By
W02 Al Green
 |
|
Air
Commander Air Vice-Marshal John Kindler helps P-3 ground
crew member Corporal Matt Haynes into an “ice vest”
designed to help cool personnel as they work in the heat.
Photo by WO2 Al Green
|
THE
continued delivery of significant operational results impressed
Air Commander Australia Air Vice-Marshal John Kindler on a recent
visit to the Middle East Area of Operations.
High on the list of people deserving praise are those who maintain
and manage logistics systems, communications systems and weapons
systems.
AVM Kindler took the opportunity to meet many of the airmen and
airwomen deployed to the MEAO.
“I wanted to thank all deployed personnel on behalf of Air
Force and acknowledge their good work and I also wanted to let
them know that we’re thinking of them,” he said.
He observed many adaptations and procedures developed to support
operations in the MEAO.
“The Air Force is a dynamic and evolving organisation and
we are open to new ideas that will help us operate with greater
efficiency,” he said.
Just one of the innovations is the “ice-vest” being
trialed by P-3 Orion air and ground crews to lower their body
core temperature as they work in near 50-degree temperatures.
Like other deployed personnel, the Air Commander was required
to draw a weapon, helmet and body armour to take a C-130 Hercules
into Iraq.
At Baghdad International Airport, he climbed the air traffic control
tower to witness coalition aircraft under direction of Australian
Air Traffic Controllers. Later he took part in a patrol with Air
Defence Guards to the scene of a nearby mortar shell attack.
He said his lasting impression of the visit was the validation
of training, teamwork and morale.
“What shines through is the sheer professionalism of our
people – they are doing us proud,” he said.
