By Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Iraqi air force personnel and Soldiers and leaders of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, shared a day of partnership here with a static display of aircraft and a couple of social events May 5.
The day began with a static display in which pilots and maintenance Soldiers from 1st ACB explained the capabilities of the aircraft in the brigade's inventory: the AH-64D Apache, the UH-60 Black Hawk, the CH-47 Chinook and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The event also included a formal dinner followed by a casual smoker.
Although there was no joint training, it was a day of bonding for the Iraqi and American troops and marked the first time the Iraqi aviators had visited the U.S. side of Camp Taji.
"It was wonderful," said Chief Warrant Officer Victor Dabney, a native of Camden, S.C., and the standardization officer for 1st ACB. "I wish we could do more, spend more time together. It's always better to get to know one another. We realize we have a lot in common in the things we like and dislike. You find a common ground and you build on that. You also find areas that may be sensitive and that you should stay away from."
Iraqi air force leaders said they valued the interaction with their American counterparts from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade and the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, which conducts training missions with the Iraqi air force.
"God bless the United States; they came to help us," said Iraqi air force Lt. Col. Tallal through a translator. For security reasons, the Iraqi air force leaders are not fully identified. "The United States is the top country as far as technology goes. We are trying to learn this technology. We would love to be able to (train with the U.S. forces) every time we meet, and we are thankful for this partnership."
Tallal spoke of the cultural differences and a difference in liberties afforded to troops in the two countries' militaries.
"There are many cultural differences (between the Iraqi and American forces), and a difference in the way soldiers are treated," Tallal said. "Because we served in a dictatorship, our soldiers were abused and treated poorly. We look at (American) technicians who work on the aircraft, and I was surprised to learn that many of them have college degrees."
Both Tallal, and the commander of the Iraqi air force , Brig. Gen. Sati, said that Iraqi forces have had to adapt to U.S. military procedures after years of training under British techniques.
"We are learning the American ideology and adapt ourselves to their systems," Sati said, through a translator. "Right now, we have two problems. First, we have found that we were in darkness for a long time. We were not able to participate in the evolving technology of the last 25 to 30 years.
"The second problem is that we have followed the British military system from the late 1920s until the United States (military) came to Iraq" and the Air Force personnel had to learn U.S. airspace and communication procedures, he said.
Although issues like these came to light during the day's events, the day was really about the two nations' troops spending some time getting to know each other – or getting to know each other better, in some cases.
"I developed a relationship when I was here before (2004-2005) with some of these same gentlemen, and I have carried on with that this time," Dabney said.
Dabney said he often shares items that he receives in care packages with his Iraqi counterparts and visits them every few weeks.
"I just go over sometimes and talk to them and see if everything is OK, if there is anything I can do for them," he said. "Sometimes, we just sit around and drink tea and chit chat."
Partnership events like this and continued training will eventually lead to the day when the Iraqi Air Force takes on the aviation mission in Iraq, Dabney said.
"The ultimate goal is that they pick up the whole mission, and it's rocking along pretty well," he said. "Last time we were here, they had no aircraft. They had maybe five pilots here, a couple of mechanics – this was two and a half years ago. Now, they have 15-20 (UH-1) Hueys and some MI-17s. There has been huge progress just in the last six months."
Date Taken: | 05.09.2007 |
Date Posted: | 05.09.2007 08:52 |
Story ID: | 10293 |
Location: | TAJI, IQ |
Web Views: | 205 |
Downloads: | 166 |
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