The fledgling Iraqi Air Force recently completed its largest and most difficult exercise to date, when its emergency response force of security forces, firefighters, medical personnel, and command and control, emergency management, and safety elements took the lead for a mass casualty response exercise at New Al Muthana Air Base. Capt. Sunny Holden, with USAF’s 321st Air Expeditionary Wing, newly formed to consolidate coalition air forces transition team elements that have been working to help build the Iraqi Air Force, said, “The challenge and purpose of this exercise was to continue developing the Iraqi Air Forces’ ability to plan and to conduct their own training and exercise program.” According to evaluation team member, MSgt. Rodney Metler, “The Iraqi aircrew handled the situation by the book, and the firefighters and medical personnel continue to demonstrate a strong desire to learn.” (447th Air Expeditionary Group report by MSgt. Brian Davidson) (The Daily Report’s Marc Schanz was in Iraq last month and talked with 321st AEW vice commander, Col. Sean Frisbee—Read Building a Credible Air Force)
How Airmen and Guardians prepare for and perform operations may be very different, but the Air Force and Space Force’s models for generating those forces aren’t all that dissimilar in their focus on readiness and teamwork, leaders said March 5 at the AFA Warfare Symposium.