321st

Air Expeditionary Wing

Iraq Training and Advisory Mission - Air Force

(ITAM-AF)

Iraq ExperienceJan-Aug ’10

“YJCMTSU”Major Greg D. Tolmoff

UNCLASSIFIED

Overview

Pre-mission Preparation

My Personal Goals

Getting There

The Mission

Iraqi Air Operations Center

Joint Air Operations Integration Team

The Iraqis

The Americans

Takeaways2

UNCLASSIFIED

Pre-mission Preparation

Pre Deployment Spin Up (Home Station) Computer Based Training (CBTs) Self Aid Buddy Care (SABC) Chemical Warfare Defense Training (CWDT) Small Arms Re-Qualification (M-4, M-9)

Air Advisor Training (Ft. Dix, New Jersey) Built in support structure of people you already know once you get into theatre 2 Phases:

“Air Advisor Training” 30 Hours Arabic Language Training Iraqi Culture Training Arabic Negotiations Interpreter Usage The Art of Advising

“Combat Skills Training” Combat Lifesaver Training and Certification Advanced Weapons Academics and Training High Threat Driving Rollover Prevention Training Land Navigation Radio Training High-Risk-Of-Capture Training

UNCLASSIFIED

My Personal Goals

What I set out to do: Lose 50 Lbs Finish Air War College by Correspondence Have an Adventure

What actually happened Lost 50 Lbs Finished Air War College by Correspondence Had an Adventure?

20 Combat Sorties on Iraqi Aircraft 15 Combat Sorties on American Aircarft Spent 50 Hours+ “Outside the Wire” Shot 15 Different Kinds of Weapons (Iraqi/American/British) Went to 12 Different Forward Operating Bases Met Hundreds of Iraqis Ate Tigris River Carp with my hands Flew a Remote Control Helicopter in Saddam’s Palace Met the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Air Force Renewed Faith in my Sister Services Was called an “advising ninja” because I was “Comfortable Uncomfortable” Made a Difference

I did my job in Iraq today, so that my boys would not have to go back to Iraq to finish my job in 20 years 4

UNCLASSIFIED

Getting There

Unit Deployment Manager is Key Getting all of your “personal effects” in order

Tried to re-finance the house while I was gone More support from your countrymen than you know how to handle USO Support Rotator into Theatre

Al Udeid Intra-theatre travel Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) Living Accommodations

Internet SKYPE! Green Bean DFACs Recreation Equipment Tours Cigar Club AFN Haji-Movies

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UNCLASSIFIED

The Mission - CC’s Top Ten Priorities

1. Comprehensive IqAF support to national elections

2. Airworthiness certification of the IqAF fleet

3. Transition of air base operations, security, infrastructure and airspace control

4. IqAF advanced pilot training program

5. Development of IqAF ISR PED processes and utilization

6. IqAF Air Staff program and budget oversight, operational standardization, and quality assurance

7. Joint integration

8. Preparing for incoming IqAF weapon systems

9. Unity of effort of Airmen partnering and mentoring

10.Developing & exercising new capabilities across DOTMLPF

UNCLASSIFIED

Iraqi Air Operations Center

Iraqi Air Operations Center

Current Strength• IqAF – (46) Officers, (1) Enlisted/Warrant Officer• US Personnel: (14) Advisors, (2) Interpreters

Director, IAOC • Name: Col Hamid Khudair• Education:

• Iraq Naval Academy• Leadership Academy

• Background: • Army MI-8, Mi-17, Mi-24• Navy Super Falcon

Current Capability• C2 of ~250+ sorties/week• Coordinate mission requests with

“customer,” MoD, and Squadrons • Humble C2 Infrastructure• Heavy reliance on Advisors for US

coordination and WX forecasting• Immature clearance of fires

capability• Mission tasking strictly dependent

on MoD personal involvement

LOOAdvise and assist IAOC in:

Provide effective C2 of IqAF air operations across the spectrum of

capabilities to ensure Iraq’s continued national sovereignty. Develop a WX forecasting center

with effective observation /forecasting ability.

Command and Control - Iraqi Master ATO / Air Operations Order - Skytrax (COTS Acft tracking via internet)ElectionCapability Development - Lethal Capabilities (Hellfire, DAGR) - Air-Ground Integration / Clearance of Fires - ISR Production, Exploitation, Dissemination - WX ForecastingExternal Effects - USF-I, ICAA, ACCE CoordinationAOC Move to Hawk Base

IAOC Vision

UNCLASSIFIED

Air Tasking Cycle

ISR

1

Strategy 2

TET

3MAAP

4

ATO Production5

Combat Ops

6Ops

Assessment

Combat Assessments Alternative COA

OA Combat Assessment

JFC and ComponentCoordination

JFACC Intent /COAROE / Apportionment

Recommendation and DecisionTarget Development JIPTL / JIPCL TET Worksheets

Weaponeering and Allocation

MAAP Worksheets MAAP Brief

SORTIE ALOTATO Production

ATO ACO SPINS

Force Execution

BDA

MISREP

UNCLASSIFIED

Plan and Integrate

Squadron Functions Scheduling / Evaluating

Electricity / Internet / Paper / Printers / Phones / Desks / Chairs / Office equipment

Weather / NOTAMS / Approach charts / Jeppesen / ICAA products / IMATO / Mission papers

