1. Iraq Experience
Jan-Aug ’10
“YJCMTSU”
Major Greg D. Tolmoff

2. Pre-mission Preparation My Personal Goals Getting There The Mission
Overview
Pre-mission Preparation
My Personal Goals
Getting There
The Mission
Iraqi Air Operations Center
Joint Air Operations Integration Team
The Iraqis
The Americans
Takeaways

3. Pre-mission Preparation
Pre Deployment Spin Up (Home Station)
Computer Based Training (CBTs)
Self Aid Buddy Care (SABC)
Chemical Warfare Defense Training (CWDT)
Small Arms Re-Qualification (M-4, M-9)
Air Advisor Training (Ft. Dix, New Jersey)
Built in support structure of people you already know once you get into theatre
2 Phases:
“Air Advisor Training”
30 Hours Arabic Language Training
Iraqi Culture Training
Arabic Negotiations
Interpreter Usage
The Art of Advising
“Combat Skills Training”
Combat Lifesaver Training and Certification
Advanced Weapons Academics and Training
High Threat Driving
Rollover Prevention Training
Land Navigation
Radio Training
High-Risk-Of-Capture Training

4. My Personal Goals What I set out to do: What actually happened
Lose 50 Lbs
Finish Air War College by Correspondence
Have an Adventure
What actually happened
Lost 50 Lbs
Finished Air War College by Correspondence
Had an Adventure?
20 Combat Sorties on Iraqi Aircraft
15 Combat Sorties on American Aircarft
Spent 50 Hours+ “Outside the Wire”
Shot 15 Different Kinds of Weapons (Iraqi/American/British)
Went to 12 Different Forward Operating Bases
Met Hundreds of Iraqis
Ate Tigris River Carp with my hands
Flew a Remote Control Helicopter in Saddam’s Palace
Met the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Air Force
Renewed Faith in my Sister Services
Was called an “advising ninja” because I was “Comfortable Uncomfortable”
Made a Difference
I did my job in Iraq today, so that my boys would not have to go back to Iraq to finish my job in 20 years

5. Getting There Unit Deployment Manager is Key
Getting all of your “personal effects” in order
Tried to re-finance the house while I was gone
More support from your countrymen than you know how to handle
USO Support
Rotator into Theatre
Al Udeid
Intra-theatre travel
Forward Operating Bases (FOBs)
Living Accommodations
Internet
SKYPE!
Green Bean
DFACs
Recreation Equipment
Tours
Cigar Club
AFN
Haji-Movies

6. The Mission - CC’s Top Ten Priorities
Comprehensive IqAF support to national elections
Airworthiness certification of the IqAF fleet
Transition of air base operations, security, infrastructure and airspace control
IqAF advanced pilot training program
Development of IqAF ISR PED processes and utilization
IqAF Air Staff program and budget oversight, operational standardization, and quality assurance
Joint integration
Preparing for incoming IqAF weapon systems
Unity of effort of Airmen partnering and mentoring
Developing & exercising new capabilities across DOTMLPF

7. Iraqi Air Operations Center
Current Strength
Iraqi Air Operations Center
IqAF – (46) Officers, (1) Enlisted/Warrant Officer
US Personnel: (14) Advisors, (2) Interpreters
Director, IAOC
Name: Col Hamid Khudair
Education:
Iraq Naval Academy
Leadership Academy
Background:
Army MI-8, Mi-17, Mi-24
Navy Super Falcon
LOO
Advise and assist IAOC in:
Current Capability
IAOC Vision
Command and Control
- Iraqi Master ATO / Air Operations Order - Skytrax (COTS Acft tracking via internet)
Election
Capability Development
- Lethal Capabilities (Hellfire, DAGR)
- Air-Ground Integration / Clearance of Fires
- ISR Production, Exploitation, Dissemination
- WX Forecasting
External Effects
- USF-I, ICAA, ACCE Coordination
AOC Move to Hawk Base
C2 of ~250+ sorties/week
Coordinate mission requests with “customer,” MoD, and Squadrons
Humble C2 Infrastructure
Heavy reliance on Advisors for US coordination and WX forecasting
Immature clearance of fires capability
Mission tasking strictly dependent on MoD personal involvement
Provide effective C2 of IqAF air operations across the spectrum of capabilities to ensure Iraq’s continued national sovereignty. Develop a WX forecasting center with effective observation /forecasting ability.

