Four airmen assigned to the Camp Al Rustamiyah forward operating base outside Baghdad are taking point on an important mission—helping to train, advise, and mentor Iraqi forces as they prepare to take over installations across the country from coalition forces, says Maj. Derek Jenkins, senior military advisor at the base and deployed from Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The airmen—all security forces—spent two months in training at Ft. Hood, Tex., before starting their one-year deployments to Iraq. According to MSgt. Anthony Roop, from Whiteman AFB, Mo., “The Jundi, which are the same as a private or an airman, are very motivated, very positive. They want to do the job and they’re ready to get to work.”
Three of four congressional committees with influence over defense policy have voted to change the official name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War—but final approval of the Pentagon rebrand is months away and not yet assured.