The
Iraqi air force has conducted its first-ever aeromedical evacuation mission—albeit still under US tutelage. The mission occurred May 14 as an Iraqi UH-1 Huey II helicopter ferried an Iraqi man who was recovering from severe injuries following an IED attack from the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base to the Army’s 86th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad. “This is the first [medevac] mission in the history of the Iraqi Air Force,” said Iraqi Lt. Amar, a flight medic instructor. “I hope to succeed in this mission to serve my country.” The Iraqi crew consisted of a pilot, flight medic, and aerial gunner. Each had a US counterpart onboard. (Balad report by SSgt. Mareshah Haynes)
The Government Accountability Office wants the Air Force to explain who will run bases when wings deploy under the service’s new force generation model along with several other unanswered questions, saying the concept is long on vision but short on details.