Air Force Chief Visits Personnel In Middle East

Chief Of Air Force Visits Personnel In The Middle East

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, has met many of the RAAF personnel who provide vital support to Australian and Coalition forces in the Middle East, during his first visit to the region as Chief.

AIRMSHL Binskin and Warrant Officer of the Air Force, WOFF Ray Woolnough visited deployed personnel at various locations in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) including Afghanistan and Iraq during the last week.

“There are about 450 Air Force personnel deployed throughout the MEAO. They are doing RAAF and Australia proud, working long hours, often in hot and difficult conditions,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.

“In addition to visiting air crews and flight line staff, I met Air Force people working in operational support and joint roles, ranging from air space management, intelligence, medical, logistics, administration and security tasks. Many of our personnel in these positions do not receive a lot of public recognition. This visit was a great opportunity to see the valuable work they are performing.”

AIRMSHL Binskin’s visit included major RAAF elements in the MEAO:

* A C-130 Hercules detachment of about 160 personnel and 3 aircraft, providing essential airlift for Australian and Coalition Forces;
* An AP-3C Orion detachment of approximately 170 personnel are conducting surveillance and reconnaissance tasks for Australian and Coalition forces;
* The RAAF Control and Reporting Centre in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where a detachment of 75 RAAF personnel control operational air space over southern Afghanistan;
* RAAF Airfield Defence Guards, who are deployed as part of Security Detachment XIII, protecting Australia’s diplomatic interests in Baghdad; and
* The RAAF medical team (Permanent and Reserve staff) working in the Dutch military hospital in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.

“I also acknowledge the extremely important role played by the families and friends of deployed Air Force personnel, back here in Australia. In many ways, they have the hardest task and the support they provide keeps morale up as our people spend months away from home,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.

ENDS

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