Friends from Space support Iraq Assistance Group

  • Published
  • By Army Sgt. Shannon Crane
  • U.S. Central Command Public Affairs
MULTI-NATIONAL CORPS, Iraq --  Most people are familiar with the following opening line from a famous television show: "Space - the final frontier." The series focused on the experiences and adventures of a group of service members traveling to parts unknown. 

For Air Force Space Command professionals, Iraq can be likened to "the final frontier," as some are boldly going where no other space professionals have gone before - deploying overseas from a career field filled with stateside assignments and, sometimes, working in positions not specifically related to their careers within AFSPC.
Maj. Charles Rice and Capt. Tonya Walters are two such space professionals, currently serving with the Iraq Assistance Group. 

Formed in 2005, the IAG is a subordinate command of Multi-National Corps - Iraq and consists of approximately 100 military members from all services. 

The IAG ensures embedded transition teams, the 11 to 15 person units that advise, coach, teach and mentor Iraqi Security Forces, are provided all the support they require.
Captain Walters, a missile combat crew operator from the 564th Missile Squadron said her background in operations helped her obtain a position at the IAG. 

"They were looking for someone who could work both with the operational world and in a staff position," the captain said. "So my job, as the IAG air operations officer, is to work with Army, Air Force and Marine Corps aviation units to arrange transportation throughout Iraq and the Central Command theater for team members and those supporting the teams. 

"Coming from an operational background, I understand the operational mentality," she added, "and I feel like I can talk to these combat air units, their pilots and the air movement schedulers with a little bit more knowledge because I kind of understand their language." 

Major Rice, who also has missile combat crew experience, left his position at Keesler AFB, Miss., to deploy on a six-month tour with the IAG. 

"I'm the unit movement officer for the transition teams here in Iraq - the folks teaching Iraq to take care of itself," said Rice. 

"In Space Command, I've worked with folks of a lot of varying backgrounds to do a common job, and everybody there was capable of doing the job," the major said. "Well, I'm learning how to plug myself in as one of those varying background guys and trying to take in those experiences." 

Both officers volunteered for this deployment. Major Rice was motivated by the opportunities for travel and being where the action is. 

"When I filled out that dream sheet at the beginning of my service, before even jumping in and getting the gold bars on, I picked points all over the globe that were not where I came from," Major Rice said. "I've had the opportunity to be a lot of places I haven't been before, but I wanted to get out of the country and actually be closer to where all the noise and action is." 

Captain Walters, too, was motivated by travel, but also for the sense of making a contribution to a struggling nation. 

"I believe in the mission we're doing here, and I really wanted to be a part of bringing some freedom and something new to this part of the world," she said. "When I joined the military, I was very interested in seeing different places and different people, and doing some good in the world. So when I finally got the opportunity through my command to volunteer to deploy, I jumped at it." 

With 17 space-specific positions in Iraq, and a large number of space professionals serving in non-space related jobs, the senior USAF officer in Iraq says that being here gives space professionals a different perspective on the jobs they do back home. 

"I think this is just an amazing opportunity for space folks to be able to get out and see how they support the warfighter," said Maj. Gen. David Edgington, Air Component coordination element director. "The space professionals need to understand they are a part of this fight and they ought to be proud of everything that they're doing. All of our services, all of our specialties ... it brings to bear all of the assets and the capabilities our entire military has. Space is an integral part of that. 

"So my advice would be to take deployment opportunities. Get aggressive and go out and seek those opportunities. It not only eases the burden on some of the other career fields that have repeated deployments, but it also will make you a better-rounded individual for your profession."