Iraqi generals visit to better understand base transition

Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Corenthia Fennell | (L-r) Brig. Gens. Anthony Rock, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing commander and Kurt Neubauer, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander, share a moment with Gen. Ramid, director of plans, programs and policies for the Iraqi air force. Gen. Ramid and other U.S. and Iraqi key leaders came together to view the base and operations during JBB’s transitional phase.  

SALAH AD DIN, IRAQ

02.04.2011

Story by Senior Airman Tong Duong 

332d Air Expeditionary Wing

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Several U.S and Iraqi air force senior leaders toured the flightline and facilities around base Feb. 1, 2011, continuing an eventual move to turn the base back over to the Iraqis by the end of the year.

Iraqi key staff leaders like Gen. Wamid, director of plans, programs and policies along with the deputy of operations, directors of communication, logistics and civil affairs, visited to better understand how to reoccupy this base after the security agreement is executed and all American forces transition out of Iraq by the end of the year.

"We are here in the partnership with our Iraqi brothers to have senior leaders' eyes on target," said Brig. Gen. Anthony Rock, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing commander who also leads U.S. training of the Iraqi air force. "This facility will be theirs in a few months and we want to talk about how we are going to hand it over to them and what condition [the base] is in, so we can better understand and plan together as a team on how they can have an effective air base as soon as we leave."

Gen. Wamid was assigned to the then Al Bakir Air Base as an Iraqi fighter pilot in 2001. Ten years later he returned for the first time, leading his team to see the base layout, runways, facilities and fighter aircraft operations so the Iraqi air force can start detailed planning for their reoccupation.

While Iraq's Council of Ministers has approved its government's negotiations with the U.S. to buy a limited number of F-16 Falcons, it is not yet confirmed if they intend to do so, but Gen. Rock said it is likely the F-16's would be housed here if purchased.

Gen. Rock is not only the commander of the 321st AEW at Sather Air Base, the busiest hub for airlift in Iraq, he is also the director of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air. Since taking command of the 321st less than a month ago, Gen.Rock said he is focused on helping to rebuild Iraq.

"I miss my family, but there is no other place I would want to be," he said.

"It is a bit of irony for me. The last time I deployed, I was flying F-15 Eagles out of Saudi Arabia. I was tasked to liberate Kuwait by providing air superiority, and here I am 20 years later helping the Iraqis build up their air force. You just can't make that stuff up."

• Date Taken: 02.04.2011
• Date Posted: 02.12.2011 03:44
• Story ID: 65298
• Location: SALAH AD DIN, IQ