The (N.C.) Courier-Tribune reports on the work Air National Guard Maj. Steven Francis, a forward air controller with the North Carolina ANG’s 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, performed while serving in Iraq. Francis describes his sojourns into the field, where he encountered rocket-propelled grenades and “bullets whizzing” around his head. His job, of course, was to direct aircraft to provide close air support for troops on the ground. Read the article here.
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…