Operation Northern Watch: One wing's commitment to supplying airpower
"Operation Northern Watch is a combined task force charged with conducting air operations in Northern Iraq. The mission entails enforcing the no-fly zone in Northern Iraq and monitoring Iraqi compliance with appropriate United Nations Security Council Resolutions 687 and 688," said Tech. Sgt. Thomas Lauria, ONW historian.
Lauria explained that the Northern No-Fly Zone is not an aggression against Iraq or a violation of its sovereignty, it is a necessary and legitimate measure to limit Iraq's aggressive air activities.
Operation Provide Comfort, the predecessor to ONW, officially ended Dec. 31, 1996. The Turkish government approved a continuing air operation from Turkey - ONW - which began Jan. 1, 1997. The coalition partners in ONW are the United States, United Kingdom and Turkey.
Maj. James "Slim" Morgan, 900th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron commander for ONW, said there are more than 130 people under his command. They include 85 Grand Forks AFB personnel and 45 people from the 134th Air Refueling Wing of the Tennessee Air National Guard in Knoxville.
"All airmen assigned are doing a top-notch job every day, they are the true providers of airpower," said Morgan.
"We come here knowing this mission couldn't be completed if it weren't for the use of tankers," Morgan said. "That's evident in the fact that from March 1 to July 21, Grand Forks tankers offloaded more than 23-and-a-half million pounds of fuel to more than 2,500 receivers. To have that kind of success, we have to be doing something right and our people are the reason for it."
Capt. Robert Shelton, a KC-135R Stratotanker pilot from the 912th Air Refueling Squadron said he went to Turkey with a purpose.
"Coming here is really important because this is what we practice to do," Shelton said. "This is the real deal and it's our job."
Shelton added that being a pilot doing such an important task for the Air Force is something to be proud of.
Airman Shania Profater, a flight records technician from the 912th ARS who deployed to ONW July 10, said she is happy to be a part of something a lot of military people may not get to experience.
"It's totally different coming to a place like this," Profater said. "You see why what we do is so important. For me, it has been a great experience."
Airman 1st Class Melinda Harris, a flight management technician from the 912th ARS who was in Turkey from July 9 to Aug. 1, said "everyone knows their role and they do it well for the cause."
"There is a lot to do and it does get hot in Turkey, but we know we have a job to get done and we do it," Harris said. "Take flight management for example, we support the pilots for their operational needs and they wouldn't be able to do their work if it wasn't for us cutting their orders or doing other important administrative duties. We're all here to do what we do because we're a team and a team can accomplish anything." (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)
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