Congressional delegates visit U.S. CENTAF Airmen

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SOUTHWEST ASIA (ASIA) --  Five congressional delegates visited Airmen at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing here Oct. 6.

Congressmen F. Allen Boyd, Jr. (D-FL); Wayne Gilchrest (D-MD); Roger Wicker (R-MS); Steven Cohen (D-TN); and Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-OH) met with Lt. Gen. Gary L. North,  the Central Command Air Forces commander; Brig. Gen. Charles W. Lyon, the 379th AEW commander; and dozens of Airmen assigned here.

A first-ever visit to the CAOC and the 379th AEW for all the congressional representatives, they learned first-hand the contributions of airpower in the 27 countries comprising the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, especially Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn Of Africa.

Discussions and briefings included the following: 

-- How the integration and synchronization of U.S. Air Force and Coalition airpower shapes the battle space in Iraq and Afghanistan by having consistent overhead presence, whether it's kinetic strikes, intelligence, air mobility, air refueling or medical evacuation. 

-- The progress of the Iraqi Air Force, to include the fact that the Iraqis are flying reconnaissance missions and transporting Iraqi soldiers around the Iraq AOR. 

-- The Air Force's mission of directing and controlling the hundreds of civilian, military and unmanned aircraft in the skies over Baghdad. 

-- The Air Force's ability to move wounded warriors, people and supplies via air mobility assets.

-- The contributions of Air Force space programs. 

-- The need to recapitalize the Air Force air refueling force to sustain air supremacy in the future. 

-- Congressional support to military veterans. 

-- The outstanding service provided by the 25,000 American Airmen serving in the U.S. CENTCOM AOR. 

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