8. Air Tasking Cycle JFC and Component Coordination
JFACC Intent /COA ROE / Apportionment
Recommendation and Decision
Combat Assessments Alternative COA OA Combat Assessment
Target Development
JIPTL / JIPCL TET Worksheets 1 2 6
Strategy
Ops
Assessment
TET
ISR
Combat Ops 5
MAAP 3
ATO Production
Force Execution
BDA
MISREP
Weaponeering and
Allocation
MAAP Worksheets
MAAP Brief
SORTIE ALOT 4
ATO Production
ATO ACO SPINS

9. Puddy’s Hierarchy of Iraqi Air Force Needs
Plan and Integrate
Strategic Level
Squadron Functions Scheduling / Evaluating
Operational Level
Technical experts /
Experienced operators
Tactical Level
Aircraft / Training flight hours /
Instructors / Qualified students with
long-term assignments
As with Maslow’s theory –
Each unit has gone through these building block steps. In order to achieve success at the highest levels, you must have the foundation built. We can’t function as a squadron without the basic needs in order to supply the basic products. This is a hurdle that should have been crossed years ago. With the tools in place, technical experts and operators can be developed. The Squadron level functions cannot happen without experienced operators to step up and guide the process. Once the squadron functions are in place, the squadron can work to integrate outside its direct structure and develop strategic planning efforts
Squadron 87 is becoming Operational Level competent. They are trying to reach into the Planning and Integrating realm, but many times the requirement for the Basic Needs drag them back down.
The T6 program is at the Basic Needs level. They will not be able to continue until they build their foundation.
Squadron 23 has been able to achieve the Operational level because they were provided with support, they are regressing due to the lack of that same level of basics.
For the most part, these items are not wants, they are needs.
Necessary Tools
Weather / NOTAMS / Approach charts / Jeppesen /
ICAA products / IMATO / Mission papers
Basic Products
Electricity / Internet / Paper / Printers / Phones / Desks / Chairs / Office equipment
Basic Needs

10. JAOIT - Joint Air Operations Integration Team
JAOIT Mission
JAOIT - Joint Air Operations Integration Team
JAOIT Vision: Develop joint interoperability through airpower integration
JAOIT Mission: Integrate Iraq Air Force airpower capabilities with regional ground, security, civil, SOF, and maritime forces—develop joint Iraqi partnerships that facilitate enduring operational capabilities
Accomplishing Mission
Assess region – Measure capabilities and needs
Develop network – Advisory, Iraqi, regional ops center
Execute – Connect dots, plan, train, operationalize
Challenges
Infrastructure – , internet, phone service
Equipment procurement and distribution – radios, PGS
Connecting regional ops centers and IAOC
Weaning from U.S. dependency

11. JAOIT As I See It Biggest Advisory Bang for the Buck
Getting Iraqi Ideas into Motion
Using Iraqi Assets to Solve Problems
JAOIT Bridges the Iraqi Cultural Divides
US Leads the introductions and facilitates the meetings
Iraqis lead the training and execution
JAOIT Should Be a Growth Industry
Gets/Keeps the contacts needed throughout country
Allows integration at tactical and operational level
ITAM-AF has more influence on strategic level with tactical level buy-in

12. Kirkuk Operations Kirkuk PJCC Mission Complete Northern Oil Company
Built off Election Successes (STT)
321 AEAG Decision to stay in USD-N to levy contacts in AO
Northern Oil Company
ISR Overwatch Cross Ministry (MoO/MoI) and PRT
In Response to Multiple Attacks
12th Iraqi Army
ISR training and support of real world ops
LTG Barbero Directed in Support of BG Samir
12th IA Spec Ops Training Ongoing (culminates 7 Jul 10)
Mission
Complete
Mission
Complete
Mission
Complete

13. When Iraqis integrate without JAOIT’s help
Considerations
Air-ground integration
Can not be done ad-hoc
Operationalize all regions
Security, stability provided by Iraqi forces
Iraqis train, Iraqis learn
Enduring Ops at Locations Serviced
Success criteria:
When Iraqis integrate without JAOIT’s help

