Tinker civilians provide communications support to Iraqis

  • Published
  • By Brandice Armstrong
  • 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) --  Seven members from the 38th Engineering Installation Group's Systems Telecommunications Engineering Managers are helping to rebuild Iraq's air force by designing the entire communications infrastructure.

The lead engineer for the coalition air force training team and 38th EIG STEM manager, Mike Valentine, is in Iraq on a second temporary duty assignment for the project.

"When I volunteered for the task, I didn't really know what to expect," said Mr. Valentine, who is scheduled to return to Tinker AFB in mid-October. "[Volunteering] was certainly a unique opportunity. "I was re-energized about my work, and got excited about the opportunity to plan the communications infrastructure for an entirely new air force from the ground up."

The project began when coalition air force training team/A6 director of communication Lt. Col. Scott Rutherford contacted the 38th EIG's STEM team in late 2007 requesting help to design the infrastructure. The mission of the STEM is to provide communications engineering for the Air Force and combatant commands.

In April, two members from the STEM team, including Mr. Valentine, journeyed to Iraq for a 60-day assignment. While there, they planned placement of telephones, computers and intelligence surveillance reconnaissance, plus airfield systems, for four air bases.

In the coming years, Mr. Valentine said the Iraqis will have a total of 10 to 12 air bases.

"The bases are very small, they're nowhere near as large as Tinker AFB," Mr. Valentine said. "Right now, bases have 10 to 12 buildings including administrative offices, a few barracks, and a few aircraft hangars."

Mr. Valentine said working with the Iraqis is different from working with U.S. officials, in that he could suggest ideas to the Iraqis, but in the end, he could not order them to carry out the instruction.

"They don't have standards, rules or regulations," Mr. Valentine said. "I could tell them about our rules and regulations, and apply them to their situation, but ultimately they would do it their way. We're not in Iraq to maintain control. We want them to stand up on their own."

Mr. Valentine said designing the communications infrastructure will likely take years to complete.

"It takes a long time to build everything back up and it will be several years before they are mission capable," he said. "We're planning on doing rotations for the next couple of years, and each person will go out twice a year."

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