Airmen pull duty with Marines

  • Published
  • By Capt. Carla Pampe
  • 8th Air Force Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFPN) --  Two Airmen with the 8th Information Warfare Flight deployed from here to become the first enlisted Airmen assigned to the Marine Multinational Force-West’s command operations center in Iraq.

Tech. Sgts. Jason Graves and Carl Weaver are providing targeting and intelligence support to the Marine expeditionary force.

“Jason is doing information operations targeting in support of Marine operations in their area of responsibility, and Carl is working support to current operations -- basically feeding the Marines (intelligence),” said Lt. Col. Matsushima, 8th IWF commander.

Simply put, their mission helps to influence, disrupt or corrupt enemy information operations, while protecting their own.

As the center’s information operations watch officer, Sergeant Weaver’s duties include providing up-to-date information about ongoing operations and information operations, as well as providing information to … the Marine expeditionary force on operations throughout the area of operations.

Sergeant Weaver said the most rewarding part of his job is the chance to be in the middle of things.

While he understood the dangers of the mission in Iraq before deploying, Sergeant Weaver said he was initially surprised by the reality of everything.

“Our first night on station we were (attacked) with a rocket that exploded less than 200 feet from where we were standing,” he said. “We were close enough to feel the heat and concussion blast. Fortunately no one was hurt, but it was a definite wakeup call. We are in a war zone. Soldiers and Marines are getting hurt every day, and we are here to make sure that stays to a minimum.

“I never felt that my job was as important as it is right now,” Sergeant Weaver said. “It’s the greatest, yet scariest, feeling ever, and I would volunteer to do it all over again in a heartbeat.

“I’m usually one of the first ones to hear when something happens, and I’m able to watch the whole war happen all around me,” he said.

“It was very cool being the first Air Force enlisted guys assigned to this base, plus we get to support the Marine Corps -- the guys who are going out and putting their lives at risk every day,” Sergeant Weaver said. “I’m pretty sure no one else from my career field can say that they were part of something like that.”

Sergeant Graves serves as the special technical operations, is the noncommissioned officer in charge, as well as an information operations planner.

“In a nut shell, I conduct area of operations-wide strategic IO planning and provide tactical level IO intel support,” he said.

Sergeant Graves provides planning and targeting support, directly supports influence objectives in the area of operations, develops and nominates targets and coordinates, and de-conflicts and integrates targeting issues among all those involved.

“The most rewarding part of my job is the feeling of getting to finish what I started,” Sergeant Graves said.

“Despite all of the planning I have done (in the United States) in support of (operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom), I finally feel as though I have played a more significant role in the war on terrorism,” he said.

Both sergeants feel their deployment has increased their insight on the conflict, and their understanding of the Iraqi people.

“My impression of the Iraqi people is that they want us here, for the most part,” Sergeant Weaver said. “They understand what we are trying to do, and that we are trying to help them, and they are grateful for that.”

Sergeant Graves feels like the Iraqi people are torn between two cultures.

“They have known violence their entire lives, and for the males it is engrained into their culture as a symbol of honor,” he said.

Sergeant Graves has seen children running in the streets, waving at Soldiers. He has shaken the hands of men who smile and offer coffee and pats on the back. He has also seen glares filled with rage and distrust.

“I can see some want change; it is clear to me that many want peace,” he said. “It is obvious to me they long to return to the days before Saddam and back to the days when Iraq was part of the cultural center of the world, but I can see frustration, anger and resentment toward both sides of this conflict because these people are the ones caught in the middle.”

Sergeant Weaver hopes people worldwide will understand that the mission in Iraq is moving forward.

“Everyone needs to know that we are making progress,” he said. “Mostly everyone hears about the Soldiers who are being wounded and killed, but what they don’t normally see is the (number) of weapons we are taking off the Iraqi streets, or the (number) of insurgents and foreign fighters who we are killing or taking into custody.

“The people of Iraq are seeing the progress that we are making and are taking the opportunity to stand up for themselves,” he said. “They are slowly allowing themselves to be less intimidated by the insurgents and are keeping them from doing anti-Iraqi and -coalition activities. The people back home need to realize that it is going to take time and effort from everyone over here and all over the world, but there is an end in sight.”