Air traffic controllers run airfield operations in Iraq

Photo By Capt. Charles Baxter | Sgt. Beau Branch (left) and Spc. Matthew Deal (right) prepare the mobile tower system for nighttime airfield operations at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, July 22, 2015. Branch and Deal are part of a group of air traffic controllers at Al Asad from the 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment, that provide continuous air traffic services to the military hub in western Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. William Baxter/Released)  

IRAQ

07.29.2015

Story by Capt. Charles Baxter 

185th Aviation Brigade

SOUTHWEST ASIA – High above the desert floor on an airfield in western Iraq sits an old air traffic control tower. And, it is in this tower that a group of highly-trained military professionals direct and manage the airspace around Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, which is a critical military hub in this region of Iraq. At the start of every shift, and upon return from mealtimes, the air traffic controllers of the 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment, led by a Marine gunnery sergeant, begin the arduous climb to the top of the tower.

Since arriving in Iraq, the Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment, which falls under the 185th Theater Aviation Brigade, have provided an essential service to the base and overall operations being conducted in Iraq. In June, they became the first air traffic controllers to install and operate the Army’s mobile tower system in Iraq. This provided a range of capabilities that were not previously available at Al Asad Air Base.

“Everything you need in an air traffic control tower we have in this system,” said Spc. Matthew Deal, the acting shift leader for the 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation Brigade. “We can roll up on any scene basically and be fully operational within two hours – that’s talking to aircraft, issuing clearances, and issuing wind and altimeter, as well as temperature and due point.”

In addition to managing a relatively busy airfield and implementing new and unique capabilities in Iraq, these Soldiers have to balance air traffic from coalition aircraft as well as Iraqi military aircraft. This is accomplished by working with Iraqi air traffic controllers and has provided an opportunity for the Soldiers to build lasting relationships with their counterparts.

“Working with the Iraqi controllers has been a positive and unique experience,” said Deal. “Just being here (and) doing the mission here that we have been training for is both fulfilling and exciting.”

• Date Taken: 07.29.2015
• Date Posted: 07.30.2015 05:41
• Story ID: 171536
• Location: IQ
• Hometown: SOUTHHAVEN, MS, US