Airman earns Bronze Star for efforts in Iraq

***image1***Lt. Col. Roger Redwood, 76th Airlift Squadron, was recently awarded the Bronze Star medal for meritorious conduct during operations in Iraq.

According to his citation, Colonel Redwood, through focused leadership and a precise balance of technical and English training, implemented a comprehensive training program that fully qualifed 35 Iraqi crewmembers and life support personnel.

Colonel Redwood recently shared his award experiences with the KA.

KA: How did you feel when you found out you were to receive the Bronze Star?
Colonel Redwood: Mostly undeserving but grateful.

What was your role in your deployed location?
I was the C-130 Advisory Support Team flight commander and, along with 17 other C-130 instructors, was tasked with qualifying 40 Iraqi Air Force members in C-130 operations.

What were some of the defining moments of your deployment?
Iraqi Air Force Squadron 23 was the first airlift squadron in post-war Iraq so just about every mission was a first. Of course, having the first all-Iraqi crew lift off into the skies of Iraq was huge. Initially we flew nothing but DVs and cargo missions but around August 2005, Squadron 23 was asked to airlift 300-plus Iraqi troops into combat operations at Tal Afar. For the first time the Iraqi crews saw their direct contribution to the ongoing conflict and it made all the instructors feel like we were making a difference.

Describe the relationship with your Iraqi Air Force counterparts.
We were like family since we lived in a tent city together and for the most part ate together. Many of the Iraqi squadron members were older than us but they didn’t let that get in the way of learning from us becasue they wanted to make their Air Force better.