what you are doing here. But what you do here is vital to the War effort."