Airmen from the 332^nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group worked together in the largest military transition since World War II. The group had to maintain its support of the critical F-16 top cover mission while supporting the transfer of Joint Base Balad to the Government of Iraq.

“Our job as the mission support group was to provide base operational support and infrastructure,” said Col. Brent Bigger, 332^nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander. “We were by far the main hub of all ground movement in Iraq, supporting all other base closures in the Iraq Joint Operations Area up until two weeks before our closure, a challenging feat.”

Accepting the test, the 332^nd EMSG Airmen executed the mission, despite the challenges.

“Our squadron had the opportunity to support base personnel by entertaining with fitness and recreation, feeding and housing thousands of people while carefully managing the decreasing numbers and keeping the warfighting mission on target,” said Capt. Julie Harrison, 332nd Expeditionary Force Support Squadron deputy commander. “As we continued our deployment, our own squadron manning was also decreased, to include our contractors who were an integral part of completing our daily mission. When we lost our contractors, we went from a 1,200-person squadron to just 230, including our Army food service personnel, and still completed the mission for our warfighters.  It was a very proud time to see everyone come together from all services and ranks to get the mission accomplished and get everyone out safely.”

With Balad containing multiple military branches, largely Army and 180 tenant units, the transition was a joint effort.

“Army logistics, expressed by Sun Tsu thousands of years ago, is the key to successful ground and war operations, and they really got that, while being equally impressed by our airpower logistics,” said Bigger. “We led mayor’s call daily meetings during the last 20 days and we were told over and over that our 332^nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron was the best travel booking agent anywhere.”

The Army worked with the Air Force to also enable the dining facility to serve two hot meals a day during the final weeks of U.S. forces occupying Balad.

“Toward the end you had a really good idea of exactly what mission essential meant and just how important the mission you did every day impacted the big picture,” said Senior Airman Joseph Martincic, 332^nd ELRS vehicle maintainer. “We don’t realize how much effort goes into providing morale for deployed Airmen until those things start going away. I also didn’t realize just how resourceful Airmen can be when it comes to making our own fun.

“You will never hear anyone that was there at the end talk bad about a dining facility ever again,” Martincic said. “Losing the connection you had with your loved ones back home when communications went away was probably the hardest thing. You don’t realize how much a simple phone call or letter has a positive impact on your day.”

Prior to his deployment, Bigger had been to Balad briefly while traveling with the former Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates. His said his first impression was that the base was very large.

“The last days were like a ghost town, it was surreal, when we went down to 3,000 people or less in a small final consolidated area; a dramatic difference from 15,000 personnel to zero in 30 days,” he said. “Everything was cleaned and looked great, the equipment was gone and all the buildings were cleared. It didn’t look or feel like Balad anymore. It was like doing your job at someone else’s place.”

“To be able to say I was there when we turned the lights out at Balad is something I am very proud of,” Martincic said. “I was there last year and to be able to see it come full circle, from an Air Force-run installation to an Iraqi military base, and knowing how much effort went into the transition is pretty amazing.”

When Balad was officially signed over, it was a conclusion to all the efforts of those who were at Balad in the final days.  To make the transition even better, Balad was passed over to the Iraqis sooner than expected.

“When we were so close to the last day, there was a giddy sense that we had really done it, and this is going to happen,” said Bigger. “We found ways through a tight communication loop and efficiencies as a joint team to finish ahead of schedule, closing the base five days early.  The Balad team took control of our destiny and we logically presented the conditions required to close the base to U.S. Forces-Iraq leadership versus being held to the non-flexible hard date. We got people and cargo out faster, we got base security set up early with the Iraqi Army and we had the GoI sign the paperwork early.”

In the end, this potentially put the entire Iraqi Joint Operating Area retrograde on the fast track because of what Balad was able to do, freeing up logistics resources and manpower several days earlier, making available for the remainder of the base transfers.

“No one doubted us, but they weren’t going to get in front of it until it happened,” said Bigger. “Everyone was extremely proud, taking pictures and hugging each other, which is something you don’t normally see. Asking for the final head count and verifying 100 percent accounted for as we flew away safe and mission complete was the most fulfilling and proud moment of our careers.”