Supporting those outside Balad

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  The 732nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group Personnel Support for Contingency Operation team has a unique mission here -- to account for Airmen who fill Army and Marine billets. 

Although the majority of these In Lieu of Forces Airmen are geographically separated from Balad Air Base, they must be in-processed, which is where this rare PERSCO team comes into the picture. 

"We support 30 forward locations and more than 1,000 Airmen assigned to the wing who work outside of Balad Air Base," said Capt. Liza Theriault, 732nd EMSG PERSCO team chief. These Airmen are stationed across Iraq and Kuwait. 

To support In Lieu of Forces, the PERSCO office is manned 18 hours a day, with one on standby 24-hours a day. 

When the geographically separated Airmen arrive in theater, the 732nd EMSG PERSCO team ensures they are in-processed and their personnel needs are meet. 

"We send someone from our base to forward-deployed locations to in-process our people when they arrive," said Master Sgt. Monte Muxfeldt, 732nd EMSG PERSCO superintendent. 

Because of the unique mission requirements of this PERSCO office, the team members had to go through numerous training classes before deploying. 

"We received convoy, manpower and personnel base level system and PERSCO training before coming here," Sergeant Muxfeldt said. The team members also deployed to Silver Flag at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., which provided the team bare base operations training. 

In addition to in-processing In Lieu of Forces, the team offers liaison work, data base support and emergency support assistance. 

"In emergency situations we work with the Red Cross to get members home," Captain Theriault said. "Whenever we get a Red Cross notification, we work the emergency leave order. Anyone who is placed on emergency leave receives precedence to leave the area of responsiblity. We can normally get individuals outside of Iraq in 12 hours depending on air flow." 

Though working at the 732nd EMSG may be more demanding than working for other deployed PERSCO offices, members of the team would have it no other way. 

"It means a lot to our team to be here supporting the Airmen filling In Lieu of Forces slots," Sergeant Muxfeldt said. "This is a very unique opportunity for us and we are glad to be here accomplishing this part of the mission."