Visiting Hours Over

The Air Force’s 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron on Aug. 10 formally ended its participation in visitation operations at the theater internment facility at Camp Bucca, Iraq, turning over the mission to the Army. Members of the security forces unit each day greeted Iraqi family members coming to the camp to see their interned kin, searched them, and escorted them to the visitation facilities for the meetings. In 2008, airmen of the unit brought together more than 131,000 family members with their interned relatives. Col. John Williams, commander of the 586th Air Expeditionary Group, which oversees the squadron, said the dignity and respect with which these airmen treated the Iraqis produced “reciprocal respect” on the part of the Iraqis that is “going to go a long way” in helping coalition forces accomplish their objectives in Iraq. (Camp Bucca report by SSgt. Shaun Emery)