14. Sir,
On 25 Apr 10, JAOIT facilitated an advanced Mission Sensor Operator exercise with Sq 3 (RC-208) in Kirkuk. This partnering exercise was developed to enhance current capabilities into real-world scenarios in which Sq 3 may be tasked. The overall objective of the training was to help the MSO communicate with a “command post” [simulated by JAOIT/MSO in truck] on the ground while tracking a suspected HVI around the FOB. Training included using brevity words, as well as a challenging scenario of tracking a vehicle through a populated area and relaying the picture to the “command post”. We had one US advisor in the aircraft with a junior MSO (2Lt Muhammed), and one advisor on the ground in a truck with a senior MSO (1Lt Mushin). This enabled both MSOs to see how the “other side” operates. The airborne MSO relayed coordinates to the “command post” whenever the vehicle stopped, and he even saw the “HVI” get out of the vehicle and plant a suspected IED near the roadside. The MSO showed a high degree of capability to find, fix, and track the pre-briefed target.
The Sq 3 Commander (sCol Adnan) and the Sq 3 DO (Lt Col Diyah) were the pilots for the sortie, and they were very pleased with how their young MSO is progressing, and they want to see more of this training for their MSOs.
JAOIT will continue on a building block approach challenging the MSOs with more difficult scenarios as the flights progress. Overall, this was an extremely successful partnering opportunity that built relationships for further operations with JAOIT and Sq 3. This training will be extremely valuable to helping out the 12th IA in their efforts to counter IDF around the K-1 Ops Center.
Attached are the story board (pictures), MSO scenario that we used (scenario 1), and the subsequent scenarios that we are going to use (scenario 2/3) as well as some of the other products JAOIT has created for this exercise.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
JAOIT/Squadron 3 Advanced Mission Sensor Operator (MSO) Training – 25 April 2010

15. 321 AEAG/CC-JAOIT Visit to Northern Oil Company, 5 May 2010

16. JAOIT/JTAC PJCC Training Exercise w/ IqAF Sq 3 – 13 May 10

17. 12th IA/Squadron 3/JAOIT Key Leader Engagement – 29 May 10

18. 12th IA/Squadron 3/JAOIT Air to Ground Integration Training, 3-8 June 2010

19. JAOIT/Squadron 3/12th IA SOC Training and IqAF/IA KLE – 1 Jul 10

20. JAOIT/Sq 3/12th Iraqi Army Special Operation Company Integration – 30 Jun 10 – 7 Jul 10

21. The Iraqis They are not so different from you and I!
They want security and stability in their country
They want their kids to have it better than they did
The Insh’Allah Attitude
Napping
They MUST be ordered by superiors before they do anything
Initiative is not rewarded; it is usually punished
They are very generous
They are putting themselves out there for their country
IEDs on the doorstep
There are some who “get it”
Like any problem, focus efforts on the “Centers of Gravity”
Advising is an Art
Relationships matter
Must be “comfortable uncomfortable”
Find out what motivates people
Don’t mirror image
The key is to get people to take your ideas and make them their own
Lots of Chai, pool, and ping-pong

22. The Americans LEADERSHIP MATTERS!
The only issues that I had with anything at any time was all directly attributable to American leadership
Courageous leadership a pre-req at ALL levels
The Army gets “Ground Mission Accomplishment” much better than the Air Force
You can NOT have a garrison mentality in combat
Advising is a personality based trait (not AFSC based)
You MUST be “comfortable uncomfortable”
Not every situation is written down
You must accept some risk, otherwise you will never accomplish the mission
Uniform violations?
Still need down time
Just because you can work 18 hrs/day, doesn’t mean you should
If you are working 18 hrs/day, you are overworked or inefficient – Which is it?
Your boss can always ask more questions than you can answer
Does NOT mean the mission is getting accomplished
CC’s need to give appropriate guidance and intent and then BACK OFF!
Nothing zaps morale like a micro-managing boss
“What kind of training does the Army have?”
Made some Awesome friends
Highest compliment you can pay someone in the Profession of Arms – “I’d follow you into combat”
I met leaders that I would follow into combat…

23. MAKE THE DAYS COUNT! Takeaways DON’T COUNT THE DAYS…
Being away from family sucks
The more effort you put into planning and prep, the easier it will be
The AF gives you training that is second to none
Advising works in any situation
Getting people to take your ideas and make them their own
Much like leadership…
There are going to be difficult bosses
As one person, you can make a difference
In co-workers, in the Iraqis, or in home-station
Keep your eyes and ears open
Sometimes opportunity knocks very softly
Learn to be “comfortable uncomfortable”
Lead courageously in everything you do
Set goals and milestones for every step of the way
Personally and professionally
And Finally…
DON’T COUNT THE DAYS…
MAKE THE DAYS COUNT!

24. Iraq Experience
Jan-Aug ‘10
QUESTIONS?