SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The U.S military has a long history of working together with the British and Australian Forces for the common good. At an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, the tradition continues.
Like the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the British 901st Expeditionary Air Wing has a history that dates back to the early 1940s. It was first activated Oct. 1, 1944, at Chiringa, India, and played a large role during World War II. The 901 EAW was redeployed April 1, 2006.
"The 901 EAW has a tremendous history and much of that history was made working alongside the U.S.," said Squadron Leader Kieran O'Sullivan, 901 EAW executive officer.
Working alongside its U.S. counterparts, the 901 EAW flies the C-130J Hercules and has more than 200 personnel assigned here.
"The primary role of our wing here is to support operations in Southwest Asia by moving C-130s throughout the area of responsibility to provide troops with ammunition and supplies, as well as transporting servicemembers. It is also our honorable and solemn duty to transport wounded and fallen British service members," O'Sullivan said.
The 901 EAW also has a limited role in operations in Iraq by providing logistics and passenger movements, he said. The RAF service members are deployed in support of Operation TELIC, the UK's activity in Iraq, and Operation HERRICK, the UK support to International Security Assistance Force activity in Afghanistan.
Supporting these opera-tions from a remote location can pose some challenges; however, with the help of their U.S. counterparts, the tasks at hand for the RAF are manageable. The USAF provides contracting, fuel and aircraft support, as well as manning gaps, O'Sullivan, deployed here from RAF Boulmer, said.
"The U.S. logistical power is second to none and their ability to lay down infrastructure in theatre is outstanding," said Corporal Chris Greenfields, supply group junior non-commissioned officer, deployed from RAF Lyneham.
"Working with our coalition counterparts is the best way to get things done and to resolve problems," said Flight Lieutenant Robert McMillan, command, control, communications and computer information officer, deployed from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, located in Belgium.
"The RAF and the AF work really well together because the tactics and procedures we use are honed from years and years of shared experiences," O'Sullivan said.
"These shared experiences are the reason [the British and U.S.] are here; particularly the shared experiences of Sept. 11 and July 7," O'Sullivan said, referring to the terrorist attacks on each country.
There have been numerous changes to the 901 EAW since its inception in 1944, but one thing has remained the same -- the service members continue to sacrifice all in the name of service to their country and the greater good.
The Royal Australian Air Force may be the youngest of the three armed Services in the Australian Defense Force, but the RAAF is the second-oldest independent and permanent air force in the world after United Kingdom's Royal Air Force. The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is honored to host these coalition partners in Southwest Asia.
RAAF's origins can be found in the Australian Flying Corps of World War I, but the Air Force was not established as a separate organization until 1921.
The Royal Australian Air Force detachment here is deployed from No 37 Squadron RAAF Base Richmond, which is just outside metropolitan Sydney, the state capital of New South Wales. They deployed here in 2003 and fly the C-130J-30 Hercules on resupply missions to support coalition forces in Afghanistan. The squadron is supported by more than 100 members drawn from all units and bases around Australia.
"Our role is to provide intra-theatre combat airlift support for the ADF and coalition elements throughout the area of operations," said Squadron Leader Clarke McNamara, task unit commander.
He said that providing the combat airlift support while maintaining the high standards RAAF is renowned for can pose challenges, especially since they maintain these high standards within a limited budget and with limited resources.
"Despite these challenges, we continue to keep up with the rate of effort that is required to get our job done, and we get the job done while maintaining our required training and crew skills. It is truly amazing that we are able to keep up with everything within this evolving and challenging operational environment," McNamara said. "We have done so by working smarter, being forward-thinking and putting in place systems and procedures that will provide our organization the capability of sustaining the fight in the long term.
"To get through these challenges, we also work much more closely with our friends in the coalition then we do back home," McNamara said. "This cooperation makes the work intensely more satisfying, as we are putting our training into practice in the real world with our coalition partners. We are able to do so because of the professionalism and pride displayed in the work of all the U.S. and coalition forces."
"We all have our own unique capabilities that we bring to the fight, but even when U.S. coalition partners aren't working directly with one another, we are all still working toward the same common goal," said Cpl. Melissa Brown, operations clerk. "That goal is to provide ground forces the support they need in theatre."
To succeed in today's fight, it requires a joint team, working in unison, to achieve the goals with power and precision. Together, the 379 AEW with the cooperation of its coalition partners, are making it happen.
"Without the help and support of the U.S. and coalition forces we would not be able to make such a tremendous difference in support of the men and women on the ground," McNamara said.