Aircraft / Training flight hours / Instructors / Qualified students with

long-term assignments

Technical experts / Experienced operators

Puddy’s Hierarchy of Iraqi Air Force Needs

Strategic Level

Operational Level

Tactical Level

Basic Needs

Basic Products

Necessary Tools

UNCLASSIFIED

JAOIT Mission

JAOIT - Joint Air Operations Integration Team JAOIT Vision: Develop joint interoperability through airpower

integration

JAOIT Mission: Integrate Iraq Air Force airpower capabilities with regional ground, security, civil, SOF, and maritime forces—develop joint Iraqi partnerships that facilitate enduring operational capabilities

Accomplishing Mission

1. Assess region – Measure capabilities and needs2. Develop network – Advisory, Iraqi, regional ops center3. Execute – Connect dots, plan, train, operationalize

Challenges

1. Infrastructure – Email, internet, phone service2. Equipment procurement and distribution – radios, PGS3. Connecting regional ops centers and IAOC4. Weaning from U.S. dependency

UNCLASSIFIED

JAOIT As I See ItBiggest Advisory Bang for the Buck

Getting Iraqi Ideas into Motion

Using Iraqi Assets to Solve Problems

JAOIT Bridges the Iraqi Cultural Divides US Leads the introductions and facilitates the meetings

Iraqis lead the training and execution

JAOIT Should Be a Growth Industry Gets/Keeps the contacts needed throughout

country

Allows integration at tactical and operational level

ITAM-AF has more influence on strategic level with tactical level buy-in

UNCLASSIFIED

Kirkuk Operations

Kirkuk PJCC Built off Election Successes (STT)

321 AEAG Decision to stay in USD-N to levy contacts in AO

Northern Oil Company ISR Overwatch Cross Ministry (MoO/MoI) and PRT

In Response to Multiple Attacks

12th Iraqi Army ISR training and support of real world ops

LTG Barbero Directed in Support of BG Samir

12th IA Spec Ops Training Ongoing (culminates 7 Jul 10)

MissionComplete

MissionComplete

MissionComplete

UNCLASSIFIED

Considerations

Air-ground integrationCan not be done ad-hoc

Operationalize all regions

Security, stability provided by Iraqi forces

Iraqis train, Iraqis learn

Enduring Ops at Locations Serviced

Success criteria:

When Iraqis integrate without JAOIT’s help

UNCLASSIFIED

JAOIT/Squadron 3 Advanced Mission Sensor Operator (MSO) Training – 25 April 2010

UNCLASSIFIED

321 AEAG/CC-JAOIT Visit to Northern Oil Company, 5 May 2010

UNCLASSIFIED

JAOIT/JTAC PJCC Training Exercise w/ IqAF Sq 3 – 13 May 10

UNCLASSIFIED

12th IA/Squadron 3/JAOIT Key Leader Engagement – 29 May 10

UNCLASSIFIED

12th IA/Squadron 3/JAOIT Air to Ground Integration Training, 3-8 June 2010

UNCLASSIFIED

JAOIT/Squadron 3/12th IA SOC Training and IqAF/IA KLE – 1 Jul 10

UNCLASSIFIED

JAOIT/Sq 3/12th Iraqi Army Special Operation Company Integration – 30 Jun 10 – 7 Jul 10

UNCLASSIFIED

The Iraqis

They are not so different from you and I! They want security and stability in their country They want their kids to have it better than they did

The Insh’Allah Attitude Napping They MUST be ordered by superiors before they do anything

Initiative is not rewarded; it is usually punished They are very generous They are putting themselves out there for their country

IEDs on the doorstep There are some who “get it”

Like any problem, focus efforts on the “Centers of Gravity”

Advising is an Art Relationships matter Must be “comfortable uncomfortable” Find out what motivates people Don’t mirror image The key is to get people to take your ideas and make them their own Lots of Chai, pool, and ping-pong 21

UNCLASSIFIED

The Americans

LEADERSHIP MATTERS! The only issues that I had with anything at any time was all directly attributable

to American leadership Courageous leadership a pre-req at ALL levels The Army gets “Ground Mission Accomplishment” much better than the Air Force

You can NOT have a garrison mentality in combat Advising is a personality based trait (not AFSC based) You MUST be “comfortable uncomfortable” Not every situation is written down You must accept some risk, otherwise you will never accomplish the mission Uniform violations?

Still need down time Just because you can work 18 hrs/day, doesn’t mean you should If you are working 18 hrs/day, you are overworked or inefficient – Which is it?

Your boss can always ask more questions than you can answer Does NOT mean the mission is getting accomplished CC’s need to give appropriate guidance and intent and then BACK OFF! Nothing zaps morale like a micro-managing boss

“What kind of training does the Army have?”

Made some Awesome friends Highest compliment you can pay someone in the Profession of Arms – “I’d

follow you into combat” I met leaders that I would follow into combat…

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UNCLASSIFIED

Takeaways

Being away from family sucks The more effort you put into planning and prep, the easier it will be

The AF gives you training that is second to none Advising works in any situation

Getting people to take your ideas and make them their own Much like leadership…

There are going to be difficult bosses As one person, you can make a difference

In co-workers, in the Iraqis, or in home-station Keep your eyes and ears open

Sometimes opportunity knocks very softly Learn to be “comfortable uncomfortable” Lead courageously in everything you do Set goals and milestones for every step of the way

Personally and professionally And Finally…

DON’T COUNT THE DAYS…

MAKE THE DAYS COUNT! 23

321st

Air Expeditionary Wing

Iraq Training and Advisory Mission - Air Force

(ITAM-AF)

QUESTIONS?

Iraq ExperienceJan-Aug ‘10