Airmen reach out to locals

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Debbie Aragon
  • 407th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Many of their homes are made of fabric held up by sticks. They have no running water, no septic system and no electricity.

For more than 15 years, they have lived on the barren land that surrounds Tallil Air Base. They are local Bedouin families, they are survivors and they play an important role in the defense of the base as part of Operation Reach Out, said Senior Master Sgt. Dan Dixon, 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent.

Operation Reach Out, a visitation and assistance program, began after Sergeant Dixon and a small team from his squadron met with a few of the Bedouin families.

From its inception, Operation Reach Out has benefited the U.S. Air Force, coalition forces based here and local Bedouin families, he said.

“I had been here about a month and was driving around the base perimeter which spans more than 13 miles,” Sergeant Dixon said. “I remember thinking how could we possibly defend the base with all of this real estate to cover and a limited number of security forces members. Then it hit me. Why don’t we meet with some of the Bedouin families living along our perimeter and see if we can forge stronger relationships with them? If we could build a better rapport with them, together we could guard the perimeter.”

Now, on a weekly basis, Sergeant Dixon and other Airmen of the security forces squadron visit with the families, take them donated items such as food, water, toys and candy, and talk to them about strangers who may be in the area. They have even devised a signal the local families can use to notify security patrols if they see or hear of trouble in the area.

Besides the intended gains of the program, there is also an added benefit.

“After that first mission, I thought about how truly blessed I am to have what I have as an American,” Sergeant Dixon said. “We then decided to make this a weekly visit … .

“This has been a huge cultural learning experience for me and made me realize that I sometimes take the simplest things in my life for granted,” he said. “I leave their ‘homes’ every week with a positive feeling, hoping I made a difference in their lives. They certainly made a difference in mine.”

Besides security forces Airmen, Sergeant Dixon was able to expand the program and offer visitation opportunities to other units here.

Tech. Sgt. Sean Castillo, of the 407th Air Expeditionary Group’s legal office, was able to go on a recent Operation Reach Out mission.

“I was amazed to see what these people could do with so little,” Sergeant Castillo said. “We Americans are so used to having anything we want, not need, at our fingertips. These people cherished the simplest of things such as bracelets that were made of (parachute) cord, candy that today’s American child would never think to pick up at a grocery store and toys that we now buy at dollar stores.”

As he played Frisbee with a young Iraqi boy, Sergeant Castillo said he just “pondered what life would be like for me if I had to live their way.”

Sergeant Castillo said he hopes the Bedouin families remember “we are here to help. I know there will be many days after I leave here that I will look back and remember the incredible experience I had while visiting their camps.”

Although Sergeant Dixon will be returning to his home station soon, Operation Reach Out will not end with his rotation.

People wishing to donate items such as toiletries, clothing for children (infants to 15 years), powdered milk for babies, food, candy, toys for children (not complicated or electronic) and sunglasses can mail them to: Operation Reach Out, 407th ESFS, APO AE 09358.