Airmen, Marines seek to synchronize in sky over Iraq

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ruth Curfman
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Leadership from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing and the 3rd Marine Air Wing-Forward met here Feb. 10 and 11 to raise joint air traffic control and airspace utilization in central Iraq to new levels of safety and effectiveness. 

During the conference, the military services discussed ways to increase integration and synchronization of military airpower as well as civil air traffic.

Specifically, the conference addressed real-time access to current tactical airspace that would give Air Force and Marine Corps aircraft more flexibility and mission responsiveness, while continuing to accommodate expansion of civil aviation.

"This meeting was very important because it will ultimately result in optimizing the efficient use of airspace, enabling the delivery of the right aviation and fire effects to ground commanders when they need it, and still facilitating the restoration of Iraqi aviation sovereignty," said Lt. Col. Robert Ricker, the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron airfield operations flight commander.

The participants were able to observe and talk to people in the Balad Air Base command and control agencies to see directly how Air Force personnel accomplish their mission in this arena.

"This visit has allowed us to achieve a better understanding on how the Marines and Air Force can work together to provide a more efficient and timely service to our aircraft and ground commanders," said Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Mark Eadie, Marine Air Control Squadron 1, Tactical Air Operations Center operations chief. "Although both services do very well in this area, they do it differently. If we allowed ourselves to operate exclusive of each other then we would not be able to facilitate the air and be responsive to the ground units as a whole. We can no longer be separated by a hard line when it comes to achieving our missions."

In order to facilitate this joint effort, the Marines were given the opportunity to meet the Air Force controllers in person.

"Even in these modern times with the technological advances available to us, nothing can create the same understanding that can occur when you are face-to-face with someone and able to directly observe them doing their respective jobs. There is no real substitute for that ability," said Master Gunnery Sgt. Eadie. "The fact that we were able to come here and experience this first-hand and develop a personal relationship with those Airmen was a great benefit for both sides. This common understanding that was achieved paves the way for a more rapid adaptation of common procedures that both sides can agree on and be successful."

However, the benefits of this visit go even further to bolster the camaraderie among the command and control Airmen and Marines.

"Because I was afforded the opportunity to witness first-hand what the Air Force controllers are faced with on a daily basis, I can now go back to my controllers and explain to them the bigger picture," said Marine Capt. Les Thompson, Marine Air Control Squadron 1, TAOC detachment commander. "I can now tell them that when they are complaining about not getting something when they want it, it's not because of institutionalized or cultural differences between the services, it's just that there are other things happening that they are not aware of, but once they understand the bigger picture, they will be able to better anticipate the timeliness of the coordination process."

In addition to discussing ways control can be used more efficiently, the other main point was focused on how to use the airspace more effectively.

"Due to the congestion in the skies over Iraq, airspace is a very limited commodity and we need to be able to work together to better utilize that area," said Chief Master Sgt. Robin Cruz, 332nd EOSS combined enroute radar approach control chief controller. "The meeting with the Marines is a very positive step in establishing long-term relationships required to work concurrently in the same airspace and ultimately facilitate more real-time use of the area."

"There's no more room for inter-service rivalry when it comes to this particular airspace," said Master Gunnery Sgt. Eadie. "The Marine Corps does not use the space all of the time and neither does the Air Force, so we need to establish coordination and procedures that allow for the use of all of the airspace by both air command and control agencies all of the time. If we don't do that, then we aren't going to optimize our response time to the ground control elements, which is one of our most important missions."

Overall this meeting was a success on both sides of the military.

"It is a rewarding experience to meet with leaders from other service branches to discuss theater warfighting issues," said Lt. Col. John Grivakis, 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron director of operations. "This has allowed us to better understand the capabilities and limitations of our respective military services and come to a consensus on the best way to solve a myriad of problems that we face every day."

And the Marine captain agreed.

"The real importance of resolving this airspace issue is that if we don't integrate, we die," Captain Thompson said. "We can't look at things with blinders on where the Marine Corps is going to solve all of the problems or the Air Force is going to solve all of the problems. It's a joint world, the mandate has been pushed down from the president through his chiefs of staff and it's up to us, the guys that can affectively change the things that need to be changed, to do something.

"It's a requirement and it is an obligation that we were given, as part of our duty to the country and especially to our Marines and Airmen," the captain said.

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