Iraqi, American firefighters team up for joint exercise

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake
  • 321st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq --  A dozen Iraqi Air Force and U.S.-contracted firefighters conducted a joint coordination exercise for a simulated C-130 Hercules crash here April 3.

The exercise, led by the U.S. Air Force's base transition team, marked the initial steps in preparing Iraqi partners for increasing responsibilities as U.S. military forces gradually transition out of the country to meet the December 31 bilateral security agreement deadline.

"Our main tactical objective of the exercise was to demonstrate to the Iraqis the ability to provide protection for the fire-rescue crews using two of their fire engines," explained Nicolas Riley, a U.S. contractor firefighter who participated in the exercise as a command and control observer. "While there are some points that we need to address after today's exercise, they've come a long way since we first started working with them."

"We learned some important things today," said 2nd Lt. Omar Hushan Hussein, who leads the Iraqi firefighters. "This kind of training will help us work together better as a team (with the U.S. contractors)."

For the past few weeks, Senior Airman Christopher Stevenson, deployed here from Altus Air Force Base, Okla., and other Airmen from Kirkuk's base transition team have provided basic firefighter and safety training to two eight-man firefighter teams assigned to Kirkuk's airfield.

"We assisted the (Iraqi Air Force) fire department by coordinating meetings and exercises, and helped them get basic tools and equipment, such as fire extinguishers and practice firewood," explained Airman Stevenson, a Franklin, Ind., native and civil engineer by trade. "We've found many challenges, besides just the language barrier. I found it hard to provide proper fire training without being a firefighter myself. However, we helped the best we could and tried to prepare the (Iraqi Air Force) for our team's incoming firefighter."

After months of anticipation, the base transition team received its newest addition last week, Master Sgt. Sean Beasley, a 15-year veteran Air Force firefighter deployed from the 341st Civil Engineer Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.

"We've been looking forward to Sergeant Beasley's arrival for a few months now," said Capt. Tyson Daw, the deputy chief of the base transition team deployed from Malmstrom AFB. "We know that his expertise in this critical field, with the equipment, vehicles and procedures, will pay huge dividends for the Iraqi firefighters here at Kirkuk, The (base transition team) focuses on establishing foundational capability in many different areas to operate and sustain the base. This is definitely one of the key functions that we're focused on developing."

The day after the exercise, Sergeant Beasley and Airmen Stevenson sat down and drank hot chai with their Iraqi counterparts, discussing everything from communication capabilities and infrastructure to upcoming training events.

Sergeant Beasley, a Green Cove Springs, Fla., native, told Lieutenant Hussein he will provide instruction on the unit's new fire truck and train the lieutenant's men how to quickly don their protective gear.

"This exercise was a stepping stone toward more complex exercises using live fire in the future," said Sergeant Beasley. "It's important for the Iraqis to keep building upon what we teach, not only for proficiency, but for safety as well."

The U.S. Air Force currently has six base transition teams throughout Iraq preparing the military transition out of the country as U.S. State Department officials replace military forces in key locations. In addition to the Kirkuk team, there are teams in Taji, Tikrit, New Al-Muthana, Ali and Balad.

"Essentially, (our) mission is to help our Iraqi partners establish foundational capability for all mission support activities required to run an airfield -- except for aircraft maintenance and piloting," said Maj. Markus Bahnemann, Kirkuk's base transition team chief who is deployed from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.


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Iraqi Air Force firefighters and U.S.-contracted firefighters work together to extinguish a simulated C-130 Hercules crash site during an exercise April 3. . The U.S. Air Force base transition team at Kirkuk spearheaded the exercise with a dozen American and Iraqi firefighters to improve communication and joint tactics between the two fire departments. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake)

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Iraqi Air Force firefighters take notes as Nick Reilly, a U.S.-contracted firefighter crew chief, provides an exercise pre-brief for a simulated C-130 Hercules crash April 3. . The U.S. Air Force base transition team at Kirkuk spearheaded the exercise with a dozen American and Iraqi firefighters to improve communication and joint tactics between the two fire departments. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake)

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Master Sgt. Sean Beasley, a Kirkuk base transition team firefighter advisor, kicks off a C-130 Hercules crash simulation exercise with Iraqi and U.S.-contracted firefighters April 3. . The U.S. Air Force base transition team at Kirkuk provides foundational training to Iraqi units, like the fire department, using subject-matter experts like Sergeant Beasley, who is deployed from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake)

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Iraqi Air Force and U.S.-contracted firefighters huddle for a debrief after completing a joint C-130 Hercules crash simulation exercise April 3. The U.S. Air Force base transition team at Kirkuk spearheaded the exercise with a dozen American and Iraqi firefighters to improve communication and joint tactics between the two fire departments. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake)