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.”
Aircraft readiness will suffer if Congress does not approve some $1.5 billion worth of spare parts the Air Force requested in its annual Unfunded Priorities List, sent to Capitol Hill last week, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said.