Airmen assist Iraqis with maintenance training

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
  • U.S. Air Forces Central Command combat camera team
CAMP TAJI, Iraq (AFNS) --  On the flightline, in hangars and in backshops here more and more Iraqi air force members are repairing their own helicopters with less and less instruction from American Airmen.

Airmen assigned to the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron help the Iraqi air force become self-sustaining by providing more advice and less hands-on instruction. 

One Airman is assigned to each of the necessary maintenance fields, but it's the Iraqi airmen who make most of their own repairs. 

The Airmen's goal isn't to teach the Iraqi airmen anything new about the actual repair of their aircraft, said Master Sgt. Chris Scott, a helicopter crew chief deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

"What we can do is suggest ways to improve their processes," he said. "Like using the supply line channels to order parts rather than stripping them off of other helicopters." 

The Iraqi air force flies the Mi-17, Mi-171, UH-1 Huey and Jet Ranger helicopters from Taji Air Base.

The 721st AEAS Airmen also plan to create training records for the Iraqis, which in turn will create certified documentation on the skill levels of Iraqi airmen. The program is modeled after the Air Force's specialty knowledge test.

"We need the older guys in the squadron to start teaching the younger generation," Sergeant Scott said. "If we can get them to take responsibility for their troops, they'll take a much more active role in their training."

That will mean more and more effective maintenance airmen, Sergeant Scott added.

American Airmen are also assisting the Iraqis to create a phased approach to fixing aircraft parts. Tech. Sgt. Andrea Walton, a nondestructive inspection instructor, turned to American Soldiers and their facilities to help teach this aspect of maintenance to Iraqi airmen.

She routinely visits the Army's NDI backshop to show her Iraqi students how to use the specialized tools to find microscopic cracks and flaws in aircraft parts.

"It's a team effort out here to get the Iraqis better trained," said Sergeant Walton, who is deployed from Whiteman AFB, Mo.

"I'm proud to work and serve with her," said Iraqi Pvt. Gzwaan Majeed, one of Sergeant Walton's students. "She shows us the step-by-step way to find cracks. She's a good teacher."

Her students get an abundance of on-the-job training with NDI techniques, which will ensure the Iraqi helicopter squadrons are able to perform their missions.

"With NDI, we're able to locate problems before they become bigger issues," Sergeant Walton said. "What we want the Iraqis to develop is a routine way of inspecting aircraft parts at regular intervals. If a flawed component makes it onto an aircraft, it could be a disaster." 

The Airmen assigned to this squadron take great pride in the importance of their mission, said Lt. Col. Mike McNerney, the 721st AEAS commander.

"Once (Iraqi airmen) can fix their own aircraft, they can make sure they're providing air support for their own forces," said Colonel Mike McNerney, who is deployed from Fairchild AFB, Wash.

Whether it's establishing a quality assurance program, training records or streamlined processes, Airmen are working directly with members of the Iraqi air force to ensure their Airmen are able to provide air power for their troops on the ground, defend the populace from insurgents and provide stability to their country.