Balad Airmen support Iraqi elections, see history in making

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Morris | An F-16 Falcon stands ready, Jan. 30, to take to the skies in support of the 2009 Iraqi provincial elections. Members of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing are engaged in providing airpower in support of the government of Iraq as it conducts this historical election. In all, more than 14,000 candidates, including over 4,000 women, are running for approximately 440 provincial council seats.  

BALAD, IRAQ

01.30.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. John Gordinier 

332d Air Expeditionary Wing

By Staff Sgt. John Gordinier
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – As Iraqis get ready to participate in their country's electoral process for the first time since 2005, Airmen deployed are engaged up in the skies to support the historic election.

"U.S. and coalition airpower is uniquely qualified to provide non-intrusive security support to the government of Iraq as it conducts this historic election," said Lt. Gen. Gary L. North, commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central. "Flying far above balloting stations and population centers, we can silently watch over the election process while multitudes of Iraqi citizens freely exercise their right to vote."

Here at JBB, members of the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron are observing the sky and polling stations to give confidence to the Iraqi people and support them while they vote, said Lt. Col. Michael Tokarz, 727th EACS commander. In addition, the unit is providing air space de-confliction and situational awareness for Iraqi air force pilots during the election process.

In addition, some Airmen at JBB have witnessed firsthand the progress Iraq and its people have made.

The 41st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., has deployed to Iraq a number of times in the last five in a half years, said Lt. Col. Steve Gregg, combat search and rescue director of operations.

"The comments I get from a lot of the crews, as well as my own personal perspective from the initial start of OIF [March 2003], is the change in the amount of freedoms the Iraqi people have now," said Gregg, a native of Huntsville, Ala. "As we fly across the countryside, we're seeing more people on the roads. The roads are better. The homes look better. There's more infrastructure and the people seem to have a better support structure for day to day life."

"I was here in 2005, and just to see the progress Iraq has made in the last 4 years is substantial," said Capt. Katie Hall, 727th EACS Control Response Center senior director deployed from the 123rd Air Control Squadron in Cincinnati. "This election is very important and it's a milestone for the country -- for them [Iraqis] to be on their own and elect their own leaders and to form a democracy they have been wanting."

It is an incredibly proud time for the Iraqi military to be here supporting their country transition into a full - fledged democracy, Gregg added.

"My wife served a tour here at the Iraqi air force officer training school," he continued. "They would bring in these young lieutenants who would leave their families for days at a time to go train in the Iraqi military to become officers. In their service, if word got out, their families could be put at risk until after they graduated. Imagine that amount of dedication ... How could we not support people like that?"

Airpower certainly has played an integral part in getting to this place in time, said Sr. Master Sgt. James Bailey, 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Tiger aircraft maintenance unit first sergeant.

"Whether it's precision strikes in support of ground troops, or just the sound of F-16s taking off around the clock, we've helped to show the Iraqi people our commitment to securing a safe environment for these historic elections to take place," the Cypress, Texas, native said.

Most are honored and proud to be a part of history in the making.

"I'm honored to be a part of this," Tokarz said. "I don't think we'll realize until after we've left, to understand the true impact we've had to the mission. It's easy to get caught up in the day to day actions compared to being part of the moment. What I think is remarkable are the steps we are taking now will hopefully give the country of Iraq everlasting peace by building it up toward a democracy."

"It's awesome to think that we will be here for what history will record as the birth of a new free nation," Bailey said. "There's no place I'd rather be right now than supporting flying operations here. When this is all written in the history books, I'll be proud to say that I played my small part."

Overall, more than 14,000 Iraqi candidates, including almost 4,000 women, are running for approximately 440 provincial council seats in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces. According to Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission, which is in charge of conducting the election, 15 million Iraqis are registered to vote.

• Date Taken: 01.30.2009
• Date Posted: 01.30.2009 10:43
• Story ID: 29462
• Location: BALAD, IQ