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Soldiers discuss Air Force support as eighth OEF anniversary passes

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  In the eight years since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom on Oct. 7, 2001, service members from all of the U.S. Armed Forces have had a part in making the operation a continuing success.

In 2009, the Air Force is one of those partners working ever closer with its joint and coalition allies in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility -- particularly with the U.S. Army. Those areas include bases throughout Southwest Asia and in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan and Iraq, Airmen are embedded with Army units through Joint Expeditionary Taskings, or JET. Airmen working as members of Provincial Reconstruction Teams are co-located with Soldiers providing much-needed operations support.

"The Air Force provides critical assets to overall mission accomplishment," said Army Staff Sgt. Rene Ompad, motor sergeant for Echo Company, 1st Battalion of the 43rd Air Defense Artillery deployed to a Southwest Asia air base that supports both OEF, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. "Without the critical assets they (Air Force) provide to us, we wouldn't be at 100 percent operational readiness. It is also critical for a Soldier's morale because a 12-month rotation in theater is a long time to be away from home and family."

Private 1st Class Justin Krull, an engagement controller from Charlie Battery of 1-43 ADA deployed with Sergeant Ompad said their mission success has also been due to the Air Force providing critical "ways to maintain and enhance our performance while deployed overseas."

The Air Force has also been crucial in providing support to forward operating bases in Afghanistan. According to the Air Forces Central, or AFCENT, Combined Air Operations Center, mobility Airmen airdropped a record 4.1 million pounds of cargo to Soldiers, Marines and Coalition forces in Afghanistan in September. Soldiers who are on the receiving end of those airdrops are praising the support.

Army Maj. Greg Cannata, Romanian-American Battle Group deputy commander, serves in the Zabul Province of Afghanistan. When an Air Force airdrop comes in, he said it's critical to their continued operations.

"Container Delivery System airdrops are a vital method of resupply means to keep these men in the fight," said Major Cannata referring to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment Soldiers he's deployed with. "Sustainment often is the mission...these platoons (have Soldiers who) are going to win this fight for us."

If it's not airdrops and base support, it's also been airlift, aeromedical evacuation as well as numerous other support areas. For example, when including OEF and OIF, Air Mobility Command aircraft have airlifted more than 9.14 million passengers and 3.75 million tons of cargo, and flew more than 507,000 sorties, according to AMC statistics from September.

The same statistics show that since Sept. 11, 2001, AMC's tanker aircraft - the KC-135 Stratotanker and the KC-10 Extender -- have offloaded more than 10.8 billion pounds (1.61 billion gallons) of fuel. Also, since the start of OIF in 2003, it shows there have been 28,224 sorties and 137,818 patient movements in aeromedical evacuation.

For JET Airmen, Army leaders have said their support has been invaluable to the mission in Afghanistan and Iraq. Army Lt. Col. Matt Smith, Task Force commander for Forward Operating Base Lightning in Afghanistan, said, "Airmen help fill a critical function in our headquarters and are doing an exceptional job -- every one of them. One of my greatest fears is if the Air Force leaves us here; our operations run like a charm because of our Airmen."

In August Army Gen. David Patraeus, U.S. Central Command commander, may have put it best on the Air Force's support for the deployed mission when he spoke at the Air Forces Central change of command.

"There is an old military saying that amateurs talk tactics; professionals talk logistics," General Patraeus said. "AFCENT talks -- and does -- both. To be sure, AFCENT's tactical operations -- supporting our troopers on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan have been exceptional..."

In highlighting Air Force efforts over the past three years, General Patraeus said, "AFCENT crews flew (more than) 100,000 airlift sorties, moved (more than) 2 million personnel, delivered nearly 300,000 tons of cargo, and executed almost 2,000 airdrops throughout the CENTCOM AOR."

For the overall Air Force effort, General Patraeus said at the end of his address to AFCENT Airmen and staff that it's not often he gets the chance to thank Airmen so publicly for their exceptional work.

"So right here, right now, I want to say well done and thanks to each and every one of them for all that they do in the air and on the ground."

(Capt. Dave Faggard, 455th Air Expeditonary Wing Public Affairs, and Senior Master Sgt. Ellen Schirmer, 379th AEW Public Affairs, contributed to this story)