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In anticipation of the January arrival of Iraq’s 23rd Airlift Squadron and its three C-130E aircraft, three US Air Force Security Forces airmen are training the members of the first and, as yet, only Iraqi base security unit. Capt. Greg Holmgren, TSgt. Michael Marzec, and TSgt. Jared P. Skinner are teaching the Iraqi enlisted personnel how to set up a security operation of their own to and how to train other Iraqis. According to Skinner, overcoming the language barrier is less arduous than having to instill self-confidence in Iraqi enlisted troops who had been given little to no responsibility in the Saddam regime military. Skinner called their ability to pick up the confidence of the American airmen “encouraging.”
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.