The last members of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing departed JB Balad, Iraq, on Tuesday, as the United States relinquished control of its second largest base in Iraq, reports Reuters. The Iraqi government now controls the base, which once housed roughly 36,000 American troops and contractors, according to the news wire service. Known as al Bakr Air Base before the US invasion in March 2003, the installation grew into Balad Air Base, hosting a large Air Force presence, and Camp Anaconda, the Army’s major logistics hub in the country. The Air Force and Army combined the two into a joint base in June 2008 under the stewardship of USAF’s 332nd AEW. Aircraft such as F-16s, MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft, and MC-12 Liberty surveillance aircraft operated from there. Boasting an 11,000 foot runway, Balad at one time during the US military’s presence was “second only” to London’s Heathrow airport in terms of activity, according to Reuters, citing a US military historian.
How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New
Dec. 20, 2024
When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.