Photo By Staff Sgt. Malissa Lott | Senior Airman Patrick Hynes, 370th Air Expeditionary Advisor Squadron aerial port...... read more read more
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CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- The 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron has a unique responsibility – they’re entrusted with advising the members of the Iraqi Army Aviation stationed here.
“Our role is to develop the Iraqi air enterprise, whether it’s through advisors building helicopter maintenance and operations or strengthening the Iraqi Air Defense Command’s tactical air control,” said Tech. Sgt. Marcell Wright, a 370th AEAS ground control intercept advisor
The 370th AEAS mission is to help build Iraqi air power and give them the tools to sustain that ability for decades to come. The team is built with a wide range of backgrounds from weather to munitions. Each team member is responsible providing a level of expert training.
“Building and sustaining Iraqi air power is important in order to secure their own borders and fight [Daesh],” said Staff Sgt. Taylor Hornick, a 370th AEAS weather air advisor.
Hornick has been working to integrate Iraqi weather personnel in the flying squadrons to better improve flying missions.
Part of the success of the air advisors is in building relationships with their Iraqi counterparts. Iraqi culture values relationships and getting to know one another before jumping to business.
The air advisors have put countless hours into building these connections with their counterparts.
“We spent a lot of time visiting and talking with them,” Hornick said. “I have learned about their families and they have learned about mine. Doing that really allowed them to open up and we felt more comfortable working together.”
Being able to comfortably work together is vital to ensuring success in day-to-day tasks.
“One of the goals is for [the Iraqi enlisted] to see the impact they have on the overall mission and communicate to leadership in order to solve problems and accomplish the mission,” Hornick said.
The air advisors are working to streamline communication across the Iraqi air enterprise at Camp Taji.
“We’re working to get them the tools they need to work as a team and solve problems at the lowest level,” said Staff Sgt. Chris Freeman, a 370th AEAS logistics air advisor.
The 370th AEAS air advisors’ success isn’t just luck; hard work and determination are the keys to their success and that’s been seen at all levels.
“What impresses me the most is the ability of each of my advisors to uniquely apply their own solutions to the efforts they support,” said Maj. Erik Luttkus, the 370th AEAS director of operations. “It has been fun watching my team grow into their advisory roles. I’m proud to walk hand-in-hand with our Iraqi counterparts as we assist the Iraqi air enterprise.”
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.03.2019 04:05 |
| Story ID: | 316740 |
| Location: | CAMP TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 520 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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