Photo By Ensign Andrew Park | 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group Detachment 1 Airmen pose for a photograph after...... read more read more
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“The ability to operate in an austere and congested 24/7 airfield environment, with (instrument flight rules) capabilities, is no small task,” said Sabia. “And yet (Wilkinson) and the extraordinary Airmen under him have made it look easy.”
Some of these accomplishments included strengthening coalition and Iraqi counter ISIL air operations in the western Anbar province through establishing IFR-capable precision radar sites, installing 32 barriers and 3,600 feet of concertina wire to secure the flightline, opening a new heavy ramp, and planning nearly $2 million in airfield structure repairs, Sabia said.
Wilkinson spoke of his gratitude to the detachment he was leaving, and left them with final words of encouragement to continue making great strides toward improving the base and its capabilities.
“To the men and women of Det 1, again, I owe you a huge debt of gratitude for all you do day in and day out,” said Wilkinson. “I hope you look at your time here not as just marking time, but making a difference, because you are.”
Eddleman began his speech by thanking Col. Sabia for the opportunity to lead the detachment, describing it as an honor and a privilege. He also recognized the detachment’s important role in the fight against ISIL.
“We bring a critical piece to the fight against (ISIL) and look forward to the continued success,” Eddleman said.
He then addressed the Detachment 1 Airmen and outlined his plans for moving forward, which include taking a proactive approach to the challenges that come with expanding the airfield to accommodate an expected increase in capacity to support mission requirements.
“As we move forward, we will need to stay two and three steps ahead of what the next challenge is for this massive airfield,” said Eddleman. “As Al Asad expands its mission sets, we need to ensure that the airfield and personnel are ready to respond.”
| Date Taken: | 01.15.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.15.2017 12:44 |
| Story ID: | 220389 |
| Location: | AL ASAD AIR BASE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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