RAPCON Airmen control sky over Iraq

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Brian Jones
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, coalition forces have controlled the air space over Iraq.

The 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron's radar approach control flight here is responsible for nearly 35,000 square miles of that air space. It makes up one of three area control centers providing air traffic services covering all of Iraq.

The Kirkuk center controls the air space in northern Iraq, and the Tallil center covers southern Iraq, leaving the vast central region to the team here.

The 332nd RAPCON provides civilian, military, United Nations, humanitarian and state local flight control for here, Baghdad International Airport and Al Asad, Al Taqaddum and Tikrit airfields. They also work closely with the 332nd Expeditionary Air Control Squadron to support aircraft performing regional tactical missions.

They control a monthly average of nearly 15,000 aircraft.

"We provide the same air traffic control services we would provide in the states, but on a much larger scale, and we're working around tactical aircraft activity," said Master Sgt. Howard Modlin, the chief controller deployed here from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

The volume of air traffic here is a new experience to many of the controllers.

"These are young controllers working in a new environment. All of these folks have never worked in an (area control center)," said Tech. Sgt. Tracy Webb-Joyce, the assistant chief controller deployed here from Keesler AFB, Miss. "Considering the experience level these Airmen came here with, what they've done is remarkable."

Among the many challenges working in this environment presents, the controllers said the language barrier is the biggest snag, even though the language spoken is English.

"We talk to Jordanians, Syrians, Russians, Iraqis, Australians and Kuwaitis, and the heavy accents definitely present a challenge," said Airman 1st Class Jordan Reber, an air traffic controller deployed from Altus AFB, Okla.

"What we do out here on a daily basis is extremely challenging. (Air traffic control), in general, has the reputation of being a stressful job," Airman Reber said. "Out here, the level of stress is multiplied times ten."

To deal with the stress, the young controllers have learned to rely upon each other.

"We're well trained, and we're confident in each other's abilities," said Staff Sgt. Daniel Hauptman, an air traffic control watch supervisor deployed from Luke AFB, Ariz. "We rely on each other. We're dealing with the same issues. We've gotten real close these past few months."

"The best stress relief is hanging out together," Airman Reber said. "We do everything together. We're a tight-knit family."

Having faced the challenges of working in this environment, this group of controllers takes a lot of satisfaction in keeping the sky over Iraq safe.

"Keeping everybody safe, we can walk out of work every day knowing we did our job," Airman Reber said.

"We realize the responsibility we have out here and the effort we are supporting," Sergeant Hauptman said. "We can see what we're doing is making a difference. We can see the result of our work, and we can see how the situation over here is changing. It's good to know (we) had a part in it."