Top Airman in Iraq reflects on 18 months in country

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Sanjay Allen
  • Air Component Coordination Element-Iraq
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq (AFNS) --  After spending more than 18 months coordinating and synchronizing airpower for U.S. servicemembers in Iraq and helping to ensure U.S. forces reached their goal of less than 50,000 boots on the ground, the top Airman in Iraq is headed home.

Serving as the director of the Air Component Coordination Element in Iraq, the director of the force strategic engagement cell for U.S. forces in Iraq, and the 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Baghdad, Det. 2 commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Reynes Jr. has seen the number of servicemembers in Iraq dwindle from 148,000 to almost 50,000, and the number of Airmen fall from more than 12,000 to fewer than 6,000 in his time here.

General Reynes explained the mission the Air Force has had in Iraq during his tenure.

"We've provided timely and precise air mobility," he said. "We've had 24/7 unblinking (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) to cover and work with our joint force partners. And then, of course, we've had kinetic and non-kinetic operations at the discretion of the commanders in support of their missions.

"It's been an awesome mission that we've executed over and over again, and we've just gotten better every day," the general said.

Although U.S. forces are shifting from Operation Iraqi Freedom into Operation New Dawn, the Air Force's mission primarily stays the same. However, it will continue to evolve, General Reynes said.

"What's evolved is how we translated those missions, and how we've drawn down at the same time," he said. "(We're) executing the same missions, 24/7, 365, in support of the ground force commander. And they've done that while we've done one of the most historic drawdowns, while executing the mission at the same time."

Moving into Operation New Dawn means adapting to a smaller footprint for U.S. Airmen and growing capabilities for Iraqi airmen. It's a new beginning for Iraq, and their air force as it continues to grow from 1,500 airmen and 28 aircraft two years ago to 7,000 airmen and more than 100 aircraft now.

The Iraqi air force is expected to grow to more than 10,000 members by 2012. As they grow their numbers, Iraqi airmen are beginning to integrate onto bases such as Joint Base Balad, Ali and Sather Air Bases.

"We'll continue to support and do the same missions we've done, but at the same time we're handing more and more off to our Iraqi partners," General Reynes said. "And over the next year, you're going to see more partnering with our Iraqi brothers and sisters, but also we'll be doing more training.

"(It's a) mission they want to do and execute," he said. "And we're working with them to ensure they are the best they can be."

As the drawdown moves along, approximately 6,000 Airmen will remain in Iraq. The Air Force footprint has gotten smaller, but Airmen will retain the same capabilities to execute a variety of missions in support of ground forces.

"Operation New Dawn really doesn't change anything for our Airmen," General Reynes said. "They are still going to be executing the same missions as they were before, but there will be fewer Airmen. We're still going to be providing ISR. We're still going to be providing timely and precise cargo and passenger movement. And of course, every day and every night, there is going to be aircraft airborne just in case kinetics are needed, and in more cases, just for that presence over the battlefield for 24/7, 365 overwatch."

While doing all of this, Airmen will be training Iraqi airmen throughout the country so they can completely take over the mission by the end of 2011, the general said.

"Airmen will be partnering with our Iraqi brothers as we develop the Iraqi air force, as we continue to work to develop those partnerships and engagements with our Iraqi brothers and sisters as we move toward end of mission," he said.