Posted on 08/15/2002 3:40:49 PM PDT by newsperson999
They could be in place if Bush orders invasion
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is sending close to 1,000 people overseas to enforce no-fly zones over Iraq, just as a war of words is heating up between President Bush ( news - web sites) and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites).
And many local personnel have been told to expect longer-than-normal tours of duty this time around.
D-M's 355th Wing today will begin a monthlong process of deploying personnel and equipment to military missions around the world.
About 1,000 personnel are leaving, most of whom will be involved in Operation Northern Watch and Operation Southern Watch, the decade-long effort to police the airspace in northern and southern Iraq.
D-M spokeswoman Staff Sgt. Shanda De Anda said the base isn't revealing the exact number of people being shipped out or their duties or precise destinations due to security concerns.
D-M missions often involve the A-10 Thunderbolt II, a durable aircraft capable of destroying armored vehicles and staying airborne even when heavily damaged.
Many of those poised to leave were notified a few weeks ago that they'll have to stay overseas for as long as six months, double the normal three-month rotation for routine deployments.
The Air Force started offering the three-month tours in 2000 as part of a plan to reduce stress on pilots and other personnel who were leaving the military, citing overwork and erratic schedules.
The Air Force now says longer tours are needed this time around to compensate for shortages of pilots, enlisted air crews, military police and other specialty jobs.
The shortages result from several factors, officials say. One is that the military has spread its resources to several new hot spots as part of the war on terrorism.
Another is that members of reserve and National Guard units are being returned to their normal standby status. Many of these supplementary forces were called to active duty after Sept. 11.
There may also be another explanation for the longer tours over Iraq, said military analyst Stephen Baker, a retired Navy rear admiral now at the Center for Defense Information, a Washington, D.C.-based non-partisan think tank for military matters.
It is possible that the White House wants to have all bases covered in the event of a U.S. military strike against Iraq, said Baker, an accomplished military pilot.
"There's a chance they want to have a bunch of seasoned aviators there who are very well-versed with the lay of the land, just in case there are contingency operations involving the invasion of Iraq," said Baker.
Air bases like D-M, which have helped to patrol Iraq's no-fly zones for years, would be a logical source of seasoned people, he said.
"Obviously you would want the most experienced folks you can get, and nothing can really beat the experience" of those who worked on past missions, Baker said.
Bush has adopted an increasingly harsh tone toward Iraq's president in recent week, and Saddam has responded with threats to retaliate if attacked.
Bush views Saddam as dangerous, citing his chronic lack of cooperation with United Nations ( news - web sites) weapons inspectors.
The White House has said that it is considering options including military force to oust Saddam from power.
Check out the A-10 WartHog Home Page and more A-10 Thunderbolt info.
Gotta love 'em, the planes and their pilots and support crews.
Hmmmmmmmm. Do you suppose we are sending Warthogs over to "fly patrol" over the "no-fly zones"?
Or do you suppose they might have another mission in mind...???
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