Total force, joint, coalition team create synergy in CAOC

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chyenne A. Griffin
  • U.S. Central Air Forces Forward Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Staffed by active-duty, Guard and Reserve forces from all the U.S. services along with coalition partners, the Central Air Forces Combined Air Operations Center at a forward-deployed location has proven to be a true total force, joint and coalition team.

“The partnership (among) the people of these great nations and services is solid,” said Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan, III, Combined Forces Air Component commander. “It is based on a shared commitment to peace and freedom.”

The center became fully operational Feb. 18, 2003, and stands as the only warfighting coalition operations center of its kind currently in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. Servicemembers from different nations, including the U.S., Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Korea and Singapore, have worked side by side planning and executing operations. Those operations have supported operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom as well as Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

On an average day, coalition members at the center control about 70 combat sorties, 30 combat support sorties, 140 airlift sorties and 40 tanker sorties. Many of these sorties provide protection to coalition ground forces, support ground force operations and help deter attacks on people and infrastructure in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Royal air force Air Commodore Mike Barnes, the U.K. Air Component commander, said it is a golden opportunity for his people to work in such an environment.

“Not only are we delighted to contribute to the coalition, but we are excited to have the opportunity to exchange views and ideas with those who have similar doctrines to ourselves,” the air commodore said. “Understanding the inner-workings of various nations’ ground and air operations is an extremely good learning experience for us all.”

Interservice rivalries, proud national histories, language barriers and different ways to do business occur on a daily basis, but nothing has proved impossible.

“Where the rubber meets the road it’s all serious,” said Marine Lt. Col. Tom McKnight, deputy Marine Corps liaison officer. “Interservice rivalry is part of interservice pride, and I’d be disappointed if there wasn’t a little bit of good natured pride in the workplace.”

Navy Cmdr. Kenneth Reynard, Navy and Amphibious liaison element officer, said the job has been an enjoyable career-broadening experience.

“I’ve learned more in a 100 days here than in nearly two years worth of joint assignments,” he said. “This is a true operational environment with a higher mission and more intense focus. It’s a very small contingent of people with a lot of very different and very important responsibilities. It makes you very proud to be a part of it all.”

That pride services the joint and coalition operations officers well as they maintain an around-the-clock presence and serve as liaisons between their nations’ headquarters and U.S. Central Command headquarters elements. They also monitor, schedule, execute and support their assets in theater supporting Combined Forces Air Component Command’s intent and objectives. All the while they ensure compliance with their owning nation, host nation, CENTCOM and CENTAF policies and rules of engagement.

“This is very much a joint and coalition fight,” said Brig. Gen. Allen G. Peck, Combined Forces Air Component deputy commander. “Joint force commanders set the operational objectives and airpower has a key role in achieving those objectives -- all of which could not be done without robust, 24/7 operations and intelligence coordination, synchronization and fusion in the CAOC.”

“We remain fully engaged with our coalition partners and our host-nation governments,” Air Commodore Barnes said. “Our aims and intent are aligned -- we will do whatever it takes to ensure that peace and stability remain enduring.”

The coalition partnership at this one-of-a-kind weapon system continues to provide all who work within its walls experience and exposure with war doctrine, General Buchanan said.

“We’re working with our international partners to remove the causes that enabled terrorism to take root and ensure that these countries do not revert to an ungoverned land used as a safe haven by terrorists,” General Buchanan said. “Through our global partnerships, we are sending a message to our enemies that there is not a place in the world where they are safe.”