Lt. Gen. Anwar Hamad Ameen Ahmed, Iraqi air force commander, met with Air Education and Training Command officials at JBSA-Randolph, Tex., to discuss the US-led training mission for Iraqi airmen, according to a Randolph release. This was Anwar’s fifth visit to the United States to witness first-hand the training activities for Iraqi airmen, states the July 12 release. “I am proud that I am the Iraqi air force commander,” said Anwar. “I want to build the air force. We started from zero in 2003. I am so proud when I see today the air force growing day after day. This is our future,” he said. Among the stops during his July 2-5 visit, Anwar met with Lt. Gen. Douglas Owens, AETC vice commander and toured the Defense Language Institute English Language Center at nearby JBSA-Lackland, states the release. Iraqi aircrews and aircraft maintainers train in places like Tucson Ariz., and Sheppard AFB, Tex. (Randolph report by SSgt. Clinton Atkins)
In the wake of a major Chinese military shakeup, the head of U.S. Space Command warned of China’s “breathtakingly fast” advances in space during visits to Japan and South Korea. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting’s trip to the Indo-Pacific is his first overseas visit since taking command of SPACECOM in January.