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***image1***Standing up a flying squadron can be difficult. Standing up an Iraqi
C-130 squadron of aircrew members who have not flown since 1991 and
have no training in the C-130 can be considered a gargantuan challenge.
Capt. Bryan Dockter, 37th Airlift Squadron pilot, and Staff Sgt. JR
Ewing, 37th AS flight engineer, took this challenge head on during
their six-months deployment to train Iraqis to fly and stand up the
first Iraqi C-130 squadron.
“Not only were we there to teach them about flying the C-130,” said
Captain Dockter, “We were helping them transform into a fully
functional flying squadron with life support, scheduling,
standardization and evaluation and other shops needed to make a flying
squadron successful.”
The Iraqi 23rd Squadron relocated from Ali Base to Baghdad in February.
Ensuring the squadron was up and running was only one of the several
challenges facing the Iraqi aircrew members.
Captain Dockter remembers when one of the Iraqi pilots came to work
ghost white because his wife had received a threat letter. The
death-threat letter stated that “they” knew her husband was flying for
the Iraqi Air Force and it mentioned their children’s names.
Sergeant Ewing, who has been assigned to the 37th AS for four years,
said death threats are very common among 23rd Squadron members.
“Working for the government could cost these Iraqis their lives,” said
Sergeant Ewing. “A U.S. Air Force crewmember doesn’t worry if his
family will be killed or kidnapped because of his government
job.”
Despite the challenges, the Ramstein aircrew members were very happy with the results.
“It made me a better pilot,” said Captain Dockter.
Like most deployments, Captain Dockter worked 175 days out of the 180
he was deployed. He said it was a challenge to stay focused
everyday and have new things for the Iraqis to work on to utilize every
minute of training.
“The Iraqis were always very receptive to everything we taught them and
they wanted to become better fliers themselves,” he said.
In the U.S. Air Force, the flight engineer crew position is filled by
an enlisted member. Sergeant Ewing said it was interesting to
teach his flight engineer counterparts who were all warrant officers or
officers.
“Most of the engineers were my father’s age,” Sergeant Ewing
said. “It didn’t matter though – they were just happy we were
there supporting them.”
“They are truly on the way to starting their own air force again,” said
Sergeant Ewing. “The C-130 community is small and I am sure I
will be in touch with these aircrew members for the rest of my career.”
