US and Iraqi Airmen Square Off in Weapons Load Competition
July 27, 2009 - KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq – Earlier this month, Iraqi and U.S. Air Force personnel squared off here in the first weapons-load competition.
The contest pitted the newly certified lead-weapons crew from Iraqi Air Force Squadron 3 against advisors from the U.S. Air Force’s 521st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron.
The Iraqis won a coin toss to determine which crew would load first and were determined to show their advisors just how much they’ve learned. Seventeen minutes and fifteen seconds later the Iraqis finished – 2 Hellfire missiles hung on the wings of an AC-208B Caravan with no discrepancies.
Next were the advisors, consisting of the U.S. Air Force’s Tech. Sgt. Shawn Mullins, Staff Sgt. Eric Hunt and Staff Sgt. Phillip Ball. They
said they were confident in their abilities and were ready to show their rivals that the Iraqis still had a little bit more to learn.
The advisors began in earnest, with confidence and skill, and sixteen minutes later they finished. The advisors thought they had won, but the Iraqis pointed out a critical mistake made in the last seconds of the load, which proved costly. As a result, the Iraqi load team won the competition and beat their advisors, a testament to their hard work, attention to detail and dedication.
Regardless of the outcome, however, the competition was a win for both sides. It showed that Iraqi Air Force Squadron 3 load crews are truly ready to move forward on their own.
Two days later, in front of their squadron mates and advisors, the winning crew accepted certificates from Brig. Gen. Robert Kane, commanding general, Iraq Training Advisory Mission- Air Force, Multi-National Security Transition Command, and 321st Air Expeditionary Warfare commander.
Stumble It!
