Airmen keep planes, spirits flying high

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robert Zoellner
  • 33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  Eglin airmen working at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, are wearing various hats to keep the airplanes in the air and airmen on the ground safe.

Airmen from the 728th Air Control Squadron deployed more than three months ago and have had to learn to deal with the danger and boredom that accompany a deployment to Iraq.

"The mission here is a perfect match for our training and experience with command and control," said Senior Airman Wylee Smith, a 728th ACS weapons director. "Operationally, the mission is more robust than anything we have accomplished in years."

Smith said that 24 hours a day, the surveillance technicians track hundreds of aircraft that travel through Iraqi airspace. The weapons controllers also control close-air support, air refueling, humanitarian, combat search and rescue, and airlift missions. Every day, they enforce restricted operation zones and temporary flight restrictions.

Working 24 hours a day can take a toll on the troops, but they are able to ward off boredom during their down time, said Staff Sgt. Narto Simmons, a ground radar systems craftsman. Since off-base travel is prohibited for security reasons, they find on-base activities to keep them busy.

"Many airmen play available sports such as basketball and volleyball," he said. "There's a lot of reading and watching movies. Troops do whatever to pass the time because the days are long."

"We built a separate room next door to our work tent," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Moore, the noncommissioned officer in charge of system control. "There we play video games and watch DVD movies. We call it the 'Nebuchadnezzar.' "

He said it was named after the hovercraft used in the movie "The Matrix."

"It's our way of transporting out of the war in Iraq," he said.

Even though each airman has his or her own way of stepping out of the war, the reality of where they are is ever-present in their minds.

Airman 1st Class Joshua Tyrie, a satellite and wideband communication systems apprentice, said he tries not to dwell on the danger, but at night he hears the gunfire and explosions.

"This is for real out here," Tyrie said. "This isn't like when it's on the news and it's somewhere else or someone else. We are here, and it's all around us."

With that in mind, the troops’ main concern is safety. They receive a daily intelligence briefing and information on how to better protect themselves.

"During the briefing, we are told of all threats to the base," said Senior Airman Jennifer Knight, a surveillance technician, "and we take steps to ensure our safety."

While Camp Griffin, the Air Force village at the airport, has not come under direct attack, many areas around it have.

"There is a constant sense of urgency in fortification and concern for physical protection here," said 1st Lt. Nelson Rouleau, the 728th ACS chief of plans and exercises.

Army troops are well-equipped to defend the base, providing a sense of security that gives the airmen a chance to look around the area, he said.

"This part of Iraq's environment is surprisingly green," said Airman 1st Class Eric Larsen, a surveillance technician. "With the dust in the air, we have some unbelievable sunsets. In fact, it's not uncommon at all to see many airmen snapping pictures of the sunsets and sunrises."

But it is a desert -- a hot desert, said Staff Sgt. Chris Schoen, a ground radar systems craftsman.

"The environment in Baghdad is very rough," he said. "During the day, temperatures approach 120 degrees. Water is a must for everyone."

He said cold water is a bonus, as is anything that can be put in the water to add flavor.

"When I get home, I will never pass up a water fountain again," he said. (Courtesy of Air Combat Command News Service)